The Machinist’s Bedside Reader

218 Pages·1986·82.82 MB·English

by  Guy Lautard

* MACHINIST'S ’
BEDSIDE
THE MACHINIST'S BEDSIDE READER
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but this isnot printing or scanning
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THE MACHINIST'S BEDSIDE READER

oWorking drawings and ideas for tools for the machinists toolbox, toys for himself and for
iis grandchildren, plus other useful information, hins, tips and general dispensations of workshop
wisdom, plus a sprinkling of machine shop anecdotes and other stu you'l like

‘writen and published
by

Guy Lautard
2570 Rosebery Avenue
West Vancouver, B.C.

CANADA V7V 229
Copyright Guy Lautard, 1986
‘Allsighis reserved,
Published by Guy Lautard; printed in Canada.
‘3rd Edition, 18" Printing (September 2006)
(Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data,
Lautard, Guy, 1946-

"The machinist’ bedside reader

1. Machine-shop practice. 2. Machiniste'Tools.
L Title,
‘TI1160..38 1986 670.42'3 C86-091237-X

ISBN-13: 978-0-9690980-2-7

Material fom Americar Machinist Magazine, 931, has been reproduced wit the pemission of the
‘publisher, MeGrw Hil holder of be copright to ail rst. Author, ile and copyright dae ae of
Dublin in American Machinist) areas uated with each specific item

“The story “A Small Lathe Bult in a Japenese Prison Camp” is reprinted from pege I, January 7, 149
(Volume 167, of ENGINEERING Magazine, withthe permission of te curt publisher, The Design
Counc, London, England,

“The “Machinit’ Tool Chest Drawing” was reprimed fom page IBA, December I9S7 INDUSTRIAL ARTS
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION "Magazine (ow INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION Magazine) with
permission of the publisher, Cummins Publishing Company, In. Troy. Michigan.

“The formula (at page I ofthis book) for measuring 2 bore by means of a rod of known length is
eprodaced, with permission, fom FH. Colvin and FA. Staley AMERICAN MACHINISTS
HANDBOOK AND DICTIONARY OF SHOP TERMS, copyrigh 1940, published by McGrap-Hill Book
CCorpay. The wx, drawing and example are by the current author (Laird) but the Source of the concept
‘asacknowledged hee and at page

‘Materia io this book from Gunsmith Kiake Voleme J, © F, Brownell & Son 1969, and Volume
11, F, Brownell & Son 1983, are used by permission ofthe copyright holder
‘TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Acknowledgements
Novesto Reader

Shodan of We
of Workmanship
Greet Feletson
‘A’Source of Welding Rod for Fine Welds/Brownells, Inc.
Filing in the Lathe and Elsewhere
‘A Granite Surface Plate
‘American Machinist Cutting Speed Chart
‘Two Not-so-Common Ways of Measuring Holes
How to Pur on a Mighty Fine Cut
Some Notes on Reaming.
Some Notes on Tapping
Figuring Minor Diameter Hole for any Thread.
Drilling to an Exact Depth
How 10 Sharpen a Centerpunch
‘A Device for indicating” Centerpunch Marks
How to Get More Work Done inthe Shop
(Cold Rolled Steel - What sit, and How to Stress Relieve it
Gotan Electical Cord thats Hard to Pig in?
‘AD Sharpening Jig for Drills from VB" to #60
‘A Small Depth Gauge
‘4 Small Tep Wrench
‘A Swivelling Base Fixture for A Wilton #20N Vise
Other Ways of Workholding
Dividing & Indexing/Indexing ona Rotary TableDivision Plates from
‘Bandsaw Blades
Dual Set Screws for V-belt Pulleys
‘An Excerpt - Strike While the Iron is Hot_by Guy Lautard
‘Bemzomatic Torches & Home Made Propane Torches
How To Make Your Own Reamers,
How to Make a Floating Arm Knuring Tool & a Note re Siting Saws,
Fruit Acids & Fine Tools Dont Mix
‘A Tool for Straight Kmurlin
Some Notes for Myford Lathe Owners
‘A Simple Lathe Carriage Index
Holding Thin Work in the Chuck
‘A Graduated Handwheel for your Lathe Leadscrew
Sal Tuning Without Spsalied Atachments
How to Make an Improved Type of Ball Handle

Rel Sting Bice

CCatter Blocks and Shop Made Cutters

Some Info on Silver Soldering .

‘The Seeret of the Old Master by Lucian Cary

‘A Toolroom Grade Sling Swivel Base for Tubalar Magarine Rifles,
Gon Making

Making Bullet Molds

REBSIERS eed UaunnH
Designing andor Deciphering Vernier:
Some Thoughts on Too! Storage

The Ulimate Box Lach

Drawings fora Machinists Tool Chest
Inston Tvory

The Machines Workbench & Ober eas
Workbench Legs

Re-Babbiting Machinery Besings

Etching
How to Handle New Coils of Music Wire
Sone eas from Texas
ror the Camera Buff
‘Why not bud a Tarmonograph
‘A Sez of Teavy Brass Napkin Rings
Model Intemal Combustion Engines
Glockmaking
Sharpening Tungsten Caside Tools
‘Alland Beading Toot
‘Toolmakers Clamps
sere ane
‘Tool Sunds
-A’Small Lathe Built in a Japanese Prison Camp by R. Bradley
Some Faceplate Ideas
Put ~ A Seif-Centring Faceplae
Part It ~A Sobfaceplate
art I-A V-grooved Faceplate
Metal Polish - Bought & Homemade
‘The Blucing of Stel
‘Should you Turn Wood on Your Metal Lathe?
Some Thoughts on Lathe Cleaning

