Build your own mill, lathe, injection molding plastic machine, etc from scrap.

RomaRana · April 7, 2002, 02:10 AM

Anybody ever buy these books? I saw a web page a while back that a guy did after he got these books. He actually builds a home foundry, then builds a lathe with it. This series looks really good and I may pick a few up. Apparently the books are in the order of what you need to build first. So you have to build a foundry to build a lathe, and a lathe to build a mill. I figure I will buy a lathe then build a mill with it utill I can afford a real mill.

Titles include

Book 1 The Charcoal Foundry
Book 2 The Metal Lathe
Book 3 The Metal Shaper
Book 4 The Milling Machine
Book 5 The Drill Press
Book 6 The Dividing Head & Deluxe Accessories
Book 7 Designing & Building The Sheet Metal Brake
The guy even has a book on building your own injection molding plastic machine.

James K · April 7, 2002, 05:20 PM

Hmmm! What does he do for an encore, build his own car out of iron ore and rubber sap?

Jim

RomaRana · April 7, 2002, 07:14 PM

No....coconuts

C.R.Sam · April 7, 2002, 08:21 PM

First book should be how to make charcoal from coconuts. Then the progression would be logical.

Oughtta be cool books even if not buildin the stuff.

Sam

UK2TX · April 7, 2002, 10:58 PM

Hello RomaRana,

I have the first in the series, and having "reviewed" the amount of time it would take to build the rest of the stuff decided that saving up for a ShopSmith was the way to go.

Regards,

UK2TX

johnwill · April 8, 2002, 08:47 AM

I think that 99.9% of the population would be better served by working some overtime and saving the money for the tools of their choice! I suspect that you'll be working at an effective rate of about 10 cents an hour if you start at the beginning of this series.

James K · April 8, 2002, 04:19 PM

It's hell doing the electric motor windings out of old coat hangers.

Jim

johnwill · April 8, 2002, 04:31 PM

And Jim, that's just one of the many hurdles!

9x45 · April 8, 2002, 10:05 PM

Easy! Build the foundry to barbeque the books on. Build the lathe from scrap LATHE parts, duh!? And the mill from scrap MILL parts, and so on. Course you need to be either a millwright or master machinist to even get close to a working machine tool. And those pictures look like the 1920's

This guy probably couldn't even sharpen a drill bit......

Borf · April 8, 2002, 10:15 PM

Actually, if you lurk around on any of the metalworking usenet groups you'll occasionally hear of someone building a "Gingery Lathe" or "Gingery Machine Shop".

People do it all right, but it's more for the experience than the tools. It's it's own hobby. If you've got a project you need a machine tool for - by all means buy a commercially produced device

RomaRana · April 8, 2002, 10:56 PM

http://www.dm.net/~lughaid/barry.htm

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/lathe1.html

http://www.dansworkshop.com/Aluminum%20Foundry.shtml

http://incolor.inebraska.com/bill_r/lathe_parts.htm

http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/gmill/gingery-mill

Alex Johnson · April 10, 2002, 02:41 PM

As part of my master's thesis I used books by the Gingery's on the construction of Stirling engines. I found them to be well put together and easy for students to follow. Laugh if you want to about the the ideas that these manuals may pertain, but basically what you would find is that it is good solid how to information. I wouldn't personally take the time to build a machine shop as they describe, since I already have one at my disposal; however, I wouldn't discourage someone from trying to do it either.

Also, to 9x45, in my own shop I have an excellent metal cutting bandsaw that was built on the Gingery plans by a deceased friend who was neither a millwright or master machinist , he did have one important skill going for him however, he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and try something difficult.

Byron Quick · April 18, 2002, 06:25 PM

I'm not a machinist nor have I built any of Gingery's machine tools.
However, I have looked over several of the hobbyist machinist forums on the net as well as reading articles in hobbyist magazines. Included were posts and letters from hobbyist machinists who had built the machines following the Gingery books. Results reported seemed to be uniformly good.

boxcutter · April 21, 2002, 06:48 PM

It is just that there is not a real niche for Gingery machines now. Very good used American iron (new imports too) is cheap now, and a guy would be better off buying used instead of building his machines. It is more a demonstation of hardheadedness or skill for a guy to build them.

The time spent building them could be better used on real metal working projects, unless The Gingery machines are the projects.

Used Gingery machines sell for scrap value, if that means anything to you.

I have the highest respect for anyone who can build and use their own machine tools, and more for a guy who designs them to be made by others. I have a couple of the books, but I bought used american iron myself.

C.R.Sam · April 22, 2002, 12:28 PM

Some folks build their own....
Cars
Airplanes
Guns
Boats
Engines
etc etc.

Most folks just buy em.

Room for everybody.

Sam

Tol · April 22, 2002, 12:28 PM

I am deeply offended that someone would make fun of Gilligan's Island. The Professor was one of the greatest engineers of our time. To stomp on his memory by joking about making a car using the coconut production techniques that he pioneered is a true slap in the face to his followers.

