Machine Shop Projects

Back in 1954 when this publication was released, South Bend Lathe was still a leader in smaller, low-cost yet quality lathes that ended up in technical schools all over the country. That lower end market has been taken over by other manufacturers, mostly foreign, and South Bend now concentrates on building high-end lathes and other machine tools that sell for big prices.

This was produced as a companion to How to Run a Lathe to teach students in vocational and industrial schools basic machining skills. Because it is of little use to South Bend's current upscale customers, they don't publish it. Too bad. It's a great book for us. So it's back.

You get 34 different plans from a very simple nail set to 1/4 hp gasoline engine. Each project comes with a "blueprint" and a step-by-step list of operations. For instance, step 5 might say "Face one end only." You're expected to refer to How to Run a Lathe to get details on how to do that.

Projects include: lathe mandrel, lathe centers, spur center, 1" bolt and nut, screw drive, machinist's clamp, clamp lathe dog, boring bar for lathe, milling arbor for lathe, surface gauge, small bench vise, adjustable tap wrench, 6" improved water motor, arbor press, hand power emery grinder, and more.

Great book of simple projects for those of us who are less-than-expert machinists (most of us). Brings home the ideas and lessons taught in How to Run a Lathe, Care and Operation of a Lathe, and Running an Engine Lathe. And it's a useful addition to Gingery's series on building a machine shop from scrap.