Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap (7 book series)

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap (7 book series)

I’ve seen this book (compilation of all 7 books) mentioned online. I think it takes you through every step of making machine tools from scratch – including casting the main parts.

I’m not interested in doing that myself, but thought it would be good to read it just for information.

Has anyone read it – is it worth the c.£70 it seems to go for?

Thanks.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

This is more generally known as the Gingery book(s). I think rather than go for the whole set you could start with the first if it is that which covers the furnace. I also think it is based on charcoal while most people now just go for gas or oil.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This might provide a useful [free] insight:

https://youtu.be/_hsCMz2iusA?feature=shared

My own first thought is Vita Brevis 

MichaelG.

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[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

My take is that it’s a magnificent tour de-force but the man was mad.

The effort involved to produce inevitably second rate machine tools is out of proportion to the results.

Objectively mountain climbing for the mechanically inclined craftsman, or craftswoman.

Fundamentally a re-hash of the pre WW1 and interwar years build your own machine from castings practice that was, at one time often the only way of getting an affordable machine of any capability. These days, for anyone within reasonable distance of youth, it’s hard to appreciate that even so limited a machine as the Portass S cost several weeks wages for an ordinary worker. Which would take a long time for working class family man to save up.

These days the world is pretty much your oyster with a wide range of machine condition and capability within saving up for a while price ranges. Ultimate aspirations may always be out of reach. Short of lottery win. But pragmatic usability tends to be within range.

Clive

[Dr_GMJNParticipant @dr_gmjn]

OK thanks all – sounds like if it was £10 I’d give it a go, but at £70 second hand, it’s not worth it for me. I was interested in the process of making a lathe from scratch (“how do you make a lathe without having a lathe? etc.) especially how he made the gears etc., but not interested in actually doing it.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

From memory the book on building a furnace was over complicated and rather out of date, never the less one mans way of doing the job. Worth reading to get ideas but not the way I would do it and how you do it is also down to what gear you have . Noel.

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