"jan olieslagers" wrote in message
...
The recent thread about lathes and related machinery leaves me at a loss
with the terminology, me not being a native English speaker.

A) I think I can imagine a lathe, if I understand correctly it is called
a "tour" in French and a "draaibank" in my native Dutch. That means,
the piece of stock you are going to work on is clamped between two
centerpoints, the machine makes it turn, then you press a tool somewhere
and it cuts a circular groove. Right so far?

Yep. You make round stuff smaller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_lathe


B) If correct on A, how to understand the dimensions? Perhaps a 36x9"
lathe has 36" between centers, and 9" is the max. diameter of basic
stock?

Right again. (well, the 9" is the distance from the bed to the center - you
may have trouble mounting 9"stock)


C) if we're done about the lathe, what is a mill (in this context)?
Google wasn't too helpful on this one, given windmills and what not.


There are many types, but a verticle mill (what most of the people here
would like use) has a spindle that turns and hold a tool (like a drill, but
typically flat on the end). The workpiece (the stuff you want to remove
metal from) is clamped to the table and the table has cranks that you turn
to move the table to the left and the right as well as towards and away
from you. The spindle also moves up and down and the head of the machine
(that holds the spindle) can be tilted away from verticle if you want.

This type of work results in a flat surface or flat grooves or...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Miniature_mill.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milling_machine

Excuse my lack of English profiency, thanks in advance!

Only if you will excuse my lack of French or Dutch profiency.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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