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I think the results of this will speak for themselves, as these are excellent books that would be right at home in many a cnc’er’s library. some are cnc textbooks suitable for classes, but all are excellent works.
You are reading: Books on cnc machining
$80.95 on amazon
review score: 4.7 out of 5, 295 reviews.
This book is the bible of gcode programming and is probably the best gcode textbook out there. we offer an excellent free g-code course, and if you add smid’s book on top of that, it’s hard to see how you wouldn’t have all the information you could ever need about g-code.
$59.95 on amazon
review score: 4.5 out of 5. 106 reviews.
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I love tips and tricks books. they’re packed with bite-sized nuggets of information so you can get something of value by reading a short article instead of going from cover to cover. machine shop trade secrets was the first of its kind that I came across. It’s a great book, but I like Lipton’s book better. the tips just seem better and somehow there is more value to take away. at least that was my experience. Ideally, buy both. but if you have to choose, start with lipton.
$24 on amazon
review score 4.3 out of 5. 74 reviews.
Dimensions and geometric tolerances? yuck! for many, it is a painful subject. but once you get the hang of it, gd&t is not only useful, but essential for the professional cnc’er at some level. there are entire textbooks available on the subject, but I like this little pocket guide. Best of all, while it usually costs a lot more, there seems to be a $19 copy on Amazon if you check carefully.
by the way, this is a great pocket reference if you know gd&t. If you need help learning, check out our free gd&t tutorial.
$90.80 on amazon for the 31st edition`
review score 4.8 out of 5. 368 reviews.
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If you’ve been a cnc’er or machinist for some time, you already have a copy of the machinist’s manual. If you are a beginner, you should get one now and keep it in your toolbox. somehow, i hate the thing. it’s so dense that it almost gives me a headache every time I need to get some nugget of information out of it. on the other hand, that same density means you have a wealth of information in the palm of your hand. Over time, I’ve minimized many of the things I looked for most often by moving them to the g-wizard reference data tabs, but there’s no way I can move everything from the machinery manual to our software. so grab one of these and keep it handy when you need it.
I’m going to do something cheesy and stingy and suggest you buy an older edition than the latest. why? because you will often save a lot of money. most cnc’ers don’t buy new ones every year.
$21.60 on amazon
review score 4.3 out of 5. 170 reviews.
I get asked a lot to recommend books for people who are beginners. this is the book that I like to present. if you’ve been running a lathe or a mill, you won’t get much out of it. but if you’ve never done it, it will help you put all the pieces together and get your bearings. check it out!
$40.45 on amazon
review score: 4 out of 5. 45 reviews.
Did I mention I like Tom Lipton’s writing style? here’s more, and i’m so glad it’s listed by enough quality reviews on amazon.
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