Engine lathes contain such components as a bed, guide rails, headstock, gearbox, spindle, chuck, tailstock, carriage, cross slide, tool post, apron, feed rod, lead screw, split nut, steady rest and a follow rest, according to American Machine Tools Company.
An engine lathe's bed is a rigid frame foundation where main components are mounted. The lathe's chuck features jaws that grip a workload. A spindle rotates the workload. The spindle, the lathe's motor and gears are housed in the headstock. Cutting tools are mounted on the carriage. The lead screw is employed for cutting threads. Steady rests help align the workload into proper position within the engine lathe.
Engine lathes work by rotating workloads around one axis while cutting tools eliminate unwanted material from the workload. Consumers can learn how to properly operate and exercise necessary safety measures while operating engine lathes by becoming familiar with manufacturer-supplied instruction manuals. Employing eye goggles decreases the risk of injury from the loose debris that is commonly produced by engine lathes while they manipulate workloads.