Made in the "Training Workshop for Mechanics" at Wettsteinallee 175 CH-4058 in Basel, Switzerland the 100mm centre height by 450mm between centres "Piccolo" lathe is built as an in-house project at the Polytechnic and manufactured in two versions, one with a gearbox drive to the headstock, the other with electronic variable-speed drive.
Although only limited details are available it is known that the lathe was designed to appeal to the amateur-segment of the market - "amateur handicraftsman, the do-it-yourself enthusiast and the hobby mechanic".
The bed is manufactured from a hard, grey cast iron with the ways polished and scraped. The eight spindle speeds  of 66, 132, 265, 350, 530, 700, 1415 and 2830 r.p.m. are generated by a reversing electric motor through a "four-level gear wheel transmission" that means no belt changes are necessary. The makers ascribe a long service life to this installation, claiming an oil change is necessary only every two years.
The variable-speed version has a lever to shift between Low and High ranges and, within those speeds, stepless ranges of  30-300 and 300-4000 rpm respectively. This very deep speed range allows safe threading and both very small and large-diameter work to be carried out successfully.
The lead screw, like those of certain high-class Schaublin lathes, is arranged down the centre-line of the bed to minimise the twisting forces on the carriage and give the shortest load path from tool to clasp nuts. A set of screw-cutting changewheels is provided and provides feeds from 0.05 to 0.2mm and threads from M6 to M16. Unusually for a small machine these days the carriage feed is fitted with that most useful of fittings, an adjustable knock-off.
The headstock spindle runs on three adjustable high-precision roller and ball bearings and, with a diameter of 45 mm and a bore of 28mm, is unusually strong in comparison with the lathe's capacity the large bore allowing the use of  Schäublin W 25 collets.
The Picc0lo requires a bench space of just over a metre in length and 300 deep, weighs approximately  98 KG and is finished in an impact resistant, 2-part hard paint with a lacquer coat.