What can you do on the center lathe?

A center lathe can be used for machining, manufacturing or modifying parts and components from most metals, some plastics or even some fiber compound materials. The versatility of a lathe is extensive.

Lathes cut the outside diameters of the workpiece or component, cuts the faces and bore, can cut most types of threads, grooves for o'rings and v-belts, knurl surfaces, part or cut off. All these functions can be achieved with high precision.

Lathes also do the primary machining of a workpiece which would then have multiple spline cut for a gear, key way for a shaft, etc. on machines like milling machines, slotting machines, gear shapers.