a lathe in which softwood, like spruce or pine, or hardwood, like birch, logs are turned against a very sharp blade and peeled off in one continuous or semi-continuous roll. invented by immanuel nobel (father of the more famous alfred nobel). the first such lathes in the united states were set up in the mid-19th century. the product is called wood veneer and it is used for making plywood and as a cosmetic surface veneer on some grades of chipboard.