Good book on machining

Ardent

Ardent

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Northern BC, Coastal BC, or Africa. Depends on the
I'm the kind that likes to learn from a good manual, any suggestions on a from the ground up metal machining and fab manual? Mainly looking for milling machine and lathe oriented, and metallurgy. I've been a hobby/basic machinist for a long time, but I'd like to take it more seriously now as several of my hobbies would benefit from upgrading my skill and knowledge (my new larger machines are being funded by some gun and vehicle sales as we speak). Any suggestions are appreciated.
 
Ardent if you look at this site:
http://www.kbctools.com/can/main.cfm
They usually have some good deals on machining and fab books. Can`t remember the one i used in school but i think its "machine technology" or something along that line.
Have you considered taking a course at a local college??
Regards,
Steve
 
Ditto on using the library to peruse a large number of books inexpensively. Good machining books are expensive.

Machining Fundamentals is a good introductory book.

The South Bend Lathe Manual has also been used as a primer by many hobbyists for decades. It dates to 1947, but still contains good information.

A copy of Machinery's Handbook is extremely useful; kind of like the Bible for machinists.

A subscription to Modern Machine Shop is also very illuminating.
 
NavyShooter said:
"Technology of Machine Tools" was the text used on my course years ago.

NS
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X2!

"Technology of Machine Tools" is a must have if you plan to do any serious machining work. The only thing better than this book is first-hand experience.
 
NavyShooter said:
"Technology of Machine Tools" was the text used on my course years ago.

NS
Click to expand...

X2
That's the same book I used throughout my appreticship.
Starts rite with the basics and moves up in good order.
Not sure what the latest edition # is, as that was a few years ago
for me.

...WW
 
Ardent , if there are any community colleges in your area, you might check out their library.Sometimes when a new edition of these texts comes out , they sell off their old ones dirt cheap.I no one of the guys around here bought Technology of Machine Tools for about $5.
Scott
 
Some good titles to get from the library are "Fundamentals of Dimensional Metrology" and "Machine Tool Reconditioning".

Also the American Society for Metals "Metals Handbook Volume 3, Machining"

A reasonably recent copy of Machinery's Handbook is good to have. No real how-to info, more of a reference for dimensions and standards, most of which have not changed in long enough that the difference between a new edition (they are on #27 now) and an older one is pretty minimal. Try to get a #20 or higher. Good book to have.

The Amateur's Lathe by Sparey is a good book on lathe operations. It is a British book, and that requires a bit of translation from english to english, but it is very good. Busy Bee sells it for about $25

Lee Valley Tools sels a lathe book titled How to Run a Metal Working Lathe. It is a reprint of a 1940's South Bend Lathe manual, aka How to Run a Lathe. Really good basics on lathes. Cheap! Like under $10 per copy. So far I have given away two or three copies of this book with lathes that I have sold.

Guy Lautard in Vancouver sells a series of books called the Machinist's Bedside Reader. They are worth the cost IMO, but you may wish to order them in on the library's interlibrary loan program, if they do not have a copy in the system in your area. These 3 (4th due out someday soon) books have a lot of great ides as well as some gunsmithing info on making triggers for Mauser actions as well as some info on color case hardening.

Machine Shop Practice, Vols 1 and 2, by Karl Moltrech are really good. Still available new, worth having.

There are a pile of other good books out there as well, but those are the ones that I can think of right now.
 
Ardent said:
Thanks folks, and certainly have been considering a course as well.
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Do take a course if you have the time. There are a lot of topics in books that seem opaque until you have a guy in the know say, "Oh yeah, that **** is just a ***** that has been set to *****," and so forth.
 
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