Wood Lathes vs Metal Lathes: What's the Difference? A lathe is one of the most versatile machine tools used in the manufacturing industry. It can cut, sand, drill, face, turn and deform workpieces. Lathes are characterized by the way in which they hold workpieces. While milling machines expose a stationary workpiece to a rotating cutting tool, lathes expose a rotating workpiece to a stationary cutting tool.All lathes use this same method of operation: the workpiece is secured on the lathe, after which it rotates against a stationary cutting tool. Lathes, however, are often classified as either “wood” or “metal.” ; What Is a Wood Lathe Machine?A wood lathe machine ;is a type of lathe that’s designed specifically for woodworking applications. In other words, they are used to cut, sand, drill, face, turn and deform wooden workpieces. They still work like all other lathes by exposing a rotating workpiece to a stationary cutting tool. But wood lathe machines are used specifically to work wooden workpieces. They are not suitable for workpieces made of harder materials, including metal. Wood lathes are smaller and simpler than their metal counterparts. The speed at which they rotate workpieces is controlled by a basic pulley system. They don't produce as much power as metal lathes, but wood lathes are highly effective at manipulating wooden workpieces. Comparison of CNC Wood Lathe over Traditional Wood Lathe What is CNC Wood Lathe?A CNC wood lathe ;is specifically designed and developed for carrying out engraving processes. This high-tech machinery ensures that the processes like woodturning, wood milling, and cylindrical carving are carried out with proper precision and perfection. CNC wood lathe offers optimum performance level over the traditional wood lathe making it ideal for any kind of wood manufacturing project. CNC wood lathe machine takes your imagination to a new level. You just need to configure the shape and size of the prototype, which you would like the machine to produce. Rest, the CNC wood lathe machine will automatically turn the wooden piece into a beautiful product. This fully automatic machine will feed, shape, and do the engraving without the assistance of even a single person. This is the best solution for building a staircase and central pole or you can say central pole or newel. This type of central pole is placed in between the staircase to support the staircase both structurally and decoratively. Earlier creating newel and balusters was a tedious and time-consuming process but with the help of a highly-efficient automatic CNC wood lathe, once a tiresome job can be completed in a span of a few minutes. CNC wood lathe/turner carries out heavy cutting parameters effectively saving sufficient motor time. The automatic tool changing device also reduces the turnaround time of the products and enhances the production time more efficiently. The biggest advantage of a CNC woodturner lathe machine is that it can create exact replicas of the prototype of the product. 2022 Best ATC CNC Wood Lathe with Automatic Tool Changer2022 best ATC CNC wood lathe is equipped with an automatic tool changer system, 4th axis, and large long bed, the 4 axis ATC CNC wood lathe is used for 3D turning and carving baseball bats, roman columns, table legs, sofa feet, wood bowls, vases, spindles, and balusters. ; ATC CNC Wood Lathe Features ; 1. The wood lathe adopts an advanced DSP system with a USB connection, operated with a handle, and convenient operation. 2. The whole lathe machine is welded with a seamless steel structure, which is high-temperature annealing and vibrating stress relief, so the lathe machine body is stabilized and will not be deformed forever. 3. The ATC CNC wood lathe adopts a domestic top brand stepper motor to ensure high precision. 4. Operating system has a friendly easy operation interface, English suggestions, and a simple setting method. 5. Spindle System is divided into single axial and biaxial. 6. Transmission system adopts the Hiwin square rail and ball screw to control the linear error effectively. 7. One-time tool setting to finish the whole workpiece. 8. Compatible with several CAD/CAM design software such as Type3, Artcam, etc. 9. The ATC wood lathe can completely work offline and does not take any computer resources. 10. 4th axis for 3D carving and cutting. 11. Automatic tool changer system.Multi-Functional CNC Wood Lathe with Automatic Loading System ; A multifunction wood lathe ;is a large heavy-duty lathe machine equipped with three independently controlled cutting tools, 1st turning blade for roughing the square wood to be shapes designed, 2nd milling tool for twisting or fluting, 3rd producing one-off bespoke turnings. A sanding head with a narrow belt to the sand turned or straight profiles are optional. ; Features of Multi-Functional CNC Wood Lathe with Automatic Loading System: ; The heavy-duty wood lathe machine is suitable for the same design workpieces long production runs, saving working time, and turning components with excellent quality. The large wood lathe machine is equipped with three independently controlled cutting tools, the first turning blade for roughing the square wood to be shapes designed, the second milling tool for twisting or fluting, and the last one producing one-off bespoke turnings. A sanding head with a narrow belt for sanding turned or straight profiles are optional. A computer numerical control (CNC) router is a computer-controlled cutting machine that typically mounts a hand-held router as a spindle that is used for cutting various materials, such as wood, composites, metals, plastics, glass, and foams. CNC routers can perform the tasks of many carpentry shop machines such as the panel saw, the spindle molder, and the boring machine. They can also cut joineries such as mortises and tenons. A CNC router is very similar in concept to a CNC milling machine. Instead of routing by hand, tool paths are controlled via computer numerical control. The CNC router is one of many kinds of tools that have CNC variants. A CNC router ;can be used to produce items such as door carvings, interior and exterior decorations, wood panels, signboards, wooden frames, moldings, musical instruments, and furniture. In addition, they see use in industry in the thermoforming of plastics by automating the trimming process. CNC routers can help ensure part repeatability and sufficiently efficient output for production, or allow one-off designs to be made. CNC Wood RouterA CNC wood router ;is a CNC router tool that creates objects from wood. CNC stands for computer numerical control. The CNC works on the Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, Z) for 3D motion control. Parts of a project can be designed on the computer with a CAD/CAM program, and then cut automatically using a router or other cutters to produce a finished part. The CNC router is ideal for hobbies, engineering prototyping, product development, art, and production work. ATC CNC router ;machine has two types of tool magazines: linear and carousel. Both of them can be installed beside the spindle or on the side of the machine bed. By changing different tools automatically, the ATC CNC machine can complete multiple and complex woodworking processes in one operation. It can realize cutting, carving, engraving, drilling, routing, grooving, and pocketing of wood, MDF, acrylic, PVC, plastic, foam, stone, soft metal, and other materials. It is also called the ATC CNC wood carving machine, a wood engraving machine. Basic type 3 Axis ATC CNC can be upgraded to be 4 Axis, 5 Axis, Rotary type, etc. What is a CNC Plasma Cutter?A CNC plasma cutter ;is a commonly used tool for cutting metals for a wide variety of purposes. A hand-held plasma cutter is an excellent tool for quickly cutting through sheet metal, metal plates, straps, bolts, pipes, etc. Hand-held plasma torches also make an excellent gouging tool, for back-gouging weld joints or removing defective welds. A CNC plasma cutter can be used for cutting small shapes from steel plates, but it's impossible to get good enough part accuracy or edge quality for most metal fabrication. That is why a CNC plasma is necessary. A “CNC plasma” system is a machine that carries a plasma torch and can move that torch in a path directed by a computer. The term “CNC” refers to “Computer Numerical Control”, which means that a computer is used to direct the motion of the machine based on numerical codes in a program. Many other sub-systems and features can be added, such as arc voltage height control systems, plasma bevel systems, integrated plasma control systems, and so on. But the basics of a CNC plasma cutter described above will be common to all such machines, from the simplest to the most complex.