Wood Lathe

The wood lathe is a machine that works a workpiece by spinning it on a horizontal spindle axis. In workshops set up by those new to pipe making, it is often the first major machine. Some makers advise newcomers to start with a drill press instead, but the lathe's ability to handle several jobs at once makes it appealing early on. At one end of the machine sits the headstock, which provides the drive; opposite it sits the tailstock, which supports the workpiece; between them, on a rail, the tool rest, against which the tool leans, slides back and forth. Spindle speed is changed according to the job at hand; drilling and polishing are not run at the same speed.

The Lathe's Roles in Pipe Making

The same machine is used at different stages, from drilling holes to final polishing. The briar block attached to the headstock has its bowl, smoke channel, and mouthpiece socket (mortise) opened from the tailstock side; details of this work are covered in the drilling on the lathe entry. Where shape allows, the bowl itself is also turned with a tool; rotationally symmetric shapes such as billiard or apple emerge this way. A sanding disc can be attached to the headstock for shaping, and felt wheels are finally mounted for the polishing stage. This range of jobs is the main reason makers who prefer the lathe give for choosing it over a drill press.

Mounting and Chucks

The bores of the headstock and tailstock sleeves are internally tapered; this taper is sized according to the Morse taper standard developed and patented by Stephen A. Morse in 1864. Because the taper holds itself by friction, no additional clamping is needed. Midi-size lathes generally use the MT2 size; for this reason the drill chuck (Jacobs chuck) is also chosen with an MT2 shank. A chuck that grips bits up to half an inch is enough for nearly all the bits used in pipe making.

A separate chuck is needed to mount the block onto the headstock. Self-centering four-jaw wood-lathe chucks are commonly used for this; even so, purpose-made bowl chucks designed for pipes are considered to hold better. Cheap chucks with independently moving jaws can serve for a start, but are known to struggle with centering and to wear out quickly. For the different mounting arrangement offered by a metal lathe, see the metal lathe entry.

Minimum Equipment and Safety

The machine itself is not enough for pipe work without a set of tools added alongside it. Turning requires a spindle gouge and a thin parting tool; drilling requires bits sized to the bowl, smoke channel, and mouthpiece socket measurements; and a bench grinder is needed to sharpen tools and profile bits. On the polishing side, each stage calls for its own felt wheel, polishing compound, and carnauba wax. Some rough shaping can also be done with a belt sander.

On the safety side, three rules do not change: a face shield is worn because a spinning piece can be thrown, a mask is used against fine wood dust, and gloves are not worn because of the risk of getting caught in the spinning spindle. Unlike a drill press, the lathe demands a hand skill of its own; while not insurmountable, gaining this skill takes an adjustment period.