Machining Projects: Book review

[Tin Falcon]

Machining Projects, David O. Averyt ISBN 13:978-1-59070-779-1 (10:1-59070-779-6) Goodheart-Wilcox Co 81/2 x 11 180 pgs.
iirc retail on this book is about $24 US. Shop on line for the best price.
Hi folks Tin decided to buy another book and look it over for the benefit of the shop and review it for the benefit of this forum.
This book was published in 2007 so not brand new off the press but current . A check for online reviews came up empty.
This is a workbook designed for a basic trade school or hands on engineering machine shop course. The first few pages are an introduction and guide of how to use the book, a couple pages on safety and then 10 pages of handy reference charts and table with a bit of math formulas thrown in for good measure. I like the idea of the appendix reference material in the front t of the book instead of hidden in the back. There are 44 projects in the book ranging from gee- wiz learn this machine operation and toss the part when you are done, to a small oscillating steam engine.In between there are a number of useful items of tooling that would enhance a beginners or most any shop. Tap wrench machinist jack gravity center punch deburring tool, Morse taper drill drift. r-8 mill holder, center drill chuck etc. etc. All in all pretty much what I would expect for such a workbook.
Now keep in mine old Tin was not always machining there was some graphic arts training way back when. so rant ON the cover is well done. simple photo of machined projects on a bright red background . Above is the title of the book and the name of the Author. But remember the old adage "You can not judge a book by it's cover."? there are three nice projects on the cover of this book that I have not noticed or seen inside the book a "C"clamp. a set of 1-2-3- blocks and a nice set of trammels. The other thing that gets my goat is the photos that introduce the sections do not match the section material. Section 1 is bench work the intro photo is the steam engine from the last section of the book. section 2 is lathe that has the picture of the "c" clamp that in my option is more of a mill project and like I said have not seen it yet.Section 3 is vertical mill picture of a jack made on the lathe. A pet peeve of mine is books that are poorly illustrated and the graphics detract from the narrative rather than reinforce the material. Rant OFF
All in all I think this book does what it was intended for. And if you are new to this hobby and are looking for plans for basic tools and a basic engine this could be the book you are looking for.
Hope you enjoyed the read
Tin

 

[WisJim]

I just looked online trying find a copy of this book, and prices start at $168 (June of 2024) and quickly go into the thousands of dollars!!!

 

[Richard Hed]

I just looked online trying find a copy of this book, and prices start at $168 (June of 2024) and quickly go into the thousands of dollars!!!

I chekt and the only one I found was 5000USD. Absurd.

 

[GreenTwin]

I think this can only be algorithm-driven by supply and demand.
Most sites (all ?) show this book out of stock, so perhaps the algorithm is programmed to jack the price up as copies vanish across the internet.

Here is the same advert with a comment prior to the agorithm sending the price off into deep space.

Perhaps this settles the debate about where inflation is headed though.

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[GreenTwin]

And apparently the algorithm is tied across multiple booksellers.
Sort of scary to be sure, unless of course you happen to have a spare carton of these books.

I guess I went into the wrong business.

Its almost at $7k on one site.
What a joke.

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[GreenTwin]

Who wants to calculate the rate of inflation on this ?

$24.00 in 2010

$6,842.52 in 2024

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Edit:
I am going to go check my book box to see if I have this book.
I could be unexpectedly rich tomorrow.

Edit02:
No dice, it appears I don't have that book, or if I do, I can't find it.

I think the book algorithm that book companies are using compares the number of books available for sale across the internet (no doubt in real time), and exponentially adjusts the price as the number available approaches zero, regardless of the rationality of that price.

Supply and demand in action.

Sort of like those mini-Wilton vices.

Edit03:
The book has lost all realativity for price/value.
It has become the "Mona Lisa" of hobby machinist books.
Much like toilet paper during the height of COVID.
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[Roadhawg]

How about a copy of a copy of a copy...

 

[GreenTwin]

We seem to be moving into sort of a dystopian period in this country, in some respects.

These automated computer programs are part of the problem.
No doubt the stock market is filled with automated buy/sell algorithms.

Sort of makes one wonder just how odd things will get in the next 5-10 years.
Perhaps I should be buying up out-of-print books, to get ready for the gold rush.

I am still scatching my head over what was a $24.00 book.
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[WisJim]

I saw a discussion of eBay prices on various items that sold at absurdly high prices and it was suggested that this was part of a money laundering scheme, somehow. But some of the booksellers offering this book at ridiculous prices seem to be legitimate, in business for years, and offering a wide range of books over a wide range of prices, and getting lots of good reviews, so I have no idea of what drives the asking price for something like this. On the other hand, at least one of the reviews of the book suggests that it is actually in use as a textbook in schools and that would mean that there are a lot of used copies in various conditions, out there somewhere.
I did find it on "archives.org" where you can borrow it for an hour at a time, after setting up an account on the website. The book seems to have dark grey print on light grey pages so it is very hard for me to read. Without an account, I think you will only see a few sample pages.
https://archive.org/details/machiningproject0000aver/mode/2up?view=theater

 

[Roadhawg]

Guys, I have copies of copies of copies of all 180 pages. I tried to attach a compressed file to my last post, but apparently it did not work. It is a .rar file. Are there any limitations on file size or type for posting here?

 

[GreenTwin]

Anything posted here can't violate copyright laws, per forum rules, so be sure before you consider sharing.
The fines for copyright violations are rather high, so we all need to stay out of potential trouble in that respect.

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