‘A Corrosion Preventive Cutting Compound
Shipyards & Home Shop Machinists are in the Same Boat
‘A Fair Return for One's Work

‘Cold Working of Steet

‘A Cobalt-Free Tool Stee! that Out-Pecforms HSS

‘Good Advice on Getting Ahrad

A Soarce of information on Old-Time Pack Caschardening Methods
How Bill Fenton Came to Toin the Army

Matilda Jane

Stealing the Trade

Helping the War Effort

How Not o Get a Welding Ticket

‘Sharpening Safety Razor Blades

Making Welded Stee] Boxes

Delphon and the Adding Machine

‘The Sleepy Apprentice Boy

A Machinist's Apprenticeship Served Before the Tur of the Century
‘An In-Situ Shaft Repair

How to impress Your Mother-in-Law

How to Remove a Chuck that is Jammed on Tight,

One Way to Ruin a Lathe

‘A Coal Mine's Cure for Headaches

Where Gears Come From

‘Some Tricks you may not know about Handling a Triangular Scraper
‘A Saleable Product

‘A Source of Project Plans
Some Interesting tems in Popular Science Magazine 197

Finger Knobs 198
(Caleulations re V-Belt Drives 199
‘Some Useful Temperature Beachmarks 200
‘Some Screw Thread Data 201
Socket Head Capserew Dimensions 308
First Impressions of the Darex M3 Drill Sharpener 205
‘APPENDIX

ADDED TO THE 18 PRINTING, SEPTEMBER 2006:
‘Changes to the Table of Contents now include the following:

page 29: anotice regarding availability of some mach better info on spring winding.

Bate 146: notice regarding a new magazine for model engine builders.

page 162: some new ideas relating to the "Uitimate Box Latch” (see page 125 herein).

‘page 196/197: some good info on making an octagon from a square. (this also relates to the

page206: a notice regart ing my new tre pump plans, and Gruppo Hl - «CD contining
100+ pages of ‘stuff (sort of a mini-Bedside Reader),

page 200: a little info on the fact that PVC plastic machines very nicely.

NOTE

‘The publication and sale of the Machinist's Bedside Reader series has resulted in a great deal of
correspondence from and with customers. [enjoy this very much, but the time involved in
‘writing teplies is geting 10 be a real problem. If f can answer your gucstion at all, I can do 0
fasier on the phone than by writing a lever, and you'll have your answer immediately. My
phone number is [phone]. Or, if you want to write to me and have me call you collect
In reply, be sure to say so, and give your complete phone number in your letler.

Please note also that 1 am in the Pacific
Please call between 9 AM and 9 PM my

Zone (same as Washington/Oregon/California).

WARNING and DISCLAIMER

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She otha cette Nae fe
SES cate lceeteas Se oe
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‘information or instruction contained in this book. It is YOUR
Src aa oly pce
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Brees lise ea ectee
ESS
WE ALSO OFFER OTHER BOOKS, PLANS, VIDEOS,
AND TOOLS OF INTEREST TO MACHINISTS

‘A VIDEO from Guy Lautard:
UILD YOUR OWN RIFLING MACHINE.

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3.75" ROTARY TABLE

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LAUTARD'S OCTOFUS

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‘A MICROMETER BORING IIEAD FOR
‘YOUR MILLING MACHINE.

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‘YERNIER PROTRACTOR

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INTRODUCTION

‘THE MACHINIST'S BEDSIDE READER is a book for machinists and gunsmiths. Both
professional workers and amateur machinists should find it useful as well as entertaining
Although the prospective reader should understand that it was written more with the amateur oF
hhobby machinist in mind, even men with many years in the trade will find ideas herein that will
‘make’ them say, "That alone was wort the price of the whole book!"

‘Maybe I oaght to clarify what I mean by an “amateur machinist". Ido not emirely like the term,
because to some it might suggest an inept bungler in metal. ‘The term ‘model engineer’ is the
common British term. In Britain a machinist is often called an engineer, a machine shop an
‘engineering works, and so on. Thus someone who builds small scale replicas of full sizc
‘machinery (locomotives, traction engines, ct. is called a model engineer.

‘The othor name, which I am inclined to favour, is home shop machinist. Inasmuch as he may
build models, make tools, fix or make stuff for his car, build an airplane, o a telescope, or a rifle,
cor whatever, model engineer’ does not say itll. "Home shop machinist” is suitably descriptive,
fanditis the term most often used hereafter in this book

Now, as most who buy this book will know, ther is wonderful litle magazine called Home
Shop Machinist, Gee Appendix for address). Well, we dont want to steal tei thunder, 20 let's
do i this way. If were talking about guys who are home shop machinists, well use the
shoreviation hsm, IF wet talking about Home Shop Machinist magazine, we'l write it ou,
putitdowa as HSM.

‘Thereis another matter I want to get straight, This book in't intended to be the be-all and the end
all, You aren't going to agree with everything I say. “You may rogard as routine something 10
‘which I give considerable space. Another might think I dida't elaborate enough on the same point.

Tm not a professional machinist. Inever served my time as an apprentice. There ae lots of things I
don't know. However Ihave, over the years, acquired a fair amount of knowledge through
edicated effort, voracious reading, listening to advice and instraction from as many machinists 48
‘were willing to share their know-how, and through doing it myself, always with the goal of
snaking a frst class job of whatever I was doing.

‘The purpose of this book isto share with you some of what I've picked up about this best of all
trades. So if T say something you don't agree with, or which reveals a lack of knowledge or
experience on my part, remember these lines from "The Seeret of The Old Master" by Lucian
Cary (which ee elsewhere herein

"What's your trade? he asked.
"Tm a toolmaker:

FCO thin ey. Ty et
Beal ey aye
mayne meager

feat