The apron of a lathe is the front-facing section of the carriage that houses the mechanisms responsible for moving the carriage and cross-slide along the bedways. It typically contains gears, clutches, and feed controls that transmit motion from the lead screw or feed rod to the carriage for both manual and automatic operations.
Through the apron, the operator can engage longitudinal or cross feeds and initiate threading operations. It usually includes handwheels, levers, and knobs for controlling carriage motion, and in manual lathes, it’s where much of the operator’s interaction with the machine takes place. The apron plays a central role in coordinating tool movement with spindle rotation, making it essential for consistent and accurate cutting during turning, facing, and threading.
