Don Murray wrote:



Arch wrote:
Mac, metal lathes were engine driven and termed engine lathes long
before wood
lathes were motorized. The term and the distinction remains to this day.

Ray, the most important thing I _should_ take is humble thanks.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings



How did the rose engine lathe get its name? Doesn't appear to be driven
by an engine. Not normally used to cut metal, not designed to cut
threads like metal cutting lathes.
Does have rocking head stock, rosettes, and a touch that rides on the
contour of the rosettes.

If it automates some process it's an "engine" for that process in the same
manner that Babbage's computers were to be called the "difference engine"
and the "analytical engine". The use of "engine" as a synonym for "motor"
came later.

Don

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)