FACE-LATHE
Face lathes first appeared in the 18th century and are still commonly used in prototyping, the production of unique pieces or small series, and restoration work. They are valued for their speed, simplicity of use, and high precision. These types of lathes are designed to be used on a workbench. Some are mounted on a wooden base, while others are clamped in a bench vice.
Most of the time, the rotation axis of a face lathe is horizontal; however, some machines are designed to work vertically. In all cases, the artisan can easily adjust the lathe to the most comfortable angle.
The main components and body of a face lathe are typically made of brass or nickel silver, with steel fastenings and bronze bearings.
There are two types of these manually driven machines. In both cases, the artisan drives the lathe by turning a handle attached to the edge of the drive wheel. The lathe is then powered either by a belt or by gears. The component to be machined is secured to a circular plate by three steel clamps. The plate is driven by the drive wheel. The chisel is firmly fixed to the carriage, which is attached to the body of the lathe. Similar to the carriage of a conventional lathe (types 70 and/or 102), the artisan can move the carriage using graduated micrometre screws on two axes (X & Y).