George H Thomas Books

[DselParticipant @dsel]

Hi Guys,

I was thinking about buying a copy of Building the George H Thomas Universal Pillar Tool, then I found out that this is part of another book.

The Model Engineers Workshop Manual – G H Thomas

Is that correct?

What is the differance between these two books:

The Model Engineers Workshop Manual – G H Thomas

Workshop Techniques – G H Thomas

Can you get these as a PDF, Ebokk etc or just hard copy? If I can get a PDF I can print copies of the shop drawings and get them all dirty whilst keeping a hard copy clean in the house.

[DselParticipant @dsel]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Dale, can't help with the books but there have been a few of these built recently over on MEM forum, a quick search will find the build threads.

 

EDIT Only "Workshop Tequniques" has the details in it.

Edited By JasonB on 03/07/2015 08:54:04

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

All of GHT's work was originally published in ME. Two books came out of this "Making and Using The Universal Pillar Tool" and "Dividing and Graduating" , the latter concerned with the Versatile Dividing Head. When these books went out of print they were anthologised by TEE Publishing , together with all his other writing, into 2 volumes. Workshop Techniques includes both the pillar tool and the various dividing heads. The Engineers Workshop Manual includes everything else he published in ME such as a rear toolpost, retracting screw cutter, rotary table and a lot of hints and tips on various techniques.

I've built both the UPT and the HDA. I used to think that GHT was a fussy old thing but I learnt that one deviates from his methods at ones peril! Both books are well worth having IMHO but if you can find a S/H copy of "Making and Using the Universal PIllar Tool" it will include everything you need.

HTH

Rod

[EugeneParticipant @eugene]

"Dale,

"Workshop Techniques" details building both the UPT and the Versatile Dividing Head.

Workshop Manual" describes modifications to lathe top slides and tailstocks, together with making lathe accessories; rotary table, engraving tool, rear tool post and many others.

I think they are only available in hard copy.

Posted at the same time as Rod's entry, oops.

Eug

Edited By Eugene Molloy on 03/07/2015 09:19:27

[DselParticipant @dsel]

Problem I keep having is the amount of postage to get a hard copy book over here (Australia) is usually 2-3x the cost of the book it self.

If everything was published in ME, can I find the full plans and details for making the UPT in a particular set of ME issues??

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Vol 140 contains the basics, bits and pieces including the drill were added in later editions.

Drawings only are available here

Rod

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

The books are worth a read as there are some interesting thought processes. Just as a for instance attaching things to the spindle of his dividing head. People might be inclined to think it must be a morse taper but he uses a long parallel bore instead as it's more suitable for model engineering use. it is too. No need to make or buy morse taper adapters and very easy to make something to attach what ever.

On the other hand the complications he adds to his set of rolls bamboozled me – there are easier ways or making those. Too much reading of books like these can also prevent people from thinking themselves.

Some time ago I owned a slightly scaled up version of the UPT. Entirely fabricated and not from plans. Really all that is needed is a picture. Scaled up it can offer a bit more in the drilling area also for reaming dead square as well leading to much closer tolerance holes.

John

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[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Dale Schafer on 03/07/2015 09:22:28:

Problem I keep having is the amount of postage to get a hard copy book over here (Australia) is usually 2-3x the cost of the book it self.

If everything was published in ME, can I find the full plans and details for making the UPT in a particular set of ME issues??

Workshop Techniques is available from Tee Publishing for about $A50 plus $18 postage. Still not cheap though. I bought his "ME Manual" from them for similar price and consider it well worth the investment.

Usual disclaimer etc etc

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

They are quite involved to build so you have to be sure you have a use for it when it is finished, I did the clock bushing version which I use almost daily in my role as a Clock Repairer in my opinion it is the best clock bushing tool out there beating all the commercial versions including the Swiss tools

The standard handles are a bit OTT and time consuming to set up I use these commercial ones they are fully adjustable and work well.

Edited By Stephen Benson on 03/07/2015 15:23:59

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Dale,

Regarding the UPT, you might like to look here: **LINK**

[DselParticipant @dsel]

Has anyone made their own patterns? I'm interested in knowing if they were done separately or as a set and how the risers and in gates were set out.

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

Posted by Dsel on 30/07/2015 02:39:34:

Has anyone made their own patterns? I'm interested in knowing if they were done separately or as a set and how the risers and in gates were set out.

I haven't yet made patterns for the UPT but I have for the VDH. (I have a spare set of castings here at the moment). Gating should not be anything to worry about. The foundry will sort that out for you, in fact, from personal/professional experience I've found no two foundries work alike.

Edited By Brian Oldford on 30/07/2015 22:53:03

Edited By Brian Oldford on 30/07/2015 22:54:15

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Posted by Dsel on 30/07/2015 02:39:34:

Has anyone made their own patterns? I'm interested in knowing if they were done separately or as a set and how the risers and in gates were set out.

As an alternative to having your own castings made, you might consider using steam piping tee fittings as illustrated in MEW No 149 under the title "Making a pillar tool without castings".

Clive

 

Edited By clivel on 30/07/2015 23:10:34

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