What are the differences between a wood and a metal lathe?

Metal lathes are complex machines designed for precision metal work. They require mechanically controlled cutting tools and can achieve extremely close tolerances. They have more powerful motors than wood lathes usually do. read more

There are many different types of lathes in the handyman's armory, although the most familiar are the wood lathe and the metal lathe. There is, in fact, not that much difference between the two in terms of wood cutting, as both are equally able to make a slice in a piece of wood. read more

The metal lathe is usually sturdier than the wood lathe. Metal lathes run slower as the maximum cutting speeds with wood (softer material) are higher than those for metal. On metal lathes the cutting tool is fixed in a tool stock, as there are bigger forces present. read more

Essentially, a metal lathe is a “programmable” lathe but the wood lathe is not. What I mean by that is that you have mechanical help in describing a trajectory for the cutting head, without the need to hold the tool in your hand. read more