When Was The Metal-Working Lathe Invented?
When Was The Metal-Working Lathe Invented?
Walk into a modern machine shop, and it&#;s easy to be overwhelmed at the amount of advanced technology on display. CNC machines relying on computers and g-code to perform advanced cutting operations on 5-axis machines, or Electron Discharge Machines (EDMs) using electricity to cut through metal parts.
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Despite all the advanced technology, all of the machining processes on display are rooted in much older principles. The history of the lathe, one of the most significant machine tools, is a good example.
Early lathes: from wood to metal
Machining is the process by which a piece of raw material is cut and shaped into the desired form. Most machine tools rely on subtractive machining, removing material by cutting or grinding. Machine tools, of various kinds, have been in use for centuries or even longer.
The metal lathe is one such machine. Evidence for the earliest lathes comes from Egypt, where metal-spinning involved two people and a rope-wound spindle. Only pictorial evidence survives, leaving a lot of speculation as to how the earliest lathes worked.
In the ensuing centuries, many cultures used variations of metal-spinning, although until the later middle-ages there was no continuous motion on the spindle. This meant that the cutting wasn&#;t continuous; it would start, stop, and reset as the workpiece turned.
The oldest modern lathes were used for woodworking and probably originated in France in the s. These lathes were continuous-motion, as foot pedals came into use. The lathe machining process became known as &#;turning.&#; Turning on a lathe gave some major advantages; the rotation allowed the material to be removed evenly. Early lathes were operated by a foot pedal or hand crank, and a lathe operator could control how much material was removed by increasing or decreasing the speed of rotation.
With a wood lathe, craftsmen could create table legs and other cylindrical shapes far more quickly than they could be carved by hand.
Who invented the metal lathe?
At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in England, a handful of inventors made discoveries that became foundational to the technological advances that would follow. Henry Maudslay was one of them. Born in , he worked first for a locksmith and then went into business for himself manufacturing ship&#;s machinery &#; pulleys and block-and-tackle.
For the next three decades, Maudslay invented a number of machines, as well as taught other notable inventors and engineers of the Victorian era. One of Maudslay&#;s most significant inventions was the metal lathe.
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Lathes had been used to cut metal before; there was nothing fundamentally different between a metal lathe and a wood-turning lathe, other than perhaps the materials used to make it. Before Maudslay, workers turned metal and used freehand tools to shape the workpiece. This worked, but the resulting pieces were uneven.
Around , Maudslay hit on the idea of fixing the cutting tool to sliding rails. By moving the tool smoothly along the length of the lathe, cuts could be made evenly. Maudslay used his invention to standardize the size of screw threads; in turn, that allowed screws to be mass-produced and used interchangeably.
The importance of the metal lathe
The metal lathe didn&#;t single-handedly start the Industrial Revolution, but it was one of the major contributors to mass-produced, interchangeable parts. The lathe got an even bigger boost when it was coupled with the steam engine, which allowed the large-scale turning of metal parts.
Maudslay&#;s metal lathe also proved crucial to the growth of other machine tools. His lathe demonstrated that new methods of construction could be combined to produce new tools and use them with new materials.
Metal lathes today
The revolution of the Age of Computers has also transformed the metal lathe. More advanced lathes today are equipped with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology. Using a computer language known as G-code, CNC lathes can be pre-programmed to cut an entire series of parts to the exact same dimensions.
Modern lathes still used the same basic principles as Maudslay&#;s lathe of 200 years ago, and perhaps of lathes that are much older than that. They continue to be one of the most important machine tools in widespread use today.
Plaster lath evolution
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Finish and coating are going to depend on how it is specified in the construction documents. There are five different levels to drywall finishing, most residential dry-wallers never go beyond level 2. Commercial jobs usually require more due to the expanse of some of the walls. For example, a level 2 finish on a long corridor in a hospital wouldn't work because the lighting reflected off the wall would make the tape seams more visible. I work for an architectural firm that does a lot of retail and other large commercial projects as well as medical/hospital projects and we rarely specify anything lower than a level 4 finish.
LEVEL 1 - Tape set in joint compound. Tool marks and ridges acceptable. Surface is free of excess joint compound.
Suggested use: Frequently specified in areas above ceilings, in attics, in areas where the assembly would generally be concealed, or in areas not normally open to public view. Some degree of sound and smoke control is provided. In some geographic areas, this level is referred to as "fire-taping". Tape and fastener heads need not be covered with joint compound.
LEVEL 2 - Tape embedded in joint compound and wiped with a joint knife, leaving a thin coat of compound over tape. Surface shall be covered by one separate coat of joint compound. Surface shall be free of excess joint compound. Tool marks and ridges acceptable. Joint compound applied over the body of the tape at the time of tape embedment shall be considered a separate coat of joint compound and shall satisfy the conditions of this level.
