Just a quick note to let everyone know that the Books page has a new look which makes it much easier to browse titles.

Instead of a long list of titles, the covers are now proudly displayed for each and every book on the list. A simple click takes you to the Amazon summary page for the title clicked.

Also, I’ve removed the Amazon Pop-Up summaries that were frustrating a few visitors.

When you get a second, please take a look.

If you have a book that you’d like to recommend to be added to the list, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Another incredible source of information for the amateur machinist is the Workshop Practice Series. There are currently over 40 books in the series, covering virtually every aspect of the home workshop. Some aren’t directly related to metalworking, but they are still a good read.

I’ve had trouble tracking down a complete list of the books in the series. Even the publisher’s website (Special Interest Model Books) doesn’t list the books in chronological order. So, for your convenience, here’s a complete list of the books available in the Workshop Practice Series, along with links directly to Amazon:

1. Hardening, Tempering & Heat Treatment
2. Vertical Milling in the Home Workshop
3. Screwcutting in the Lathe
4. Foundrywork for the Amateur
5. Milling Operations in the Lathe
6. Measuring and Marking Metals
7. The Art of Welding
8. Sheet Metal Work
9. Soldering and Brazing
10. Saws & Sawing
11. Electroplating
12. Drills Taps and Dies
13. Workshop Drawing
14. Making Small Workshop Tools
15. Workholding in the Lathe
16. Electric Motors
17. Gears & Gear Cutting
18. Basic Benchwork
19. Spring Design and Manufacture
20. Metalwork and Machining Hints & Tips
21. Adhesives & Sealants
22. Workshop Electrics
23. Workshop Construction
24. Electric Motors in the Home Workshop
25. The Backyard Foundry
26. Home Workshop Hints & Tips
27. Spindles
28. Simple Workshop Devices
29. CAD for Model Engineers
30. Workshop Materials
31. Useful Workshop Tools
32. Unimat III Lathe Accessories
33. Making Clocks
34. Lathework: A Complete Course (Read Review)
35. Milling: A Complete Course
36. Photo Etching
37. Dividing
38. Tool & Cutter Sharpening
39. Model Engineers’ Workshop Projects
40. Bearings
41. Grinding, Honing & Polishing

Units: (mm)

“If fear of the unknown is all that is preventing you from embarking on the satisfying hobby of model engineering, then this is the book that will banish your concerns. Author Harold Hall has established his reputation as a mentor to model engineers through the pages of Model Engineers’ Workshop, of which he was the editor for a number of years.

This book assumes no previous experience and using the medium of twelve lathe turning projects will lead prospective model engineers through all of the basic techniques needed to tackle ambitious projects. All of the projects are extensively illustrated and full working drawings accompany the text. Once followed through, the reader will have amassed a wealth of practical skills and a range of useful workshop tools and equipment.” – Excerpt from the back cover of the book.

Skill Level: Beginner
Type: Project-Oriented
Projects: 12 (lathe)
Measurements: Metric
Pages: 165

This book is a great place to start if you prefer a project-oriented approach to learning a new hobby (versus a book that digs deep into theory, but lacks educational projects for you to build).

Chapter 1 is a short “Getting Started” chapter that covers lathe basics and accessories (different lathe chucks and their strengths/limitations, the steady rest, cutting tools, types of metals and materials, etc.). This first chapter is very short (7 pages) and covers a bit of theory that really helps orient the beginner to the lathe.

Chapters 2-13 are all project-oriented and cover 12 projects ranging from simple to more complex. Here’s a complete list of the 12 projects, with a few links to images:

1. Mini Surface Gage (Chapter 2)
2. Precision Square (Chapter 3)
3. A between-centers test bar (Chapter 4)
4. Hole Gages (Chapter 5)
5. Distance Gages (Chapter 6)
6. Tailstock Die Holders (Chapter 7)
7. Precision Tapers (Chapter 8 )
8. Screw Jack (Chapter 9)
9. Jack Continued – Screw Cutting (Chapter 10)
10. Getting To Grips with the Face-Plate: Making a Two Wheel Knurling Tool (Chapter 11)
11. Mill Drill Spindle (Chapter 12)
12. A Milling Cutter Chuck (Chapter 13)

Overall, I think this book is a nice place for a beginner to start, especially if you’re looking for some useful projects to turn. You’ll even learn how to turn cast iron when you create the Screw Jack (if you decide to purchase the casting that was used in the project). The project drawings are complete and easy to follow, and the projects follow a logical progression (except for the Mini Surface Gage in chapter 2, which is a bit more complex than the projects in chapter 3-4).

However, I should point out a few things:

1. I wouldn’t say that this book is a complete course in lathework. But then again, I don’t know of any book that covers all of the nuances of lathework. Perhaps a more accurate title would have been “Getting Started with the Lathe”.
2. The picture on the cover isn’t a picture of any of the projects in the book, so don’t buy the book expecting to learn how to make what’s pictured on the cover.
3. Also, the measurements are in mm, not inches – but don’t let that prevent you from purchasing the book. If all your tools measure in inches the projects in this book might prove to be a little more difficult. Just keep in mind that it would be better to purchase used metric measuring equipment (micrometer, caliper, etc. – try ebay) than to convert all the measurements to inches. But even if you never complete a single project from the book, it’s still full of great information for the beginner.

If you have any questions or if you own this book, please feel free to post a comment.

To leave a comment join the forum discussion on this post