Lathes are machine tools that spin a workpiece and are used to sand, cut, or drill with tools applied to the workpiece itself. They are often used in metal spinning, glassworking, metalworking, and woodturning to create an object that is symmetrical about its axis of rotation. A wood turning lathe can be used to create pieces such as baseball bats, musical instruments, cue sticks, and table legs. And a metal lathe is used to create items including crankshafts, camshafts, and candlestick holders. The lathe likely originated around 1300 BC and was commonly used in Greece, Assyria, and within the Byzantine and Roman Empires. Learn many more exciting facts about the history behind lathes and various metalworking tools within our selection of historical reprints.

A gantry crane, also known as a portal crane, is a type of crane used to lift objects using a hoist fitted within a trolley. It can move horizontally with a rail or pair of rails fitted beneath a beam. Used for ship building, huge gantry cranes straddle the ship and allow large objects like the ships' engines to be lifted and moved over the ship. The two most famous gantry cranes are known as Samson and Goliath. They reside in Belfast, Northern Ireland within the largest dry dock. Small gantry cranes can be very useful within automobile shops and are used to lift engines out of vehicles. Take the time to browse our new catalog and view vintage prints portraying irrigation pumps and earthmoving machinery and the rich history behind them.