Books for Blacksmiths

If ever there was a book you shouldn't judge by its cover, it'd be the Engineer's Black Book. 

I was first introduced to this great book by Adam Booth over on his abom79 Youtube channel and can't believe I spent a lifetime without having this wonderful resource in my shop.

How does it help the #blacksmith?  Well, most of us are in a perpetual state of "you don't know what you don't know!"   How can you look something up on the internet when you don't even know what question to ask?

The EBB is certainly filled with a lot of information that you won't need.   But it's the other three-quarters of the book that you'll find fascinating.... and you don't even know it.

Want an example?  How about being able to find the easy way to space out legs or bolt holes on a piece you're making?  When I was making up my Tool Carousel  last year, I need to space five outriggers for the wheels around the perimeter of the base. I could have looked it up on the internet if I used the right search terms, but it was far easier to just browse through the EBB because I could carry the book with me to the shop and not worry about any batteries dying.

How large of a square can you fit into a circle of given size? Might not seem important to the #blacksmith, but it sure comes in handy when you're designing a floor lamp or coat rack.... or forging down an axle you found because you want to make it into a hammer.

I could go on for days, but I won't bore you by waxing poetic about the Engineer's Black Book. If you don't have a copy, get a copy. Get a copy for your children while you're at it. It's a definite "must have" for the average home shop no matter what your particular hobby might be!