# machinists handbook



## taycat (Nov 7, 2017)

which is best edition to get?
heard said older ones are better.


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## Bill Gruby (Nov 7, 2017)

It depends on what you do. If you are CNC minded you need a newer edition. Into hand operation edition any will do. Most members as I have seen use somewhere around edition 25. I persomally use whatever is closest to my hand.

 "Billy G"


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## taycat (Nov 7, 2017)

No CNC so will look for 25 ish edition ta


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## BtoVin83 (Nov 7, 2017)

I have two copies, the older one from 1946


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 7, 2017)

older copies usually go for less money look for a 14th to 18th edition- they come up reasonably often


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## Bob Korves (Nov 7, 2017)

Any edition will work, they all have the basic stuff.  Newer ones will cover stuff like CNC, older ones will cover shapers and planers.  They are all good.  Just get one that is not falling apart...


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## richl (Nov 8, 2017)

Think large print, it is easier on the eyes.


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## MozamPete (Nov 8, 2017)

I think it is best to go with one that is contemporary to the machines you have available as that would be most relevant to the tasks you could perform - as others say there is no need to get the latest edition with all the CNC information if you don't have any CNC capable machines.

My lathe is from the late 1950's so I went with a 17th edition (1964).   Also around the 20th edition they started to remove a lot of the blacksmithing/forge work related stuff which was somthing that interested me so I wanted to go with one before that.


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## dennys502 (Nov 10, 2017)

I have the 20th edition that I purchased in 1979 but haven't used it very much for a long time.
 Much faster to just search the internet or use Autocad.


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## 4GSR (Nov 10, 2017)

I have the CD version that I purchased when I bought the large print 26th edition back in 2003.  I go to the computer version frequently, hardly pull any of the editions to reference something.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 10, 2017)

There is nothing in that book that is not easily available on the web today.


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## Silverbullet (Nov 11, 2017)

I have two a 14 & 21 . I prefer a book to hold and read it don't eat electric or turn off on its own. Plus it's just the right way with my teachings. I have tons of things on my tablet and on an iPad that died and can't retrieve the lost files with out a large donation of money I don't have.


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## core-oil (Nov 11, 2017)

I have a 1914 edition of machinery Handbook, Still in pretty good state, I find it is good for the information on my older type manual operated machines, and also for model making the designs are pretty much spot on,  A couple of years ago I was in a junk shop and picked up another copy from the depression era, It is stamped with a red stamp on the flyleaf stating the seller was a tooldealer  I think it was Oklahom ? I have not got it handy at the moment, When I lay my hands on it I will verify,  Finding it over here, makes me wonder who the worker was who brought it back home to  Paisley Scotland (Where i purchased it,)  Maybe getting back home to his own people to eascape  the depression was more appealing an option.


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## menace (Nov 11, 2017)

I was given a 17th edition in excellent condition ! I couldn't be without it! Incredible knowledge in there, and I often who figured all the information out.


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## KevinL (Nov 12, 2017)

Maybe I'm dating myself but.....I like whatever edition in the large print.  I also like the book on CD as it has all information from all the editions on it as well as interactive math.  

I'm lucky enough that I can get both free from Industrial Press as it is a text my students use.  With the CD edition I can show it on the overhead in the classroom and the students can follow along if they have the same edition of text.


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## ch2co (Nov 13, 2017)

After around 40 years of working with computers, an iPod, an iPhone, a 27” high def second screen on one computer an a second computer with 12” and 23” screens, oh and a kindle, I still prefer the printed word on paper. 
Curling up on the couch with a book and a maybe a cold beer. I still print documents from the web for reading. 

Just a grumpy old fart


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## philip-of_Oregon (Nov 18, 2017)

ch2co said:


> After around 40 years of working with computers, an iPod, an iPhone, a 27” high def second screen on one computer an a second computer with 12” and 23” screens, oh and a kindle, I still prefer the printed word on paper.
> Curling up on the couch with a book and a maybe a cold beer. I still print documents from the web for reading.
> 
> Just a grumpy old fart



I understand GOF, I am a F.A.R.T. Father Against Radical TeenAgers, Excepting that now, My two youngest GrandChildren are TeenAgers, the Oldest is 21, AND Boys does She KNOW Everything ! ! !

Now about "The Book". It Seems everytime I pick up a book, even from the Night Before, SOME critter has changed the Size of the PRINT!

I need one of them AD-Justable BOOKS I see on the Internet. Well, the ONLY Reason I can see the story, Is I got LARGE PRINT set on my Browser!

