Metalworking lathes

Metalworking lathes are used for shaping metal round by holding and rotating the workpiece while a carbide tool bit is pushed into the outside or inside of the workpiece. Holding the part is normally done with a chuck that has jaws to grip the part at one end and a pointed center or steady rest to support the center of the part at the other end. Lathes may also be able to produce screw threads, tapered work, drilled holes, knurled surfaces, and crankshafts depending which tooling is used.