Lath or Lathe?

Jul 22, 2003 5 Replies

We've now had several postings, including one long thread, referring to "laths".



While this may have been a typo, (and I suffer from dyslexia-of-the fingertips as successfully as anyone), may I point out, gently, that a "lath" is a piece of wood!



The machine for turning "laths", and also pieced of metal, is a "lathe" - different spelling, different pronunciation.



Hope this upsets no-one :) Humble apologies if I've stepped on someone's sensitivities.



Dave, who has occasionally (terrible to say!) turned laths on his lathe, and in the process, made a heck of a mess with all the dust. Give me nasty sharp swarf any day.....


In article , speedy2 writes

Apparently the word "lathe" is derived from "lath", meaning the original pole lathe which used a lath of timber to drive it!

Even this included a typo! "pieced" indeed! Will now retire and hide in damp workshop in garden.......

Dave.

Lath = strip of wood to plaster over on very old walls (see also 'getting plaster in socks after tapping said wall')

Lathe = machine for generating swarf, and keeping husbands out of wife's way during cooking

Yours, awaiting female lynch mob in workshop

Mart

In message , Malcolm Stewart writes

In article , speedy2 writes

Unless, perhaps, one is using a pole lath...

In article , Dave Baker writes

I'm sure you *could*, but the result would probably be a dowel.

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