Reviewed by Dale Annis

Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Type: Skill-Oriented with some projects
Projects: 10 (lathe)
Units: (in.)
Pages: 224

If I were an editor tasked with proof-reading the book entitled The Amateur’s Lathe, by Lawrence H. Sparey, I would consider requesting that he change the title of his book to “Small Lathe Work 101” as it would serve as a text for such a class.  Sparey takes a skill based approach in discussing the vast capabilities of a small lathe by encouraging the practice of the techniques he explains with numerous plans and drawings of potential projects which are apparently chosen to expand the owners lathe’s capability as well as his own.  Some of the projects, in my opinion, appear a little advanced in set up.  Most notable in this are the Dividing Head and Tailstock Turret Tool-Holder.  I would like to point out that while there are numerous illustrations and photos in the book which an enterprising person could easily convert to a working plan, not all of them contain actual dimensions.  Therefore I have chosen to call any graphic drawing with dimensions a project for the purposes of this review.  (Please note that the drawings for the Dividing Head are incomplete, lacking a parts list and the dimensions are difficult to read due to size.)

PROJECTS:

1. Collet Set and Adapter (Chapter 4)
2. Tail-Stock Die Holder (Chapter 4)
3. Four-Way Tool Post (Chapter 4)
4. Tailstock Turret Tool-Holder (Chapter 4)
5. Running (Live) Center (Chapter 4)
6. Dividing Head (Chapter 13)
7. Overhead Driven Tool Post Grinding Attachment (Chapter 13)
8. Lapping Head for 5cc Engine (Chapter 14)
9. Lathe Carriage Stop (Chapter 16)
10. Back Tool Post (Chapter 16)

Sparey also describes several processes which, while not lathe work in nature, are needed to effectively use one; topics such as marking out of material, use of measuring equipment, and sharpening lathe bits are included.  Sparey also discusses many tools and devices which are easily made and help make work easier.

The book is written using inch measurement however the topics on thread cutting reference British threads which are a different angle than American.  Likewise, I have not verified that there are no discrepancies between the tables located in the back of the book and American sizes of letter and number drills.  Other than this small consideration it appears that the dimensions should be an easy match for us “Yanks”.  The original printing of the book was 1948 and as such there are some dated references to materials which are no longer used such as whale oil.  There is also a slight disparity with regard to nomenclature of a few of the lathe components and various tools in general.  In spite of this “cultural” difference in British spoken English and our own, the book is a joy to read.

Chapter titles of the book are as follows:

1. The Lathe (a brief history and overview of types)
2. Choosing a Lathe (Sparey isn’t brand specific but leans to Myford)
3. Installing the Lathe (tips on building a bench included)
4. Lathe Accessories (many plans for tooling)
5. Measuring Equipment (use of Micrometer and Calipers etc)
6. Lathe Tools (Sparey is a big advocate of the knife tool)
7. Drills and Reamers (includes a good section on drilling holes accurately)
8. Holding Work in the Lathe (a good source of ideas for unique problems)
9. Marking Out (ideas abound in here for potential home made equipment)
10. Plain Turning and Boring (includes many small tips and tricks)
11. Taper Turning, Crankshaft Turning, Disc and Ball Turning (a brief overview of the ways of accomplishing these)
12. Screwcutting (watch those angles)
13. Milling, Shaping, and Grinding (mostly Milling, the other topics are very brief, there are some plans in this chapter though)
14. Lapping (includes some ideas for lapping tools)
15. Metal Spinning, Spring Winding, Turning Rubber, ETC. (some unique ideas for lathe usage)
16. Production Methods in Small Lathes (couple of more project ideas here)
17. Care of the Lathe and It’s Accessories (a lot of good practical knowledge here)
    Appendix: Handy Tables for Home Mechanics
    Index

I would never advocate owning only one book as a reference for a topic as vast as lathe-work, however if I could choose only one book, this one would definitely be on the short-list.  I would go so far as to say it should be one of the first books purchased on the topic by new lathe owners and those considering the purchase of one.  It is one of the best on the topic in its modest $10.00 to $15.00 price range.  If you have any questions or if you own this book, please feel free to post a comment.

About the author

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