# Parts of a Lathe



## HMF

*What are the parts of a lathe machine?*






Having changed over the years, the names given to various parts of the lathe are still not completely standardized. No doubt when the government has finished organizing every other aspect of our lives it will appoint a highly-paid commission to look into the matter and make "recommendations".

There are many types of lathe machine but each machine consist some basic part which are essential for its proper working. These parts are bed, tool post, Chuck, head stock, tell stock, legs, Gear chain, lead screw, carriage, cross slide, split nut, apron, chip pan, guide ways etc. These parts work together to obtain desire motion of tool and work piece so it can be machined.





*Parts of lathe machine
BED*
The bed of Lathe acts as the base on which the different fixed and operations parts of the Lathe are mounted. Lathe beds are usually made as single piece casting of semi-steel (i.e., toughened cast iron),
with the addition of small quantity of steel scrap to the cast iron during melting; the material ‘cast iron’ facilitating an easy sliding action. In case of extremely l...

*Main Parts of Lathe Machine*
The various main parts of lathe machine are









In this image you will get general introduction of all parts of lathe machine.
Explanation of the standard components of most lathes:

*Bed:* Usually made of cast iron. Provides a heavy rigid frame on which all the main components are mounted.
*Ways*: Inner and outer guide rails that are precision machined parallel to assure accuracy of movement.
*Headstock:* mounted in a fixed position on the inner ways, usually at the left end. Using a chuck, it rotates the work.
*Gearbox:* inside the headstock, providing multiple speeds with a geometric ratio by moving levers.
*Spindle:* Hole through the headstock to which bar stock can be fed, which allows shafts that are up to 2 times the length between lathe centers to be worked on one end at a time.
*Chuck:* 3-jaw (self centering) or 4-jaw (independent) to clamp part being machined.
*Chuck:* allows the mounting of difficult workpieces that are not round, square or triangular.
*Tailstock:* Fits on the inner ways of the bed and can slide towards any position the headstock to fit the length of the work piece. An optional taper turning attachment would be mounted to it.
*Tailstock Quill*: Has a Morse taper to hold a lathe center, drill bit or other tool.
*Carriage:* Moves on the outer ways. Used for mounting and moving most the cutting tools.
*Cross Slide:* Mounted on the traverse slide of the carriage, and uses a handwheel to feed tools into the workpiece.
*Tool Post:* To mount tool holders in which the cutting bits are clamped.
*Compound Rest:* Mounted to the cross slide, it pivots around the tool post.
*Apron:* Attached to the front of the carriage, it has the mechanism and controls for moving the carriage and cross slide.
*Feed Rod:* Has a keyway, with two reversing pinion gears, either of which can be meshed with the mating bevel gear to forward or reverse the carriage using a clutch.
*Lead Screw:* For cutting threads.
*Split Nut: *When closed around the lead screw, the carriage is driven along by direct drive without using a clutch.
*Quick Change Gearbox:* Controls the movement of the carriage using levers.
*Steady Rest:* Clamped to the lathe ways, it uses adjustable fingers to contact the workpiece and align it. Can be used in place of tailstock or in the middle to support long or unstable parts being machined.
*Follow Rest:* Bolted to the lathe carriage, it uses adjustable fingers to bear against the workpiece opposite the cutting tool to prevent deflection.


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