Ten Books Every Machinist Should Own

[Bigbjorn]

I know a lot of forum members are professional machinists and a lot are hobbyists. Whatever category you belong in some of these books should be on your shelf.

10 Timeless Books Every Machinist Should Have : Practical Machinist (https://www.practicalmachinist.com/tips-and-tricks/10-timeless-books-every-machinist-should-have/?utm_source=Pinpointe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2018Chatter_October)

I have acquired quite a selection myself since I started my apprenticeship in 1957. Several Machinery's Handbooks. I got the bad habit of buying these whenever I saw one in good condition and sensibly priced (cheap!). Solid gold find is a 6 volume set issued by NSW Railways to fitter-machinist apprentices in the days of steam.

[Fifth Columnist]

...and number 11....

9780853331544: Machinery'''s Screw Thread Book (Machinery'''s books for engineers) - AbeBooks - Anon: 0853331545 (https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780853331544/Machinerys-Screw-Thread-Book-books-0853331545/plp)

Probably the most used book of all.

[Bigbjorn]

I have Sidder's Guide to World Screw Threads. Produced by Machinery Press, the publishers of Machinery's Handbook. Sidders is a solid gold reference book for identifying threads. It covers all the obscure, rare, and obsolete screw thread systems.

[Chops]

Although I'm a Fitter & Machinist according to the paperwork, I'd be scratching to do squat these days on a lathe or machine centre. I must admit, i do love what i do just being a maintenance fitter, but used to love the precision work i started on.
One thing I look forward to after our trip is finding a shed to house some cool machinery to play with again.

[350RRC]

The Story of O.

DL

[Hall]

As I am a tool maker or was and is now a fitter machinist I tend to try and leave work at work, so not that keen on bed side books about machining. Have though still got my apprentice books and a book from when I did tool making. I would be one of the few that has a certificate for tool making. Most tool makers are just rearguard as tool makers because they did there time in a tool making shop. There trade schooling though would have been fitting and machining. I did a three year night school course in plastics tool making. My that was some time ago now. Got a tricky bit off screw cutting to do at work. 3/4" unc x 11/4 " left hand thread one end and the other end 1" unc x 11/4" left hand thread with nought in the middle. Being a American company just about every thing is imperial / unc, they even use uns threads. Which is not so bad for us old farts that grew up with inches then had to move on to metric.
Cheers Hall

[RANDLOVER]

Machining for Dummies: Kip Hanson: Amazon.com.au: Books (https://www.amazon.com.au/Machining-Dummies-Kip-Hanson/dp/1119426138)

Don't you just love how there is a "For Dummies" book on everything.

What I also find amazing is, old flour mills, etc, that have screws, threads, cogs, sprockets, pulleys, made out of wood, with leather belt drives!

[Fifth Columnist]

I went through college with my father's 1907 copy of Machinery's Handbook.
I still have it eleven years into my retirement.