Machining Fundamentals: From Basic to Advanced Techniques [Hardcover]

John R. Walker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1566376629 | ISBN-13: 978-1566376624 | Publication Date: August 1999 | Edition: Revised

Provides an introduction to this area of manufacturing technology explaining the how, why, and when of numerous machining operations, set-ups and procedures. Discusses how machine tools operate and when to use one particular machine instead of another. DLC: Machine-shop practice.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: Goodheart-Willcox Pub; Revised edition (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566376629
• ISBN-13: 978-1566376624
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid practical information, January 19, 2002

By 

Joe D "RealGuns.Com" (Raymond, ME) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Machining Fundamentals: From Basic to Advanced Techniques (Hardcover)

"Machining Fundamentals" by John R. Walker is a quality production. What I mean by that is this hardcover book is printed on good paper stock, the text is very descriptive and it is filled with an appropriate number of illustrations and photographs. In addition, the coverage of various topics is scaled to provide information consistent with what a typical reader of a "Fundamentals" book needs. Yeah, I know, what does that mean? Only that lathe, milling, drilling, and grinding operations, including relatively elaborate setups, are covered extensively, while manufacturing automation received a well written single chapter.

What is the value of all of this information ? I purchased the book in anticipation of buying a bench lathe. I found myself reading the book in front of the TV, nodding in acknowledgement, and verbally expressing in ways I'm sure were irritating to my wife, "Oh, so that's how they do that. Duh! Of course that makes sense. Gees, you're kidding me. Why didn't I do that?" And when I was done, I realized how far off the mark I had been in assessing what I would need to upgrade my shop area; better now than after those trucks dropped 20 tons of less than useful equipment in my driveway.

"Machining Fundamentals" won't replace equipment shop manuals, or classroom training and shop experience, but it is a good reference book. As an example, it does a good job of explaining the differences amongst 3 and 4 jaw chucks, Jacobs chucks and collets. The book even explains when they apply, why they apply and how to clean, maintain, inspect and install/remove them. Still, 9 very good pages on lathe cutting tapers, from setting up to measuring and checking, 10 pages on thread cutting, and even a few on cutting threads on tapered surfaces, will not qualify you to knock off a related project. But there is enough there to illustrate how the job is done, which may steer the reader to further detailed research, armed with enough conceptual information to attempt the job, and maybe practice the same type of work for a non-critical purpose while developing hands on experience. I liked the book.

Joe

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The finest machining text I have ever seen, August 2, 2000

By 

Bawko (West Valley City, Utah United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Machining Fundamentals: From Basic to Advanced Techniques (Hardcover)

From the moment I opened the cover of this book, I knew I had to own a copy. Over the years, I have compiled a fairly complete library of books dealing with machine tools and related topics. However, I have never run across a text which covers the subject with such depth and clarity as this fine text. Every page is not only filled with useful, practical information - but also beautiful color illustrations, charts, and photographs. Rarely have I seen a book in any field which has been so carefully designed and beautifully executed - the author of this book REALLY cared about the subject matter at hand. Although the book is not as complete a reference as, say - Machinery's Handbook, that is not it's purpose. If you are looking for a clearly written, well illustrated book from which to learn the art of machining - look no further! If I were to choose only one book from my library to recommend to a novice machinist, this is without a doubt the book I would choose - and that's the highest recommendation I could give to any text!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read and Enjoy, February 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Machining Fundamentals: From Basic to Advanced Techniques (Hardcover)

This book is very good and when you ask yourself what is missing to make it complete encyclopaedia for the field, you see that you only need more tables and data for specific appilication.
But.
Concept of technical encyclopaedia that gives you all available data related to some field NEVER has invaluable features that this book offers: clear and patient explanations, extremely well illustrated, allways beginning "from the bottom" (very basics) to a very reasonable level of sophistication. If you start form zero level knoledge or if you need pragmatical reference book that covers whole field, choose this book. All you further need to master machining is: some good desk reference book i.e. collection of practical table data (there are couple of them very useful at really modest price), manual of a particular machine that you have and practice, practice.
That combination is, in my opinion, of muche more value then some hard-stuff encyclopaedia.