On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 04:47:57 -0500, Prometheus wrote:
> Obviously, some homemade toy made from recycled popcans isn't going to
> be comparable to an industrial mill, but if's useable at all, a guy
> could learn a lot from the project- and use it as startup tooling for
> fabricating his own, better equipment. It's a prospect that gets more
> and more appealing to me every year (with extra bonus appeal added
> each time I'm forced to call a customer service line for a replacement
> part.)
He also has a book on working with cast iron for the more daring.
Bill
CW wrote:
> "Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Now it sounds like a lot of work, but it might be interesting to try
>> out one day, perhaps just to make the tools to machine a real engine
>> lathe and mill. But I have to wonder if aluminum is *ever* up to that
>> kind of use.
> Years ago, when starting a machine shop, it was standard practice to begin
> with a blacksmiths shop where the castings and forgings could be made to
> produce a lathe. Once the lathe was built, other machines could be
made. The
> techniques in the Gingery books will produce very usable machines. The
only
> problems with aluminum castings is durability and lack of weight. Heavy is
> good in a machine tool. The techniques that Gingery relies on to make
these
> machines are the same techniques that were used to build the machines that
> ultimately produced the high speed, computer controlled machine tools we
> have today. BTW, a metal shaper is nothing like a wood shaper.
>
a bit OT:
I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
--
BigEgg
Hack to size. Hammer to fit. Weld to join. Grind to shape. Paint to cover.
http://www.workshop-projects.com -
Plans and free books - *Now with forum*
CW wrote:
> "bigegg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> a bit OT:
>>
>> I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
>> reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
>> for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
> Should work. Be aware though that his books are written as a series. Each
> one references to techniques explained in the previous. The lathe book is
> number two. The shaper being one, I believe.
>
I've got the full set:
1. Foundry
2. The Lathe
3. The Shaper (This is sort of a automatic granny tooth plane for
metal, not a big router table)
4. The Mill (which is a horizontal type, like a thickness planer with a
tilting bed and takes profiled blades.)
5. The Drill Press
6. The Dividing Index & other accessories
I've fixed several machines with home-cast accessories based on
the designs in the books - seem to work OK
This new project will be four foot between centres for woodworking,
should be much easier to do in concrete, I'm not
particularly keen on pouring such a big casting in hot metal, anyway.
--
BigEgg
Hack to size. Hammer to fit. Weld to join. Grind to shape. Paint to cover.
http://www.workshop-projects.com -
Plans and free books - *Now with forum*
Prometheus wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:25:58 +0100, bigegg <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>> a bit OT:
>>
>> I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
>> reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
>> for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
>
> That's a new one on me- how much does glass reinforce concrete? I've
> done lots of wood-based construction work, and a ton of steel work,
> but very little masonry. Do you powder it and mix with the cement, or
> does it require something like glass rods?
Fibre glass matting, as used to repair car bumpers (fenders?)
I think you're supposed to pull into individual fibres and add to the
cement mixer.
--
BigEgg
Hack to size. Hammer to fit. Weld to join. Grind to shape. Paint to cover.
http://www.workshop-projects.com -
Plans and free books - *Now with forum*
Prometheus (in [email protected]) said:
| <snip> I can only
| imagine the amount of stuff that can be figured out by going
| through the process of developing the machine itself. Might be
| able to make some nice woodworking machines I can't otherwise
| afford, to boot.
YES! There's no "might be" about it.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto
Years ago, when starting a machine shop, it was standard practice to begin
with a blacksmiths shop where the castings and forgings could be made to
produce a lathe. Once the lathe was built, other machines could be made. The
techniques in the Gingery books will produce very usable machines. The only
problems with aluminum castings is durability and lack of weight. Heavy is
good in a machine tool. The techniques that Gingery relies on to make these
machines are the same techniques that were used to build the machines that
ultimately produced the high speed, computer controlled machine tools we
have today. BTW, a metal shaper is nothing like a wood shaper.
"Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Which was kind of more interesting to me than the wooden wood lathe (I
> already own two.) Evidently, the suckers are made out of scrap
> aluminum melted down and recast in a 5 gallon bucket full of sand. As
> a guy who works right next to 50-gal drums of aluminum, steel, and
> stainless steel punch slugs all day, that caught my attention. I have
> no doubts my employer would be happy to sell scrap to me at the going
> rate, or just let me have a bucketful.
>
> Now it sounds like a lot of work, but it might be interesting to try
> out one day, perhaps just to make the tools to machine a real engine
> lathe and mill. But I have to wonder if aluminum is *ever* up to that
> kind of use. Anyone on here have any tools with aluminum castings? (I
> don't, which is why I ask) If so, are they useful for anything at
> all? My biggest concern would be stress cracking under the inevitable
> vibration of a handmade tool when the thing is running. If it doesn't
> do that, it may just be a working idea.