Suggested use: Specified where water-resistant gypsum backing board is used as a substrate for tile. May also be specified in garages, warehouse storage or other similar areas where surface appearance is not of primary concern.
LEVEL 3 - Taped as in level #2, then covered with two separate coats of joint compound. Joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.
Suggested use: Typically specified in appearance areas which are to receive heavy or medium texture finishes before final painting, or where heavy-grade wall coverings are to be applied as the final decoration. This level of finish is not recommended where smooth painted surfaces, or light to medium weight wall coverings are specified.
LEVEL 4 - Taped as in level #2, then covered with three separate coats of joint compound. Joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.
Suggested use: This level should be specified where flat paints, light textures or wall coverings are to be applied. In critical lighting areas, flat paints applied over light textures tend to reduce joint photographing. Gloss, semi-gloss and enamel paints are not recommended over this level of finish. The weight, texture and sheen level of wall coverings applied over this level of finish should be carefully evaluated. Joints and fasteners must be adequately concealed if the wall covering material is lightweight, contains limited pattern, has a gloss finish or any combination of these features is present. Un-backed vinyl wall-coverings are not recommended over this level of finish.
LEVEL 5 - Taped as in level #4. Surface shall be covered by three separate coats of joint compound. A thin skim coat of joint compound, or a material manufactured especially for this purpose, shall be applied to the entire surface. The surface shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.
Suggested use: This level of finish is highly recommended where gloss, semi-gloss, enamel or non-textured flat paints are specified, or where severe lighting conditions occur. This highest quality finish is the most effective method to provide a uniform surface and minimize the possibility of joint photographing and of fasteners showing through the final decoration.
Finish and coating are going to depend on how it is specified in the construction documents. There are five different levels to drywall finishing, most residential dry-wallers never go beyond level 2. Commercial jobs usually require more due to the expanse of some of the walls. For example, a level 2 finish on a long corridor in a hospital wouldn't work because the lighting reflected off the wall would make the tape seams more visible. I work for an architectural firm that does a lot of retail and other large commercial projects as well as medical/hospital projects and we rarely specify anything lower than a level 4 finish.LEVEL 1 - Tape set in joint compound. Tool marks and ridges acceptable. Surface is free of excess joint compound.Suggested use: Frequently specified in areas above ceilings, in attics, in areas where the assembly would generally be concealed, or in areas not normally open to public view. Some degree of sound and smoke control is provided. In some geographic areas, this level is referred to as "fire-taping". Tape and fastener heads need not be covered with joint compound.LEVEL 2 - Tape embedded in joint compound and wiped with a joint knife, leaving a thin coat of compound over tape. Surface shall be covered by one separate coat of joint compound. Surface shall be free of excess joint compound. Tool marks and ridges acceptable. Joint compound applied over the body of the tape at the time of tape embedment shall be considered a separate coat of joint compound and shall satisfy the conditions of this level.Suggested use: Specified where water-resistant gypsum backing board is used as a substrate for tile. May also be specified in garages, warehouse storage or other similar areas where surface appearance is not of primary concern.LEVEL 3 - Taped as in level #2, then covered with two separate coats of joint compound. Joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.Suggested use: Typically specified in appearance areas which are to receive heavy or medium texture finishes before final painting, or where heavy-grade wall coverings are to be applied as the final decoration. This level of finish is not recommended where smooth painted surfaces, or light to medium weight wall coverings are specified.LEVEL 4 - Taped as in level #2, then covered with three separate coats of joint compound. Joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.Suggested use: This level should be specified where flat paints, light textures or wall coverings are to be applied. In critical lighting areas, flat paints applied over light textures tend to reduce joint photographing. Gloss, semi-gloss and enamel paints are not recommended over this level of finish. The weight, texture and sheen level of wall coverings applied over this level of finish should be carefully evaluated. Joints and fasteners must be adequately concealed if the wall covering material is lightweight, contains limited pattern, has a gloss finish or any combination of these features is present. Un-backed vinyl wall-coverings are not recommended over this level of finish.LEVEL 5 - Taped as in level #4. Surface shall be covered by three separate coats of joint compound. A thin skim coat of joint compound, or a material manufactured especially for this purpose, shall be applied to the entire surface. The surface shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. Note: It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes.Suggested use: This level of finish is highly recommended where gloss, semi-gloss, enamel or non-textured flat paints are specified, or where severe lighting conditions occur. This highest quality finish is the most effective method to provide a uniform surface and minimize the possibility of joint photographing and of fasteners showing through the final decoration.
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