Turret lathe

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The turret lathe is a form of metal cutting lathe that is used for short production runs of parts. The "turret" part of the name is a special style of tailstock that can hold up to 6 tools with straight shanks. By pushing the handlever forward, the tool is moved toward the workpiece held in the headstock, eventually making contact and cutting or forming the part. On the return stroke, the tool is retracted and indexed to the next tool held in the turret. In this way, a sequence of operations can be performed on a part without switching tools with each operation. (That is, different tools can be shifted into position without the need to unscrew one and screw in another). Each tool can be set for a different travel by a stop screw located at the far right of the turret.

As an example, if one wanted to make a batch of special screws, the turret could be set up with tools and used in this sequence:

stop to set length of bar <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?=stock">stock</a> to be machined,
box tool to turn diameter of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?=stock">stock</a> down to threading size,
geometric die head to cut external threads on turned down part,
knurling tool to knurl the grip.

After this, a front tool on the cross slide could cut a groove in the knurled area, while a rear tool would be brought forward to cut (part off) the finished screw from the metal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?=stock">stock</a>.