My son just gave me a nice metal lathe. Unfortunately the manual said not to wear a tie and watch your hair if it was long. I'm bald and never wear a tie so I have that part under control. Does anyone have a book they would recommend to get me started? I've turned on a wood lathe but never owned or operated a metal lathe. (Dennis Aebersold)

Find a copy of Text Book Of Turning by Hercus. (Tony Young)

If it is a Sherline, a good place to start is "Tabletop Machining book" by Joe Martin which is Sherline specific. (Rex Tutor)

The one that was recommended to me was South Bend's How To Run A Lathe. I think it's about $13 and available lots of places. Check for it in used book stores first. It's been in print since about 1915 and covers all the basics a home user would probably need. It's 128 pages and in a stiff paperback binding. (Art Port)

Can anyone recommend a good book on basic lathe operation. I would even consider a video or web site as a resource. (Doug Hall)

This one will keep you busy.  (Mike Canazon)

There are several but if you want a good basic book I recommend the South Bend "How to run a lathe" The care and operation of a screw cutting lathe. Printed from 1914 thru 1942. Lindsay Publications reprinted it in 1993. Think people like Campbell Tool and Blue Mountain Machinery would probably have it and it's not expensive.  (Jerry Young)

I see the book “How to Run a Lathe" in eBay by the dozens for $5-9 US. (Rich McGaughey)

Yup, I believe you can also order it directly from Lindsay publishing (beware of some of their books as they are reprints of very old and often dangerous industrial processes and chemicals) and Campbell Tools (I think someone already mentioned). On eBay, beware of sometimes inflated shipping charges. (George Bourke)

THE standard is a little softbound book by South Bend Lathe (it is in reprint by Lindsay Publishing) called "How to Run a Lathe". It should set you back $8-10 (a David Armstrong in Washington. Found him on the newsgroups. He sells them). Another really good one (but much harder to find) was published by Sheldon Lathe Company and was called "The Care and Operation of a Lathe". If you use cutting tools that use inserts, it is a toss-up on which book is better. If you grind your own cutters, the Sheldon book covers that better. (George Bourke)

See if you can find "Text Book Of Turning" by Hercus Goes into speed and feed rates of different metals, how to shape cutters and drill bits for different metals which is important. Just good book that is about all you'd ever need to get going and beyond. (Tony Young)

I just purchased a new metal lathe. I have no experience in this area. I would like suggestions "on a must read" book for metal lathe work (Mark Dyba)

You might also look at Lindsay Books.

We were discussing this guy's books a while back and a lot of them are perfect for someone who's not into CNC and other up-to-date technologies. (The way we use lathes is the way they used them in the 1920s!) Look at How To Run a Lathe by South Bend especially. Most machinists suggest that one as use for "Lathe 101". (Art Port)

Another good 101 lathe book "The Metalworking Lathe" It is a classic 1935 South Bend reprint. Lee Valley has the book. (Don Schneider)

Try mini-lathe.com. The information used to be free, not sure now. I was in your position last year and there was enough info from this site to get me going. (Kyle Druey)

Also try this link. (Neil Savage)

A while back and I am not sure how long ago or even if it was on this list, someone posted a request about needing a manual or book on how to run a lathe and then stated that the South Bend one was not that great. If I remember this person was new to machining and needed some more info that was not really supplied in the South Bend manuals. If I might suggest a look at a book published by the Atlas Press Company (manufacturer of the Atlas lathe) called Manual of Lathe Operation and Machinists Tables.

I just recently came across this manual and I apologize in advance if somebody has already suggested this one. The book I just found came in with an Atlas lathe that I just purchased and I do believe it has more information on running a lathe than the SB publications. No interest, but I just love it and the information is fabulous, much more detailed (although obviously geared to using an Atlas lathe) and it seems geared for the beginner.  Well worth the read.  (Mark Babiy)

Here is a web site that has the manual and much more on CD for $15 + S&H. (Patrick Coffey)

I've finally accumulated the necessary tooling to begin learning to produce my own hardware. I have several good tutorials but most fail to discuss the lathe operating speeds. As I subscribe to the belief that the only truly dumb question is the one you fail to ask, I was hoping someone could direct me to a table of lathe operating speeds for various metals and/or applications. (Wayne Kifer)

Machinery's Handbook, by Industrial Press, has been the machinist's bible for decades. All the supply (industrial) catalogs list it. Or a good machine trades text will have all the instruction you need in a mare spoon-fed format. (Wally Murray)

Get a copy of a machinists' handbook. You will find everything you need about speeds, feeds ect. ect. (Jerry Drake)

I hope this link helps. (Christian Meinke)

Here ya go:

Handy dandy chart gleaned from the Machinists Handbook, and has a built in function at the bottom of the chart based on using the cutting speed listed in the chart, and the diameter of the material you're turning to come up with the RPMs. YMMV on your machine a little, and after a while you'll get a feel for the speed that gives you the best cut and the best finish. Sharp tooling and having your machine as rigid as you can get it will do the best job for you. (Mark Wendt)