In the general lathe the turning operation chatter or vibration is a frequent problem affecting the result of the machining, and, in particular, the surface finish. Tool life is also influenced by vibration. Severe acoustic noise in the working environment frequently occurs as a result of dynamic motion between the cutting tool and the workpiece. These problems can be reduced by active control of machine-tool vibration. In a general lathe the physical features and properties of an ctive control system usually limit their applicability. By using piezo ceramic actuators some constraints regarding the mechanical construction of the active tool holder can be circumvented. An active control solution for a general lathe application has been developed. It is based on a standard industry tool holder with an embedded piezo ceramic actuator and an adaptive feedback controller. The adaptive controller is based on the well known filtered-x LMS-algorithm. It enables substantial reduction of the vibration level by up to 40 dB at 3.4 kHz.