Lathe Craft: A Study in "Part" Appreciation

Abstract

Craftsmanship on the engine lathe in the context of four small western Pennsylvania machine shops is examined in terms of behaviors associated with lathe operation, the technological specialization of machinists, and some cognitive and expressive qualities of parts produced on a lathe. A comparison of the categorizations and rankings of lathe produced parts for samples of machinists and non-machinists indicates that machinists judge parts primarily in terms of their complexity while non-machinists lack an integrated conceptual pattern. Part complexity, interpreted as a measure of virtuosity in lathe craft, is discussed in terms of how it may relate to job satisfaction, quality control and productivity.

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