Cutting Large Holes in thick steel

**mklotz** · May 25, 2021, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by rgsparber

...
I would love to see a list of machining tricks that have been around a long time.
Rick

It's difficult to recommend a collection of "machining tricks" since the audience for such a thing differs so widely in their relevant experience. What's revelatory for one guy is old hat for another.

With all that said, I'll mention (please don't equate "mention" with "recommend") a few things that might bear further investigation...

This book...

https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Trade...s%2C219&sr=1-2

has lots of good information. Sadly, I think it's overpriced for its contents but that has a lot to do with my level of experience, YMMV.

The four volume set of Gunsmith Kinks...

https://www.amazon.com/Gunsmith-Kink...s%2C221&sr=1-1

is obviously aimed at the gunsmith trade but does include things of a more general nature. Again, I think overpriced for what the typical homeshop guy might get out of it but, again, YMMV.

The best advice is to find a library where you can examine these yourself and decide if they are for you. Local metalworking clubs or gunsmiths may have copies they would allow you to leaf through.

**rgsparber** · May 25, 2021, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by mklotz

It's difficult to recommend a collection of "machining tricks" since the audience for such a thing differs so widely in their relevant experience. What's revelatory for one guy is old hat for another.

With all that said, I'll mention (please don't equate "mention" with "recommend") a few things that might bear further investigation...

This book...

https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Trade...s%2C219&sr=1-2

has lots of good information. Sadly, I think it's overpriced for its contents but that has a lot to do with my level of experience, YMMV.

The four volume set of Gunsmith Kinks...

https://www.amazon.com/Gunsmith-Kink...s%2C221&sr=1-1

is obviously aimed at the gunsmith trade but does include things of a more general nature. Again, I think overpriced for what the typical homeshop guy might get out of it but, again, YMMV.

The best advice is to find a library where you can examine these yourself and decide if they are for you. Local metalworking clubs or gunsmiths may have copies they would allow you to leaf through.

Thanks for the recommendations. One that I re-read often is "Practical Ideas... for Metalworking Operations, Tooling, and Maintenance" by the editors of American Machinist from 1968. I would not be surprised if very few of the great tips in each of these books appear in other books. There are just too many great ideas in this world.

Rick