Best Reference Book

C

clevinski

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Hi...

While I have a little experience with a lathe and mill for basic operations, I obviously know very little, (which becomes abundantly clear when I read the posts here!) I've just ordered a mini-lathe to get started in doing work on my own at home, so I want to get myself educated. If I wanted to buy a comprehensive reference book that would basically show me how to do just about anything I wanted to do, am I correct in assuming that it would be Machinery's Handbook? That seems to be the book referred to most often on the site. If not, what other reference book would you suggest?

Many thanks,
Charlie
 
MH is anything but a "How to" book. It is THE reference book for machining data, however, and is indispensable for any machine shop for that. If you have a college book store, a textbook from a machine shop class would find more helpful as a learning aid.
 
Charlie,

The Machinery's Handbook is strictly a reference book and an advanced reference book at that. What you need is a copy of the old South Bend "How to Run a Lathe", which can be downloaded here once you reach 20 posts or from various places across the internet. There are also a number of lathe related books in the Workshop Practice Series which are very good, available from The Book Depository.

Tom
 
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Clevinski,
I am very partial the the "Workshop Practice Series". They cover the lathe, milling machine and various different tasks and functions individually. I get them off Ebay and Amazon and can pick and choose a subject that I need help on. My current book is "milling, A complete course" it is book number 35 in the series and has just what I need to know to get started learning how to mill stuff and set up the machine. Also the LMS online store has a DVD by Jose that is a 4 hour primer into the 7X series of Lathes. All in all a great primer for those of us just starting out and in need of good solid basic introduction type training. Hope this helps you find what you are looking for.
Bob
 
9781854862549.jpg

They even have one for the mini-lathe.

Thanks, should reduce many of the same questions w/ some reference (for me).

9781854862549.jpg
 
All great suggestions from the other guys but let me mention AGI's lathe DVD series with Darrel Holland. It should not be overlooked. IMO it's one of the best resources for learning about the lathe, short of having a live, in-person teacher. They also have a mill series. I forget who has it but I know it's available for rent or you can buy it.
 
Here are some books in my "library"...

Machine Shop Essentials: http://www.metalartspress.com/ - I really like Frank's writing.

Machine Shop Trade Secrets: http://www.amazon.com/Machine-Trade...2272/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1336425373&sr=8-3

Machine Shop Basics: http://www.amazon.com/Audel-Machine...6X/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1336425373&sr=8-12

Home Machinists Handbook: http://www.amazon.com/Home-Machinis...33/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1336425373&sr=8-15

I'm not saying that they are the "best" but they all have different elements that I've found useful.

Hope that helps,

-Ron
 
Great! Thanks, guys, for the excellent selections! I'm going book shopping right now!

Charlie
 
Check the local library on-line. If you find what you like, return it and buy on-line.
 
+1 on Scrap's recommendations. Those are much better "How to Do books" for machinists. I am no Noob and I frequently go to Frank's books when I am trying to do something I am not sure about. His books are the dirtiest nastiest books in my shop and for good reason.

Randy
 
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