A lathe is a very useful machine. By turning the workpiece, one is able to make symmetrical or balanced parts. Everything from simple wood bowls to complex engine crankshafts can be turned on a lathe. Lathes are a major tool in the machinist trade, as well as woodwork and automotive applications.
Lathes have many different applications in an industrial setting. Whether working wooden table legs to constructing baseball trophy top pieces, a lathe exists for almost every type of material. The following table details a few of the applications.
Woodturning: Used to make wooden objects such as ornate table legs, baseball bats, wooden bowl, and platters; operators use a variety of tools to form
Metalworking: Used to create precision parts; most often associated with a multistep process requiring different tools for each step
Metal Spinning: A process where metal spins on a spindle, while the operator works it with tools; an automated process
Acrylic Spinning: Involves spinning acrylic on a spindle to form items from acrylic; most often used in the making of the top pieces for trophies
Thermal Spraying: Combines the rotating spindle with the painting process; the paint sticks to the stock via processes involving heating the paint materials
Pottery: By using a potter’s wheel, artisans can make a variety of pottery pieces; though formed mainly by hand, craftspersons also use tools