Hari Seldon wrote:

I've been a machinist (vertical mill/Bridgeport) for several
years now and while I think I'm pretty good at it, (at least
the boss has no complaints) I've had no formal education
in machining/metalworking and everything I know has been
learned on-the-job from more experienced machinists (who
all learned on-the-job also).

Wanting to expand my knowledge of metalworking (and
increase my value to my employer/future employers) but
not having to time to get the schooling, I was thinking about
building up my own "machinist's library".

I'd like to eventually have a collection of metalworking books
ranging from basic high school machine shop type text books
up to specialized books concerning CNC programming, shop
management, metallurgy, shop math, welding, machine repair,
ect, ect, ect.

After looking thru several catalogs from supply companies
I see there are all kinds of books available but they're quite
expensive and the descriptions of the book's contents are
seriously lacking.

So what kinds of machining books do you have and which
would you recommend? And while I'm at it, any good web
sites related to the industry?


The absolute hugest most critical mistake you can possibly make is to buy such
books without first reading them through carefully. How to read them before
buying? Simple - you check them out of your local library! Your library doesn't
have one? Simple - you request an interlibrary loan.

If you buy books without knowing if they're useful (most aren't) you will waste
a ton of money.

Grant