For all the machining fans here on MGB, this is a useful reference:

Title: Fundamentals Of Machine Tools
Training Circular: No. 9-524
Pages: 309
Filesize: 7MB
Availability: Free download
URL: www.instructables.com/id/Basic...ationtextbooks/
Suggested Acronym: FMT-9524

For all of us machining fans who desperately need a beginner machining book such as

"Basic Machining For Dummies"

or

"Basic Machining For the Complete Idiot",

AFAIK, those books do not exist. This one does. It was designed by the US Army (US Navy
plays some part here but not sure what) to educate recent high school grads and make them
competent student machinist in the shortest amount of time possible.

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For me: here is the cure for most of my basic machining vocabulary deficiencies

For JA: please don't spend your valuable time explaining basic machining terms and
concepts when you can simply cite a free, downloadable text like this one. I would simply
ask them to read topic "XXX" on pp. XX-XX in the FMT-9524 and let it go at that. Anyone
too lazy to go get a copy is not that interested and does not deserve to take up your
time. Those who are interested will get a copy and saturate themselves in it. If you know
of a comparable free online text that can be used in conjunction with FMT-9524 then this
would be an excellent time to point out the URL.

For Machining newbies: a hard to beat, free education

For Professional Machinist: a great review of fundamental machining info

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Note: When downloading the FMT-9524 .pdf from Instructables, IE10 fumbled around and
glitched some. FireFox worked better.

Edit: I meant for this to go in the Engine Clinic folder and it did not. Please move it for
me when you have time. TIA

EXCELLENT READ that you have found Mr. CC! I hope some will read the information about how to zero the spindle to the tail stock & the proper machining & use of a mandrel.

What I'm concerned about in the USA is the disappearance of the manufacturing culture that you & I grew up in. What has it been replaced with? People who by whatever is available & put things together. People who are attempting to retain what made the USA number one in manufacturing should be helped as much as possible.

There is one book that explains some things presently being discussed. The American Machinist's Handbook, section 42, Machine-tool inspection, engine lathe accuracy.

Jim Allen

The farther I read the more I was surprised by everything I was seeing. Plus extensive
use of drawings and diagrams.

In just a few minutes I was successfully differentiating a "fixture" from a "jig".

In a few more minutes I was grasping how a combination chuck differs from an
independent. How a chuck can scroll finally makes sense.

Exactly the kind of stuff I've been wanting to be versed in. I just need a good book to
grind on (pun) and this one does look like a good reference for the basics.

_______________________________

Give some of us a little time, JA and you may be fielding some much better prepared
questions than what you have been reading so far.

Good stuff CC. There were many things that came to mind again after reading the training circular. I was reminded of what can happen when purchasing used machinery that looks good. How many people who have recently purchased a lathe have the knowledge & the tool necessary to tell if the lathes bed is twisted? Who would think to look for hardened & ground "V" type ways for the carriage & tail stock to guide on? Who would know what the lathe should be mounted on & how to level the bed? Does any one think that a tailstock without a "V" in it's bottom can repeat its location? Very simple & basic things that very few people have a clue about.

No one works beyond the limit of the machine tool in their possession, no matter what it's name may be.

JA

It is appalling that the manufacturing culture you mention is disappearing. I am a third generation tool maker (my grandfather was a tool maker, my father was a toolmaker, I learned the trade the traditional way).
I grew up in a machine shop,I've had my own lathe since I was 9 or 10, been running bridgeports since I was 10.learned NC programming when I was 12.
Machining, honing,lapping tolerances from 20 millionths on up.All materials.
Ran my own shop for 27 years.CNC programmer for close to 30 years.
Still on the shop floor making parts.Extensive Autocad,Solidworks,MasterCam,SurfCam experience.
My name is on at least one patent.
No one has any respect for me or my trade.

You wonder why no one is going into manfacturing?

I have great respect for you & the trade. There are still some toolmakers left such as John Ellis, Mike Langlois, Henry Nelson, Carl Dodge & others, yourself included!

JA

JA:

Since you did not list a preferred URL, I've been beating the bushes trying to find
a recent copy on a reliable, well connected server where the DLs can be renamed and/or
saved according to users choice.

This is the best I've located so far. I cannot find a restriction which states the
site if for students only so going on the assumption they don't object to use by the
public, I've DL'ed and saved several parts with no difficulty.

www.brightonk12.com/webpages/m...subpage=1305723

Please check on this source when you can. Would it help it everyone was looking at the
same scans of this text? This book is new to me so I'm not informed as to differences
between the older editions and the newer (renamed) editions.

Wrong book CC. www.brightonk12.com/webpages/m...subpage=1305723 takes me to the Machinery's Handbook. This is also a good book for ME"s & toolmakers. I was referring to the American Machinist Handbook.

JA

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinery's_Handbook

"Today, the phrases "machinist's handbook" or "machinists' handbook" are almost always
imprecise references to Machinery's Handbook. During the decades from World War I to
World War II, these phrases could refer to either of two competing reference books:
McGraw-Hill's American Machinists' Handbook or Industrial Press's Machinery's Handbook.
The former book ceased publication after the 8th edition (1945). (One short-lived
spin-off appeared in 1955.) The latter book, Machinery's Handbook, is still regularly
revised and updated, and it continues to be a "bible of the metalworking industries"
today."

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What about this copy of American Machinists' Handbook at Archive.Org ?

archive.org/details/americanmachinis00colv

The PDF download is about 37MB (second selection in the left hand menu box). The text
displays about 712 pages. Makes me think I only have part of the book(s) when I read
other places there are more than 1800 pages in the entire test - what's up with that?
The server at Archive.Org is a little slow but appears to be reliable - just give it
time.

The Machinery's Handbook, published by Industrial Press is approximately 2500 pages. The New American Machinist's Handbook published by McGraw-Hill is approximately 1600 pages. This book is based upon earlier editions of the American Machinist's Handbook. I believe the Machinery's Handbook & the New American Machinist's Handbook are still being published.

JA