Kunaver’s mechanical metalworking workshop, Lathe 1200

About the sound

Floor dimensions: 2300 mm x 600 mm (length x width)
Weight: about 950 kg
Peak distance: 1200 mm
Maximum turning diameter: 340 mm above the bed (580 mm above the bed without bridge)
Speed: 40 - 700 rpm
Drive: 1.5 kW electric motor
The lathe was made in 1935 and 1936 at the Technical High School in Ljubljana, Department of Mechanical Engineering. It consists of a support frame and a main and guide spindle. The 1200 mark refers to the distance between the turning tips measuring 1200 mm. It is powered by a 1.5 kW electric motor capable of 40 to 700 rpm. At the main spindle assembly is a pulley with a dry clutch which rotates an electric motor with a drive belt. The lathe has two additional accessories, namely, a simple-toothed groove milling machine and a grinding machine.
Kunaver's mechanical metalworking workshop has been operating since 1928 in Rožna dolina in Ljubljana. Her machine park, however, has been changing over the decades. In order to be able to operate at all in this family workshop, individual machines were designed and manufactured by themselves, or purchased and reworked to fit the nature and scope of the work. Some machines from the first half of the 20th century have been preserved to this day, others have been sold. After the workshop was closed ing. Janez Kunaver donated some of the machines to the Technical Museum of Slovenia.

Sound recordist: Boštjan Troha
Photographer: Jaka Blasutto
Video: Jaka Blasutto, Katarina Batagelj