Lathing

Lathing

Lathing is the process of machining with the use of Lathe Machines. Commonly, lathing uses any of the thin, narrow strips of wood used in lattices or nailed to two-by-fours, rafters, etc. as a foundation for plaster, tiles, etc.

Lathes were developed as early as the 15th century and were known as "bow" lathes. The operator rotated the workpiece by drawing a bow back and forth, either by hand or with the use of a foot treadle. Next came Bessons lathe in 1568, which was driven by a cord passing over a pulley above the machine. This in turn drove two other pulleys on the same shaft which rotated the workpiece and a crude, wooden lead screw, which in turn allowed the operator to remove metal from the piece being machined. The screw cutting lathe originates in the 17th century. Development and advancements have continued and today we have sophisticated computerized controlled lathes.

The engine lathe is intended for general purpose lathe work and is the usual lathe found in the machine shop. The engine lathe may be bench or floor mounted; it may be referred to as a toolroom-type lathe, or a sliding-gap or extension-type lathe. The engine lathe consists mainly of a headstock, a tailstock, a carriage, and a bed upon which the tailstock and carriage move. Most engine lathes are back-geared and high torque, which is required for machining large diameter workpieces and taking heavy cuts. The usual engine lathe has longitudinal power and crossfeeds for moving the carriage. It has a lead screw with gears to provide various controlled feeds for cutting

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