Veneer lathe and method of producing veneer

A veneer lathe for producing veneer from blocks by peeling, the veneer lathe being configured for both spindle peeling and spindleless peeling, wherein the veneer lathe comprises

• a first set of spindles comprising at least one spindle that is moveable in the axial direction of the spindle for engaging a first end of a block and a second set of spindles comprising at least one spindle that is moveable in the axial direction of the spindle for engaging a second end of the block, the spindles being rotatable and configured to hold the block in a peeling position in spindle peeling and to transmit to the block torque needed for rotating the block,
• a centering device, which is configured to measure dimensions of the block for determining optimal centering of the block between the first set of spindles and the second set of spindles in spindle peeling, the centering device comprising a first centering spindle that is moveable in its axial direction for engaging the first end of the block and a second centering spindle that is moveable in its axial direction for engaging the second end of the block,
• a first transfer arm that is moveable in the axial direction of the spindles for engaging the first end of the block and a second transfer arm that is moveable in the axial direction of the spindles for engaging the second end of the block, the transfer arms being further configured to be moveable in a direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction of the spindles for transferring the block from the centering device to the peeling position for spindle peeling,
• a knife assembly that is moveable in a direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction of the spindles and comprises a knife for cutting the veneer and a nose bar, which is in the form of a rotatable roll, and
• a support device comprising a rotatable lower roll and a rotatable upper roll, which is arranged at a distance from the lower roll in a radial direction of the lower roll, the rolls being configured to support the block during peeling, wherein the distance between the lower roll and the upper roll of the support device is fixed and the rolls form an assembly that is configured to be rotatable about the rotation axis of the upper roll.