Metalspinning facts for kids

A man using a lathe to do his metal spinning

Metal spinning is a process where a piece of sheet metal is rotated on a machine (often a lathe) to produce an object. The object usually has the qualities of being round, hollow and symmetrical. Metal spinning dates back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt. It is closely related to the potter's wheel.

Process

The process begins with a flat piece of metal or a metal cylinder. It is cut to a specific size based on the size of the finished part. A form is used to create the internal shape of the spun metal part. The form is often made of aluminum or hardened steel. Metal spinning used to be used for creating prototypes and where only a few parts needed to be made. With the introduction of automatic lathes, metal spinning can be used to create a larger number of parts inexpensively.

Images for kids

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  A brass vase spun by hand. Mounted to the lathe spindle is the mandrel for the body of the vase; a shell sits on the "T" rest. The foreground shows the mandrel for the base. Behind the finished vase are the spinning tools used to shape the metal.