Which books

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Not yet having any machines except my woodworking ones, I thought I would start by just having a read up on working with metals and the different techniques.

Which books are at the top of your list for a beginner to collect and read. As well as books that will always be useful. This includes reference books.

I already have Model Engineering a Foundation Course" by Peter Wright as well as a Zeus booklet which I used a lot in the plant mechanics roll.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

I have two copies of Tubal Cain's "Model Engineers Handbook", one by my desk, one in the workshop, so I guess it would be my first recommendation

Brian

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Peter Wright's book was my starting point.

Many classic books on lathework are very good but obviously leave out a huge amount relevant to modern practice.

Naturally, though, I'd suggest a subscription to Model Engineers' Workshop

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 10/08/2018 12:37:51

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Neil is too modest to recommend his own 'The Mini-lathe' so I will. I'd also recommend 'The Amateur's Lathe' by Sparey.

For reference, Tubal Cain's 'Model Engineer's Handbook' is succinct. Machinery's Handbook covers much more!

Although the books above answer many questions, they also open the door to many more. Much depends on where your interests take you – Sheet Metal, Castings, Clocks, Welding… Fortunately there are plenty of good books available.

Not all are equally on target, but I find the Workshop Practice Series good for specific subjects.

Also have a look at the Camden Website – they stock a very wide range of engineering related books. Most are in the Engineering Practice and Skills section, but Technical Steam, Horology, Electrical, Foundry, Hot Air Engines and other sections also have gems.

Dave

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Derek,

Have a look at some of the books in the Workshop Practice series, they should cover the most for now. If you don't want to buy the ones you are interested in, may be your local library can help.

Thor

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

+ 1 for Tubal Cain's book.

Although written when the Myford ML7 was the most populous lathe, Sparey's "The Amateur's Lathe" is a good starting point, followed by Bradley's "The Amateur's Workshop". "The Myford Series 7 Manual" is specific, but contains information that is useful elsewhere. After that you are into books from the "Workshop Practice Series", for more specific activities, such as Soldering and Brazing, Taps and Dies, Workshop Hints and Tips, Making Small Workshop Tools, Screwcuttiing in the Lathe, and when you are more experienced and confident; Milling, or Gearcutting.

The books by Neil Wyatt and Dave Fenner deal with the mini lathe, but the techniques and principles, if not the specifics, can be read across onto other machines.

If you want to get into screwcutting, Brian Wood's "Gearing of Lathes for Screwcutting" can be a good source of information, so that you grasp the principles involved.

Plus, you will always have a crowd of folk on here who will be happy to give advice, and even practical help.

Howard

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Chapman's 'Workshop Technology' has been with me for 43 years, and seems to me to provide a complete basis – although some modern techniques are of course absent.

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

The first book I bought (many years ago now) and found very useful was Using The Small Lathe by L C Mason. It takes the new lathe owner through all the turning methods likely to be needed. Very readable and superbly informative.

Also +1 for 'The Amateur's Lathe' by L h Sparey especially f you intend buying a Myford lathe.

.As you gain experience try The Model Engineer's Workshop Manual by G H Thomas.

Good luck

Eric

[Carl Wilson 4Participant @carlwilson4]

LH Sparey’s book is very good. Most of what he talks about in the book is done on Drummonds, so seems like a good book for the smaller lathe.

Lathework, a Complete Course, by Harold Hall is also very good. It’s a Workshop Practice series title. I too have Chapman, from over 30 years ago in training and still excellent.

I’m going to suggest something else that is not a book. Machining is inherently practical. Watch some of the you tube machining channels.

In my opinion the best one is a guy called Doubleboost. He is British and he is very down to earth and does some interesting projects. His channel is Sunday Night Night Cap. Puts out a new video every Sunday. The old ones are all archived. Highly recommend – equal worth to reading several books.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Thank you all Tubal Cain's book seems to be the fist one to get as well as the workshop series books as needed. Still got plenty to read in the one I have so will order some soon so as to have one ready for when I finish this one.

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

L.C Mason and Sparey and you can,t go too far wrong. If you can get through both of those,you,re well on the way !

Be warned , This is infectious !!! There is no known cure for it.

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

To gain an appreciation of what can be done at home with very little, I'd recommend the David Gingery series 'Build your own Metalworking Shop from Scrap' here: **LINK**

You don't need to make any of the machines, just learn the thought processes and get a feel for it all. It's a complete industrial revolution in one bound volume.

Regards

Richard.

[merlinParticipant @merlin98989]

Derek Lane 2, I am never going to extract any more from my 1948 edition of Sparey's The Amateur's Lathe so I will give it to you if you pay the postage.

I live in North Norfolk – is this anywhere near you?

