"One of South Bends Lathe's competitors in 1942 was Sheldon Machine Company of Chicago. Sheldon saw the value of South Bend's "How to Run a Lathe" manual and apparently knew it had to publish its own. What resulted was a manual every bit as good as South Bend's, if not better. Chapters include: the modern back gear screw cutting lathe, the basic parts of a lathe, the theory of metal cutting, grinding cutter bits for lathe tools, uncrating and setting up a lathe, oiling the lathe, setting up lathe tools, setting up the work on centers, turning facing, knurling, thread cutting, drilling, boring, cutting off, and more. You get directions on mounting work in three and four jaw chucks, drilling and countersinking centers, "Running-In" the lathe, discussions of the variety of tool holders, use of collets, toll post grinders and much more! You might not own a Sheldon Lathe, but the small Sheldon lathe was a generic machine very much like those of South Bend and a dozen other manufacturers. You'll find it useful no matter what lathe you use. Great book! Great illustrations! Great price! No lathe operator can afford NOT to have a copy of this." - Lindsay