The modern machine  lathe was one of the major drivers of the industrial revolution. It is often said to be the only machine that can replicate all of its own working components, and it enabled the production of precise machinery on a massive scale. It is part of an evolutionary chain that stretches from at least 1066 AD in Britain in the form of the Pole lathe brought by the Vikings from Scandinavia. The Pole lathe is of simple construction and made in conjunction with nature. It provides many of the manufacturing benefits of it’s modern counterpart, but draws its mechanism relies on the natural tension found in the boughs of trees. The technique for using the Pole Lathe was similar to that of a modern wood lathe, using a sharpened tool pressed into the workpiece as it spins. The difference is how the power is produced as on a pole lathe the power comes from the makers foot by way of a treadle. A strap or piece of rope is wrapped atound the axle of the lathe and connects the treadle to the bough spring. The bough spring provides the return action for the treadle after it is pressed so that a rhythm can be built up, and so the workpiece oscillates around its central axis rather than spinning continuously as in a modern lathe. The tension on the work  piece is passed back and forth between man and nature. The making of an original pole lathe contrasted the manufacturing of modern machine tools. Pole lathes were made by the same people who used them. The bough spring could be hand picked from what the surroundings made available to provide the best balance of strength and flexibility for the user, as well as being made to suit their dimensions.

Traditional pole lathes were hard work to use due to the continuous leg movement required but an experienced user could produce high quality work at a much faster rate than by hand. They were often used to make things such as bowls and cups, and furniture components such as chair legs. Similarly to the modern lathe, they could also be used to make better components for other lathes as they produced much rounder products than could be achieved by hand. Because the lathe was powered by the body, it was not possible to turn hard, seasoned wood, and so green wood was used. The tools used to cut the wood also differed from the chisels used on modern wood lathes, and took the form of hooked knives more similar to those used in freehand carving.