Basic Lathework (Workshop Practice Series)

I found this book an excellent addition to my go to reading material on metal lathes and their operation. It covers very well the English Myford and is also applicable to any hobby lathe and its set -up. The pictures are in color and well represent the setting up of work holding in the chuck and face plate. I would recommend this book to anyone owning a English made lathe and its nice to have to add to a hobby shops book collection.

What I wanted

Excellent primer and reminder

Basic lathe work is an unusual book in that it doves into areas that I would consider beyond "basic lathe work". Like the chapter on choosing a machine and power supplies. I would expect a more practical approach to lathe operation and procedures. Most of the pictures appear to be of older lathes. The book contains very little useful information for the newcomer. Don't waste your money.

Excelente obra, ahora lo tengo que traducir en Google. Lastima que no los consiga en Español. Son interesantes. Los recomiendo.

A really excellent book, so good in fact that it actually stopped me going out and buying a lathe - at least for now. Full of useful nuggets of information with concise explanations as to why things work in a particular way and possible alternative approaches. Unlike most publications the book isn't providing instruction on how to make a particular object but rather focusses on the capability of a lathe and the effort required to set it up for particular tasks.

What an excellent reference book for the new/aspiring lathe machinist. Lots of details & tips from an experienced lathe user, just what you need when starting out with your new lathe. Having bought this book before committing to a machine purchase, I found areas of information that changed my decision criteria, & bought a more suitable machine & tools for now/future projects. Areas covered include...choosing a machine, cutting tools, work/tool holding, centres, parting off, hole boring, threading, taper turning, measurements & misc operations 1 & 2. All worthwhile topics in clear language...perfect.

As a beginner I struggled with some of the terminology but stuck at it, re-reading it as a textbook & highlighting the essential sections in each chapter. This has been well worth the effort as my understanding of lathe operation is much improved. Mr Bray's grammar & punctuation are, let us say, individual but he is an engineer not an English teacher. Overall, a useful guide for a beginner.

As someone coming back to having and using a lathe after many decades, this is a very useful and clearly written book. There are lots of things that came back from my apprenticeship and new things to learn as well. As with most subjects it won't be the only lathe book in my library but it is one I refer back to. It has incidentally a very useful materials, diameters and speeds chart which could well be worth having as an enlargement, laminated and hung up next to the lathe. It saves a lot of mucking about to get a quick speed setting.