Maudslay, Henry (1771-1831)

English engineer and toolmaker who improved the metalworking lathe so that it could be employed for precise screw cutting. He also designed a bench micrometer, the forerunner of the modern instrument. Maudslay was born in London and went to work at the Woolwich Arsenal at the age of 12, apprenticed to the metalworking shop. For a time he worked for inventor Joseph Bramah, and then started his own business. Maudslay's new screw-cutting lathe gave such precision as to allow previously unknown interchangeability of nuts and bolts and standardization of screw threads. He was also able to produce sets of taps and dies. In 1801-08, in conjunction with engineer Marc Brunel, he constructed machines for making wooden pulley blocks at Portsmouth dockyard. Maudslay's firm went on to produce marine steam engines.