>
> Obviously, some homemade toy made from recycled popcans isn't going to
> be comparable to an industrial mill, but if's useable at all, a guy
> could learn a lot from the project- and use it as startup tooling for
> fabricating his own, better equipment. It's a prospect that gets more
> and more appealing to me every year (with extra bonus appeal added
> each time I'm forced to call a customer service line for a replacement
> part.)
>
> Oh yeah- to keep it on-topic, along with the plans for the mill and
> the engine lathe, there is also one for a shaper.
>
On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:25:58 +0100, bigegg <[email protected]>
wrote:
>a bit OT:
>
>I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
>reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
>for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
That's a new one on me- how much does glass reinforce concrete? I've
done lots of wood-based construction work, and a ton of steel work,
but very little masonry. Do you powder it and mix with the cement, or
does it require something like glass rods?
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:12:18 GMT, "CW" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Congratulations on taking an interest. It is becoming quite rare these days.
>Time was when a machinist built machines. He understood how they worked and
>could design and manufacture a machine or the parts to fix an existing one.
>Now, it is getting difficult to find someone that can set up and run the
>current crop of robots, let alone understand how they work. The majority of
>guys that I've worked with over the years building and repairing machines
>are retired and nobody is replacing them. A good friend of mine, one who I
>worked with for some years before he retired, always said that the way
>things were going, everyone was going to freeze to death in the dark.
Well, some people can freeze to death in the dark- I'll try to avoid
that, myself. The big thing that started to push me in this direction
was just a crowning conversation at my current job. The guy that was
training me in on the Amada laser cutter has been running that exact
machine for over seven years. When it came time to run my first
stainless steel job on the thing he looked crestfallen, and told me
that stainless was tough, and he had a hard time with it. I asked him
what exactly was needed to get the stuff to cut correctly- and he told
me that changing the focus was all a person could do. For some
reason, he didn't appear to know (or care) that feed rate, focus, gas
pressure and lens alignment all made a difference as well. Took a
little thinking and tinkering, but I got it running like a top.
I switched it back to a carbon steel for another guy to babysit it for
a couple of hours between our shifts, and when I came back in the next
day, I learned that the machine had been down for over 9 hours because
he and the engineer couldn't get the job I had run all night to work
at all. Took five minutes to readjust and get it back to work.
In my overall working life, it's been the same story each time. It
seems most folks only have room for one variable or adjustment in
their toolbox, and then wonder why "that damn machine" is always
letting them down. You'd think in a computerized culture, GIGO would
be a basic concept for everyone.
With my somewhat limited skills and knowledge being able to do that by
reading the manual that came with the machine, I can only imagine the
amount of stuff that can be figured out by going through the process
of developing the machine itself. Might be able to make some nice
woodworking machines I can't otherwise afford, to boot.
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 1:58pm (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
doth sayeth:
<snip> In my overall working life, it's been the same story each time.
<snip>
I've had similar experience, not with mechanical work tho. Spent
most of my working life with people telling me I can't do something.
Finally figured out that they usually meant "they" couldn't do it, and
either thought they were smarter than me, so I certainly couldn't do it;
or, they didn't want me to do it and show them up, because they didn't
know how to do it. None of it was rocket science, and I don't think I
ever ran across anything I couldn't figure out. Also had some of those
people later taking credit for work I'd done.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
On Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:29:45 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
>http://home.woh.rr.com/wrought/woodlathe.htm
>
> As much an inspiration as anything, but good info.
This is the part I like:
"Recent additions to the lathe include a Super Nova Chuck, a set of
HSS Robert Sorby turning tools, new Woodcraft toolrests and a steady
rest."
Guess he took that money he saved and spent it all as quick as he
could after the lathe was up and running...
Always looked like a fun project to me, though.
Congratulations on taking an interest. It is becoming quite rare these days.
Time was when a machinist built machines. He understood how they worked and
could design and manufacture a machine or the parts to fix an existing one.
Now, it is getting difficult to find someone that can set up and run the
current crop of robots, let alone understand how they work. The majority of
guys that I've worked with over the years building and repairing machines
are retired and nobody is replacing them. A good friend of mine, one who I
worked with for some years before he retired, always said that the way
things were going, everyone was going to freeze to death in the dark.
"Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:00:20 GMT, "CW" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Sort of the idea I had in mind. I work with machine tools all day,
> and have always wanted to see how I could do if I started at the
> beginning and use what I've learned to keep upgrading the technology
> as far as I was able to. Easier now, of course, when there are
> existing high-tech tools to study- but still a daunting task. Lots of
> guys can run the machines these days, but are at a loss to explain the
> hows & whys of thier workings. Never hurts to know that stuff, too.
