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Turning
Turning in the most general terms is the process
of removing metal (or other material) by applying
a relatively staionary cutting tool to a rotating
workpiece. the advantages of this process are that
very simple tools with a single point can be used to
remove a great deal of metal quickly. Simple cutting
tools can often be sharpened easily with a bench grinder,
although there are also advantages to indexable carbide
insert tooling, where a new, manufactured sharp edge can
quickly flipped into place whenever the cutting tool
become dull.
The great disadvantage, of course, to turning is that
all the cutting is done in a circular way. If you are
making circular parts, boring circular holes in pieces,
or facing off small, non-circular parts, then the lathe
may be the ideal tool for the job. If the part needs
to have rectangular features made, it generally can't
be done by turning, however. Milling can be done on a
lathe by placing a milling cutter in the spindle, and
clamping the work to the cross-slide, but there are many
disadvantages in this process.
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