Cydrome Leader writes:

I just got my hands on a sherline 4400 mini-lathe. I know how metal
behaves with a file/saw/hammer- just not with machine tools.

I've been playing with some brass and learned about the drill bit leaving
triangular holes and other non-obvious things. I was able to turn down
some aluminum castings I made, but other than just making random shapes,
I'm somewhat at a loss as to where to get started. There's got to be
defacto books written 1000 years ago I need to grab.

What's suggested around here?

The owner of Sherline, Joe Martin, has what appears to be a very good
book called "Tabletop Machining", ISBN 0-9665433-0-0. I say "appears to
be" because I've read it and it all seems clear and seems to make sense,
but I have zero experience with a lathe so I can't really evaluate
whether the descriptions work in real life.
--
This sig block for rent