How do we do this i.e. please explain how you and I exchange details privately.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by merlin on 11/08/2018 23:10:19:

How do we do this i.e. please explain how you and I exchange details privately.

.

One of you needs to start by sending a personal message to the other

[assuming that you are logged-in] You will see a 'Message member' link at the bottom-left of any previous post.

MichaelG.

[robjon44Participant @robjon44]

Hi all, +1 for Chapmans Workshop Technology, pretty comprehensive in every way, only yesterday I was wrestling with a problem that someone had asked for help with, 10 minutes with the textbook provided the precise answer, slam dunk!

Bob H.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

'The Amateur's Lathe' by Sparey.

+1

Was the bible for me starting out

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

Yes, 'Sparey' is a great book which is quite inexpensive now and has helped legions of lathe users over many years…….

Someone could do the machining world a great favour and re-edit 'Sparey' by taking out the chapter on fitting a treadle and replacing it with another on Chinese lathes and QCTP's along with some modern electric motor info and good old 'Sparey' would be good to go for another several generations……

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Returning to model engineering after a gap of nearly 45 years has really brought home to me the need fir an up to date readable book on modern techniques. Reading through the posts I suspect I am not alone in this.

Topics that I think need to be in an updated book, even since I modelled in the 1970s, could include:

Metrification, DROs, 3D printing, tig and mig welding, the ready availability of machines, not so Myford focussed as in the past, invertors, no blowlamps or air/towngas, disappearance of one-off foundries, new materials like plastics, laser cutting and changes to boiler codes and soldering materials.

And I have no doubt many more could be added!

Apart from books about model engineering, Tubal Cain’s reference book is essential as a source of information, but I have to admit it is not really a bedtime read!

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 12/08/2018 21:29:30

[Anonymous]

Posted by Nick Clarke 3 on 12/08/2018 21:20:34:

Topics that I think need to be in an updated book, even since I modelled in the 1970s, could include:

…………………..

Wot? No CNC? Must be a step too far!

Andrew

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 12/08/2018 21:43:21:

Posted by Nick Clarke 3 on 12/08/2018 21:20:34:

 

Topics that I think need to be in an updated book, even since I modelled in the 1970s, could include:

…………………..

Wot? No CNC? Must be a step too far!

Andrew

I quite agree Andrew – originally I included it but lost my post through operator error before I uploaded it and missed it when reposting.

Incidentally I used to work with a teacher of technical drawing who claimed to teach from resources in a filing cabinet, none newer than 25 years old. At least with CNC & CAD that is unlikely to happen!

Edited By Nick Clarke 3 on 12/08/2018 22:01:22

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

Think that at the moment home CNC is in a pretty immature state compared to other branches of the hobby, and is changing rapidly enough to date very quickly. Think of the advent in the last couple of years of the little self contained controllers, the Arduino and the PlanetCNC type controllers all changing so rapidly that a book would become out of date while being written. The same applies to 3D printing, only more so.

Regards,

Richard.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Dunno about 3d printing as I only have experience of my own machine, but I was teaching CNC in school in g code using a small CNC lathe attached to a BBC computer in the late 1980s

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

 

#Posted by merlin on 11/08/2018 23:10:19:

Derek Lane 2, I am never going to extract any more from my 1948 edition of Sparey's The Amateur's Lathe so I will give it to you if you pay the postage.

I live in North Norfolk – is this anywhere near you?

How do we do this i.e. please explain how you and I exchange details privately.

Again thank you every one have been a little busy over the weekend with preparing for an event on saturday and out at it all day yesterday totally shattered.

Merlin thank you very much and I have sent a PM to you. I am down in Canterbury.

I will be looking at the Tubal Cain's book as well as the workshop series as I stated earlier

Edited By Derek Lane 2 on 13/08/2018 08:39:39

[thaiguzziParticipant @thaiguzzi]

Posted by Carl Wilson 4 on 10/08/2018 16:43:10:
LH Sparey's book is very good. Most of what he talks about in the book is done on Drummonds, so seems like a good book for the smaller lathe.

Lathework, a Complete Course, by Harold Hall is also very good. It's a Workshop Practice series title. I too have Chapman, from over 30 years ago in training and still excellent.

I'm going to suggest something else that is not a book. Machining is inherently practical. Watch some of the you tube machining channels.

In my opinion the best one is a guy called Doubleboost. He is British and he is very down to earth and does some interesting projects. His channel is Sunday Night Night Cap. Puts out a new video every Sunday. The old ones are all archived. Highly recommend – equal worth to reading several books.

+1, concur.

But i would add the two American channels Abom79 and Keith Fenner's Turnwright machining. Both always very interesting.

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