Wood lathes have been in use since ancient times. The tool dates back as far as the ancient Egyptians and there is also evidence lathes were used in Greece, Rome and Byzantium.
Stone Depiction of an Egyptian Lathe
The earliest two-person turning lathe was developed around 1400 BC by the Egypitians . One person would use a pointed wood lathe tool to carve shapes into the wood while another would turn the piece of wood with a length of rope.The Egyptian design was improved by the Romans who added a turning bow. Similar lathes were used throughout Europe, by the french, british and german peoples.
During the middle ages the design of the wood lathe was advanced with the addition of a foot-pedal, which allowed for both hands to be dedicated to holding the carving tool. In a spring pole lathe this pedal was connected to long springy piece of wood. This setup allowed the pedal to be returned to its starting position by the tension in the pole. Spring pole lathes were used until the early 20th century. Two person lathes were used to allow for continuous turning similar to that achieved by modern powered lathes. In a two person ‘Great Lathe’ setup the craftsman would carve the wood while it was being turned by an apprentice.
A Spring Pole Wood Lathe
Starting during the Industrial Revolution, wood lathes began to become mechanized. Turning power was produced by water wheels or steam engines and was transferered to the lathe using line shafts. This advance allowed for much faster and simpler carving. Beginning at the end of the 19th century, electric motors began replacing mechanical power generation and line shafting.
Starting around the 1950s automated lathes controlled by servos were introduced. Numerical controls, often computer controlled, are used in modern manufacturing.
