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Preface

When first I occupied myself in mechanical manipulations and lathe-work engrossed my attention, the want of a handy guide-book, treating the subject in a practical manner, was greatly felt.  Though much has been done since then towards placing technical education within the reach of all, yet I recently found, in my official capacity as editor of a journal largely devoted to mechanics, that beginners at the lathe still continue to seek such a book, and I have therefore prepared the following pages.

In the form of desultory articles, written by me, much of the information has already appeared in various technical papers.  The whole has been re-written for publication in book form, and it has been my endeavour to bring within the available
space the information most useful to the beginner at lathe-work.  Though I make no claim to special literary merit, yet I believe that the instructions are made clear without verbiage; and as I write from personal experience, the book may be accepted as trustworthy and practical by those who study its contents.

The illustrations have been engraved from my own drawings, and show, at a glance, constructive details that could not be explained in letterpress.  The drawings are from the objects they represent, and will convey much useful information,
and working drawings of the full size can be made from the woodcuts; the measurements can be filled in from the text.

London, February, 1881
P. N. Hasluck

A Second Edition having been called for, I have taken the opportunity to correct a few small mistakes such as are apparently unavoidable in the first edition of any book. I have also added a Chapter on the Screw-cutting Lathe—a subject of interest to all who practice lathe-work.

London, May, 1883. P. N. Hasluck