The Lathe Bed is the main element of this machine tool, it is made of cast iron.
In its upper part it has the ways, whose main characteristic is to serve as a guide for the lathe slides and for the tailstock.
This part of the lathe is machined, hardened and grinded to give it the highest possible precision and durability.
The Lathe Bed, in some lathes has a portion that can be removed or disassembled, especially next to the Lathe Headstock, this part that comes out of the bed is usually known as Gap Bed.
Some small lathes do not have Gap Bed, but most lathes do. This feature expands the turning or turning capacity of the lathe, allowing it to turn or machine parts that exceed the diameter or capacity that the bed allows under normal conditions.
The Lathe Bed is a robust piece.
It supports all the components of the machine tool. If you look closely at this element, it would seem that it is made of solid cast iron, but this is not the case. Its interior is hollow and has nerves or ribs that, while giving it strength and firmness, make the machine a little lighter.
It is recommended that the bed in conjunction with the entire lathe, are perfectly level and stabilized, in order to avoid possible deformations and therefore errors when making turning jobs over time.
An important aspect to take into account when elaborating turning works, is the care of the bed, being this the main element of the lathe, it is of capital importance its constant lubrication and cleaning, with this it is avoided its premature wear and therefore errors and deformities in the pieces elaborated in the lathe. This aspect is so important that there is a great majority of lathes that have an oil pump to exclusively lubricate this important part of the machine tool.
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