Milling [Hardcover]

Stan Bray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

Milling is the process of cutting away material—usually, but not exclusively, metal—by feeding a piece of work past a rotating multiple-tooth cutter. The cutting action of the teeth of the milling cutter provides a fast method of machining, and the machined surface may be flat, angular, or curved. The surface may also be milled to any combination of shapes. The process of milling is a vital part of the engineer’s, and the model engineer’s, armoury. Stan Bray’s detailed book on this important subject covers different types of milling machine and describes milling techniques with the aid of photographs and specially prepared drawings. Including much advice and warnings of potential pitfalls, this book is the perfect companion for the amateur engineer.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stan Bray is the associate editor of Model Engineer, the former editor of Engineering in Miniature, and the author of Making Simple Model Steam Engines and Metalworking Tools and Techniques.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Crowood Press (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861266804
• ISBN-13: 978-1861266804
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,360,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information for the novice, April 17, 2009

By 

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

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Milling (Hardcover)

When I began working with hobbyist mini mills and lathes I had a very difficult time finding reference material that defined use and application for tooling and accessories. It was even difficult to find a information that explained spec sheets published for mini mills and lathes. Consequently, I had a lot of expensive false starts and own many less than useful tools.

Stan Bray does a good job of explaining the basic types of milling machines and what circumstances they serve, beginning with the largest horizontal machines to the smallest bench top vertical mills. In doing so he identifies equipment strengths and weaknesses by machine type and application.

He covers virtually all accessories; the purposes they serve, the way they are used and how they are set up to perform a task. Some of the topics are: a multitude of cutter types, boring heads, fly cutters, spindle tapers, vises, coolant systems, types of lubrication, material selection and the effect they have on process, etc. There are good sections regarding methods of measurement during set up as well as during production.

I think Milling would enable a beginner to better select a machine and certainly to restrict tool and accessory purchases to essentials. For the same group, and maybe a little more advanced, there are excellent sections on setting up specific job and the reasons for doing so. There is also coverage of typical problems encountered and how they can best be resolved.

The font size is readable, the black and white photo's are very good and the language is clear, concise and easy to follow. The information applies to all milling equipment, not just bench top equipment.

The book was published in 2004, but the information on specific mini machines is a litte light, although information on use; setting speeds, clamping down material, getting accurate results is still very much applicable. Good book. Glad I bought it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too glossy, not a how-to, May 31, 2010

By 

Charles R. MacCluer "CRMc" (Williamston, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Milling (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully turned-out book with little content. It names things and distinguishes mill types but is little use to a beginning mill wright. What end mill is best for Al and at what speed? Those sort of answers are few. Not a how-to.

4.0 out of 5 stars Coffeetable, not workshop, book on (small) milling machines, September 2, 2010

By 

Michael A. Duvernois (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Milling (Hardcover)

Pretty pictures, but not much useful information. It fills the (rather obscure) niche of a coffee table book on small home milling machines. If that's what you're looking for, I think this is the only such book. For more practical information, I'd go elsewhere. There are some good online guides to milling machine purchases, and there are the great, classic instruction books such as Audel Machine Shop Basics or Home Machinists Handbook for more home shop specific matters.