articulatedheadstockmetallathe

Articulated Headstock Metal Lathe

Adding Features To Traditional Lathe Architecture

Looking at lathe design today reveals that most employ a fixed position headstock that has traditionally been used since the device was invented. With materials and manufacturing methods today, it may be possible to improve on this design. This web page is about adding headstock movement in one, two, or three directions.

Making the headstock rotate in the horizontal plane allows turning of tapered work without having to resort to complex mechanical linkages and their set-up and tear-down.

Making the headstock raise and lower relative to the ways allows adjustment for centering of cutting tools relative to the material being turned. It also offers a possibility for doing some milling functions in the vertical axis.

Having the headstock position adjustable in line with the ways allows options for optimum positioning of work and cutting tools.

And lastly, CNC control of the above options adds significant potential for more complex and highly automated machining capability.

More to come...check back later...

Work In Progress

Please Be patient

Lathe architecture over the years really has not advanced much beyond this 1907 Potter lathe design. We have added attached power and CNC capability, but the basic tool remains unchanged.

But there are some exceptions. This Micro-Lathe has a fixed toolpost and an articulated headstock. This is still not where we are going with this project, but it is getting closer.