April 7, 2002, 02:10 AM	#1
RomaRana Member Join Date: November 29, 2001 Location: Lapland Posts: 57	Build your own mill, lathe, injection molding plastic machine, etc from scrap. Anybody ever buy these books? I saw a web page a while back that a guy did after he got these books. He actually builds a home foundry, then builds a lathe with it. This series looks really good and I may pick a few up. Apparently the books are in the order of what you need to build first. So you have to build a foundry to build a lathe, and a lathe to build a mill. I figure I will buy a lathe then build a mill with it utill I can afford a real mill. Titles include Book 1 The Charcoal Foundry Book 2 The Metal Lathe Book 3 The Metal Shaper Book 4 The Milling Machine Book 5 The Drill Press Book 6 The Dividing Head & Deluxe Accessories Book 7 Designing & Building The Sheet Metal Brake The guy even has a book on building your own injection molding plastic machine. __________________ Http://www.romarana.com

April 7, 2002, 07:14 PM	#3
RomaRana Member Join Date: November 29, 2001 Location: Lapland Posts: 57	No....coconuts __________________ Http://www.romarana.com

April 8, 2002, 08:47 AM	#6
johnwill Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2000 Location: PA Posts: 3,451	I think that 99.9% of the population would be better served by working some overtime and saving the money for the tools of their choice! I suspect that you'll be working at an effective rate of about 10 cents an hour if you start at the beginning of this series. __________________ I collect old pistols, got any?

April 8, 2002, 04:31 PM	#8
johnwill Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2000 Location: PA Posts: 3,451	And Jim, that's just one of the many hurdles! __________________ I collect old pistols, got any?

April 8, 2002, 10:15 PM	#10
Borf Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2001 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 424	Actually, if you lurk around on any of the metalworking usenet groups you'll occasionally hear of someone building a "Gingery Lathe" or "Gingery Machine Shop". People do it all right, but it's more for the experience than the tools. It's it's own hobby. If you've got a project you need a machine tool for - by all means buy a commercially produced device __________________ A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. -- Wiliam James If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money it values more, it will lose that, too. -- W. Somerset Maugham

April 7, 2002, 05:20 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Hmmm! What does he do for an encore, build his own car out of iron ore and rubber sap? Jim

April 7, 2002, 08:21 PM	#4
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	First book should be how to make charcoal from coconuts. Then the progression would be logical. Oughtta be cool books even if not buildin the stuff. Sam

April 7, 2002, 10:58 PM	#5
UK2TX Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Austin,TX Posts: 274	Hello RomaRana, I have the first in the series, and having "reviewed" the amount of time it would take to build the rest of the stuff decided that saving up for a ShopSmith was the way to go. Regards, UK2TX

April 8, 2002, 04:19 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	It's hell doing the electric motor windings out of old coat hangers. Jim

April 8, 2002, 10:05 PM	#9
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	Easy! Build the foundry to barbeque the books on. Build the lathe from scrap LATHE parts, duh!? And the mill from scrap MILL parts, and so on. Course you need to be either a millwright or master machinist to even get close to a working machine tool. And those pictures look like the 1920's This guy probably couldn't even sharpen a drill bit......

April 8, 2002, 10:56 PM	#11
RomaRana Member Join Date: November 29, 2001 Location: Lapland Posts: 57	http://www.dm.net/~lughaid/barry.htm http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/lathe1.html http://www.dansworkshop.com/Aluminum%20Foundry.shtml http://incolor.inebraska.com/bill_r/lathe_parts.htm http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/gmill/gingery-mill __________________ Http://www.romarana.com

April 10, 2002, 02:41 PM	#12
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	As part of my master's thesis I used books by the Gingery's on the construction of Stirling engines. I found them to be well put together and easy for students to follow. Laugh if you want to about the the ideas that these manuals may pertain, but basically what you would find is that it is good solid how to information. I wouldn't personally take the time to build a machine shop as they describe, since I already have one at my disposal; however, I wouldn't discourage someone from trying to do it either. Also, to 9x45, in my own shop I have an excellent metal cutting bandsaw that was built on the Gingery plans by a deceased friend who was neither a millwright or master machinist , he did have one important skill going for him however, he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and try something difficult. __________________ I thoroughly disapprove of duels. I consider them unwise and I know they are dangerous. Also, sinful. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet retired spot and kill him. - Mark Twain

April 18, 2002, 06:25 PM	#13
Byron Quick Staff In Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Waynesboro, Georgia, USA Posts: 2,361	I'm not a machinist nor have I built any of Gingery's machine tools. However, I have looked over several of the hobbyist machinist forums on the net as well as reading articles in hobbyist magazines. Included were posts and letters from hobbyist machinists who had built the machines following the Gingery books. Results reported seemed to be uniformly good.

April 21, 2002, 06:48 PM	#14
boxcutter Junior Member Join Date: April 21, 2002 Posts: 1	It is just that there is not a real niche for Gingery machines now. Very good used American iron (new imports too) is cheap now, and a guy would be better off buying used instead of building his machines. It is more a demonstation of hardheadedness or skill for a guy to build them. The time spent building them could be better used on real metal working projects, unless The Gingery machines are the projects. Used Gingery machines sell for scrap value, if that means anything to you. I have the highest respect for anyone who can build and use their own machine tools, and more for a guy who designs them to be made by others. I have a couple of the books, but I bought used american iron myself.

April 22, 2002, 12:28 PM	#15
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Some folks build their own.... Cars Airplanes Guns Boats Engines etc etc. Most folks just buy em. Room for everybody. Sam

April 22, 2002, 12:28 PM	#16
Tol Member Join Date: November 21, 2001 Posts: 92	I am deeply offended that someone would make fun of Gilligan's Island. The Professor was one of the greatest engineers of our time. To stomp on his memory by joking about making a car using the coconut production techniques that he pioneered is a true slap in the face to his followers.

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