Anyway, I use the iPad to read most things, and this here `Puter is a MacBookPro, with SSD instead of a hard drive, so its light and comfortable to Read from....


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Nov 18, 2017)

So, there are other


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## RJSakowski (Nov 18, 2017)

The internet seems to have everything if you know where to look.  I use it on a regular basis.  There are two problems with it, as I see it though. 

First, it is tunnel vision.  You only see the page you're on.  The information that you want or need may be there but unless you know the correct search terms, you will never see it.  A good reason to own a  hard copy rather than you can browse through the pages and see totally unrelated information to what you are searching for.  Knowing it is there will enable you to find it at a later date.

Second, you have to be able to sift out all the misinformation that is out there.  This is not always an easy task.  Particularly if you don't know anything about the topic you are searching.  Hard copy isn't immune to this but hopefully, there has been some diligent vetting done.

I recently bought a 25th edition of Machinery's Handbook.  My first personal copy.  I don't know how much I will actually use it.  There is an awful lot of information in those 2500 pages.  So much so that searching for a particular topic culd become difficult.  The internet will probably remain my first choice go-to but the handbook may become my last word source.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 18, 2017)

If you aren't too fussy with which edition you get can find them pretty cheap on ebay. I recently bought a 24th edition for less than $20 with free shipping.

Something I don't see mentioned too often is there is also a guide to the handbook which is pretty helpful in explaining what all the stuff in the handbook is for and how to use the information. 

I got the matching 24th ed guide for less than $6 with free shipping, as I'm not a professional machinist and not a math wizard I think the guide is pretty handy. The guide references pages in the handbook, so it is a good idea to get the same edition guide as handbook or you will be hunting around to match up the pages.


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Nov 22, 2017)

Ulma Doctor said:


> older copies usually go for less money look for a 14th to 18th edition- they come up reasonably often[/QUOT
> 
> 
> 
> ...


[/QUOTE]


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## Grumpy Gator (Nov 22, 2017)

_Not sure what happened but I took out all the duplicate posts.
**G**_


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## projectnut (Nov 22, 2017)

It all depends on how old your machine tools are, and how old the equipment is you're working on.  Every few years some older information is deleted and new information is added.  I do a lot of work on older and antique equipment.  As such I have around a dozen different editions.  The oldest is a reprint of the first edition, while the newest is around edition 28 or so.

The old ones have a lot of information on now obsolete threads and fasteners.   They also delve into HSS and carbon steel cutting tools. The newer ones have information on metric threads and fasteners, and carbide,and ceramic cutting tools.


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## Alan H. (Nov 24, 2017)

Bought the large print 30th version on Amazon Prime.   Pricey yes, but less than $100 shipped.  I have not yet sprung for the CD, although I would like to have it.


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## 4GSR (Nov 24, 2017)

Alan H said:


> Bought the large print 30th version on Amazon Prime.   Pricey yes, but less than $100 shipped.  I have not yet sprung for the CD, although I would like to have it.


Give us an report on it's content.  I'm interested in what is new stuff they may have added.
Ken


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## dlane (Nov 24, 2017)

That would be a large report


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## Alan H. (Nov 26, 2017)

4gsr said:


> Give us an report on it's content.  I'm interested in what is new stuff they may have added.
> Ken


Ken,  I am not a great judge since my previous copy has been lost in the dark corners of the attic for years.  Of course the Preface of the book talks to some of the changes. 

Here's a shot of the Table of Contents:




As in the past, each of the sections has its own index in front of that section.   For example the Machine Operations section has a four page index.  

I expected it to be CNC heavy and centric since I had seen that mentioned here on the forum and elsewhere. Not sure I would agree on that.  While the book does have a new chapter on Micromachining and two chapters on CNC, the total number of pages dedicated to these topics are only about 64 out of the total 2886 pages. 

The Preface indicates updates are related to far more than just the topic of CNC.   One example is a greatly expanded metric content.

BTW, sure glad I bought the large print format.


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## royesses (Nov 26, 2017)

I bought the 25th edition large print on ebay for $50.00. I don't think the owner ever opened it, it is pristine. I also bought the 25th edition handbook guide on Amazon. They are both filled with more information than I could use in 3 lifetimes. I have the cd version 24th and 22nd and I use them the most.  I can get to where i need to go much quicker with the CD versions.

Roy


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Nov 27, 2017)

thanks for tubing my brain flips blew the dust off, mine is eleventh edition, and
was  always usefull  as WW I I  tangled cross- Atlantic production ----- BLJHB


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