Subject: Re: Capstan and Turret Lathes

From: Lionel Titchener <[email-masked]>
Date: 30 Jul 1996 21:29:29 GMT

A capstan lathe and turret lathe are fundimentally the same.  Both have a 
revolving turret.  On a capstan the turret is mounted on a base and slides 
on this base which in turn is clamped to the bed. This can be positioned 
anywhere along the bed but has short limited travel, as travel is limited 
to the length of this base. On the turret lathe the  turret is mounted on 
a saddle, this can travel along the whole length of the lathe bed  like a 
centre lathe and is limited only by the bed length, therefore turret 
lathes usually have a lot more longitudal travel..
Also I believe that turret lathes are more likely to have power cross feed 
and power feed on the longitudal travel of the turret, capstan lathes are 
usually smaller and therefore more likely to be manual machines.

I believe that both the Ward and Herbert names are still in use.

Herbert Group is at Bayton Road, Exhall, Coventry, West Midlands, CV7 9EL

Tel 01203 361298 fax 644143

Ward is now H W Ward Machine Tools Limited and another company is T W Ward 
Machinery Limited these I believe do CNC machines.  I don't have their 
address at hand.

I have owned Ward machines, and also Britain, but not Herbert. At present 
I use Smart & Brown Capstan lathes.

Hope this helps....Lionel

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From: [email-masked] (Scott Logan)
Date: 31 Jul 1996 11:58:48 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, From Andy Campbell 
<[email-masked]>, the following was written:
> What's the difference between a capstan and a turret lathe ?

According to my copy of "Hawkins' Mechanical Dictionary" (copyright
1909),

Capstan Lathe - The same as turret lathe; one having a cylindrical rest
>from  which project numerous tools, resembling the bars of a capstan.

IMO, the same as a turret lathe, but with a round turret, most turret
lathes are hex shaped, to allow bolting larger tools to the face.  

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