Major Lathe Components

Headstock

The headstock is a large casting that contains the motor, spindle, gearbox, and controls. More…

The headstock contains the motor, spindle, gears, and controls.

Bed

The bed is the major structural element of the lathe. It must be massive to be rigid enough to maintain accuracy. Lathe beds are often made of cast iron to absorb vibration and maintain stability. More…

Carriage

The carriage provides the main means of tool motion on the lathe. It has controls for powerfeed and direction, and provides a base for (usually) two additional axes of motion: the cross-slide and compound rest. More…

The carriage is the main means of tool motion.

Tailstock

The tailstock has a tapered spindle (or ram) that can be fitted with various tooling. Among the most common tailstock tools are live centers and drill chucks. More…

The tailstock can be fitted with tools to support long workpieces or to perform secondary operations such as drilling and reaming.