The purpose of this guide is to help you with finding the proper instructions for preforming safe machining operations helpful to all hobbyists! I was a machinist for 40 years and worked on many different types of machines and machined a large variety of materials.It is important to use the correct tool for any machining operation and the with the right cutting edge for the material being machined.

Whether you are a novice or a experienced, machnist, machining operations can be dangerous, As for example if you use a tool sharpened for steel and attempt to machine brass or plastic, and you do not understand the potential danger it can cause, read on!. While performing a lathe machining operation the work piece may be pulled right out of the lathe chuck and you might be injured in the process. This holds true for drilling operations in a drill press, milling on a milling machine.  Milling operations are usually a little more forgiving especially if your mill is solid and the drive feed screws and bedways are tight! But special care should be taken when climb milling. ( A situation that is present when the cutting tool can climb over the work piece, causing the work piece to get caught under the advancing tool damaging the work piece or busting the tool, with tool fragments flying every where]. A good solid machine is needed for this type of milling operation, and the part must be held firmly. One also requiers a good vise or clamping system as well.  I would recomend finding a book that shows you the correct shape and cutting angles that one would need to use for machining various materials. Also a understanding of  a variety of cutting fluids which help keep the tool cool and cutting freely, is useful. The turning speed of the tool for milling, drilling and reaming etc is also very important to prolong tool life etc. The turning speed of the part being machined  in a lathe is also very important for a quality result and it will also will help in prolonging tool life.

The machinist trade is much more complicated than many other trades, as for example a residential plumber, electrician or house framer. I have been exposed to many of the other trades to compare them. In my 40 years having performed many machining operations on a variety of parts, materials and machines, requiers a large dose of skill. Setups vary, warpage can be a problem, heat can ruin the tool and give you dimensional errors. Some times one needs to rough a part, stress relieve it then finish machining it to prevent warpage and maintain accuracy. Sometimes one needs to leave the rough stock larger than the finished size just to be able to hold it while various machining operations are being preformed. Then cut off the excess to bring the part to its final dimensions., lathe work is very often done this way. Milling some parts may requirer backup pieces to aid in clamping so you don't squash the part. Tolerances are another thing all together, there are books written on this subject alone. A good understanding of drafting practices is also helpful in orderto be ableto  read and understand drawings. Measuring tools and how best to use them is also requierd so you able to properly measure the features of the part, both inside and outside dimensions. How to use micrometers in varying size ranges, calipers, thread guages, bore guages, the list goes on! A good dial indicator like Starrett's Last Word indicator are a must for milling and lathe work setup. A decent home workshop requires a large investment in machines and tooling in order to perform a variety of machining operations. The lathe being less expensive than a milling machine. It all depends on the capacity of the machine, as to the size of the part they can machine. A big machine can machine a small, but a small machine cannot machine a large part. The correct size of machine in relation to the part being machined, will makes the job easier.

Enough said on that subject, good luck and don't forget safety glasses, don't wear loose clothing and keep your fingers out of moving machinery. Accidents happen and I have had and seen a few.

Had a few parts fly out of machines, thankfully they did not hit anyone!

The Machinery's Hand  Book Industrial Press Inc. 200 Madison Ave. NY,NY 10016 USA was  First printed in 1914 and continues to the present! it is a invaluable source of information. They are not cheap but if you can only afford one book its the one you want!  It provides information on tapping, drilling, turning, milling, drilling, speeds, feeds, materials, weights and measures, conversions, triginometery, sinebar settings for angles, info on reaming, drilling, turning, tapping, threading etc. for steels, non ferros materials, plastics, info on shrink fits, press fits, sliding fits, and it goes on and on. You won't be disappointed!

There are always some of these books up for bids on EBay under Books- Educational. Have a look

Larry B.