Thread: World's first precision lathe.

It's so simple, innit?

I have a ship's lathe, ca. 1800, that is basically the same thing 'cept cast in metal. It has a few minor improvements that modern turners would recognise; an adjustable tool rest and tailstock, but it still uses a keyed drive similar to the one he made.

Made 2 millennia later and still basically the same to operate!

The biggest 'improvement' to mine happened around 1900 when someone built a crude stand & treadle for it, also fittiing a wider wooden drive pulley. She only spins one way at a time now, more than doubling effective cutting time.

They're a pleasure to use for small items and the relative quiet is lovely.