Basic Lathework for Home Machinists (Fox Chapel Publishing) Essential Handbook to the Lathe with Hundreds of Photos & Diagrams and Expert Tips & Advice; Learn to Use Your Lathe to Its Full Potential

basic generic beginner text

Good beginner guide

I purchased this book to enhance my knowledge of working with a small lathe in my own shop sometime in the future. As the description of this book states, it does deal with all aspects of the lathe. Almost overwhelming the novice learner in comprehending what one must know to learn the essentials to select their own machine, but athough there are several models now to choose from, I feel it will most likely be how much you want to spend and whether or not you will indeed go out and buy a lathe for your home shop and actually start doing your own home lathework. Modelers and builders, and surely inventors, who want to make their own machined parts will benefit from owning and studying this book, as by studying it, is what you are going to have to do in the beginning to learn this craft. It does cover machine construction and goes even farther back into earlier models to explain why they are simpler and more basic than modern tools. The depth of the explanations concerning tooling will require additional information as lathework and modern lathes are covered in depth. Many of the actual machining operations are covered, including general machining, taper turning, threading and boring. Mr Bray explains the modern conversion of power supplies from single to three phase which for someone in a home environment will find tedious as three phase powered needs are few outside of industrial use of lathes and will require you to go to a large expense to provide this source of power. The use of digital equipment is explained to some degree and one will need to study their own machine's owners manual extensively to master this at home. I feel this book is limited for use by the beginner with no knowledge at all of lathe work, but will surely help along the path of learning something of lathe basics and any hands on work will be required to develop understanding in this field. For more advanced students of lathework Mr. Bray offers much knowledge for them to improve upon the skills they will need in the future and help them to improve.

As a new hobby machinist, I read everything I can find. For the money there is a lot of information that will help me learn about using a metal lathe. I still learn a lot from You Tube, but having a book is better when I am in the shop using the lathe.

Lots of good information. Recommend this book.

This book is written for the British beginning machinist. Everything is in metrics and to my mind doesn't cover real basics such as feeds and speeds, grinding tool bits. Well written but would not be again.

Good book for learning the basics.

good book