Product Description

The Mini-lathe has become the best-selling item of machinery in the hobby engineering market - often purchased as a first step by beginners to the hobby. For many years Myford lathes were considered as 'standard issue' for model engineers, but at about one-twentieth of the price of a new Myford, these new Mini-lathes set the benchmark for the future. This book is a complete course on using and improving this new generation of budget lathes. It explains everything from setting up and 'tuning' the machine for best performance to using accessories and carrying out tasks. "The Mini-Lathe" covers: Safety, Preparing the lathe, Tooling materials and geometry, Tooling up, Getting started, Gear cover, Head stock dividing attachment, Modifications for milling, Improving rigidity, Making a part off too , Guided centre punch, filing rest, use of steadies and chuck depth stop, Toolpost powered spindle, saw table and grinding rest , DRO handwheels, taper roller bearings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31112 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 132 pages

From the Back Cover
The Mini-lathe has become the best-selling item of machinery in the hobby engineering market - often purchased as a first step by beginners to the hobby. For many years Myford lathes were considered as "standard issue" for model engineers, but at about one-twentieth of the price of a new Myford, these new Mini-lathes set the benchmark for the future.
This book is a complete course on using and improving this new generation of budget lathes. It explains everything from setting up and "tuning" the machine for best performance to using accessories and carrying out tasks.

About the Author
David Fenner is the recently-retired editor of Model Engineers' Workshop magazine who has based this practical book on his many hours A"road testingA" mini-lathes in his own home workshop.

Customer Reviews

The mini lathe
Tho aimed primarily at one particular model of a "Model Lathe" it gives some useful tips and a revision of metal turning that I'd learnt years ago at school. Wriiten in a helpful style and useful as a DIY book that makes one want to "have a go".

Not for a raw beginner
I bought this small book expecting to be told how to use a mini lathe. I was disappointed. I am a raw beginner who has never touched a lathe before but want to learn how to use one to make small items. I wanted a book to tell me how to set the lathe for various operations (levers to push or twiddle, how to set manual or motored feeds, how to do a simple screw thread, how to plan a job, what tools to use and how to use them. This book did not do that. It tells you how to make certain accessories for your lathe and provides good drawings and photos but assumes good knowledge of the machining operations involved. I found it interesting but it has not helped me get a start if I buy a mini lathe. Maybe once I know all the basics I will read it again, but until then it stays on the shelf.

A Practical Guide
A practical guide giving good, basic, but not exhaustive, information including valuable in formation regarding the lathes now sourced from the Far East.

It should be taken as part of reading of the subject, not as a sole definitive guide and I still would not abandon my copy of the 'Amateurs Lathe' by Sparey - first published sixty years ago and the nearest thing to the ideal on the subject.