In article <[email protected]>,
Prometheus <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:25:58 +0100, bigegg <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
> >a bit OT:
> >
> >I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
> >reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
> >for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
>
> That's a new one on me- how much does glass reinforce concrete? I've
> done lots of wood-based construction work, and a ton of steel work,
> but very little masonry. Do you powder it and mix with the cement, or
> does it require something like glass rods?
They mix fiberglass directly into the mix, not glass. Adds a lot to
the shear strength.
--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 05:36:10 -0700, Ralph E Lindberg
<[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
> Prometheus <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:25:58 +0100, bigegg <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> >a bit OT:
>> >
>> >I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
>> >reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
>> >for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
>>
>> That's a new one on me- how much does glass reinforce concrete? I've
>> done lots of wood-based construction work, and a ton of steel work,
>> but very little masonry. Do you powder it and mix with the cement, or
>> does it require something like glass rods?
>
> They mix fiberglass directly into the mix, not glass. Adds a lot to
>the shear strength.
Thanks for the info.
On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:00:20 GMT, "CW" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Years ago, when starting a machine shop, it was standard practice to begin
>with a blacksmiths shop where the castings and forgings could be made to
>produce a lathe. Once the lathe was built, other machines could be made. The
>techniques in the Gingery books will produce very usable machines. The only
>problems with aluminum castings is durability and lack of weight. Heavy is
>good in a machine tool. The techniques that Gingery relies on to make these
>machines are the same techniques that were used to build the machines that
>ultimately produced the high speed, computer controlled machine tools we
>have today. BTW, a metal shaper is nothing like a wood shaper.
Sort of the idea I had in mind. I work with machine tools all day,
and have always wanted to see how I could do if I started at the
beginning and use what I've learned to keep upgrading the technology
as far as I was able to. Easier now, of course, when there are
existing high-tech tools to study- but still a daunting task. Lots of
guys can run the machines these days, but are at a loss to explain the
hows & whys of thier workings. Never hurts to know that stuff, too.
Or you can go to the other extreme.
http://turningaround.org/4_axis_mill.htm
--
Art Ransom
Lancaster , Texas
[email protected]
www.turningaround.org
"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> http://home.woh.rr.com/wrought/woodlathe.htm
>
> As much an inspiration as anything, but good info.
>
>
>
> JOAT
> It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
> - Granny Weatherwax
>
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 07:06:37 -0000, "Bill" <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 04:47:57 -0500, Prometheus wrote:
>
>> Obviously, some homemade toy made from recycled popcans isn't going to
>> be comparable to an industrial mill, but if's useable at all, a guy
>> could learn a lot from the project- and use it as startup tooling for
>> fabricating his own, better equipment. It's a prospect that gets more
>> and more appealing to me every year (with extra bonus appeal added
>> each time I'm forced to call a customer service line for a replacement
>> part.)
>
>He also has a book on working with cast iron for the more daring.
Well, I'll see if I can handle melting aluminum first. :)
On Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:29:45 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
>http://home.woh.rr.com/wrought/woodlathe.htm
>
> As much an inspiration as anything, but good info.
Looking at this guy's site, I ran across his handmade metalworking
lathe and mill.
http://home.woh.rr.com/wrought/gingery_lathe1.htm
Built from plans found here
http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/
Which was kind of more interesting to me than the wooden wood lathe (I
already own two.) Evidently, the suckers are made out of scrap
aluminum melted down and recast in a 5 gallon bucket full of sand. As
a guy who works right next to 50-gal drums of aluminum, steel, and
stainless steel punch slugs all day, that caught my attention. I have
no doubts my employer would be happy to sell scrap to me at the going
rate, or just let me have a bucketful.
Now it sounds like a lot of work, but it might be interesting to try
out one day, perhaps just to make the tools to machine a real engine
lathe and mill. But I have to wonder if aluminum is *ever* up to that
kind of use. Anyone on here have any tools with aluminum castings? (I
don't, which is why I ask) If so, are they useful for anything at
all? My biggest concern would be stress cracking under the inevitable
vibration of a handmade tool when the thing is running. If it doesn't
do that, it may just be a working idea.
Obviously, some homemade toy made from recycled popcans isn't going to
be comparable to an industrial mill, but if's useable at all, a guy
could learn a lot from the project- and use it as startup tooling for
fabricating his own, better equipment. It's a prospect that gets more
and more appealing to me every year (with extra bonus appeal added
each time I'm forced to call a customer service line for a replacement
part.)
Oh yeah- to keep it on-topic, along with the plans for the mill and
the engine lathe, there is also one for a shaper.
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 4:47am (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
doth posteth:
<snip> Built from plans found here
http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/ <snip>
The only problem with Lindsay Books is, every time I get one of
their catalogs I want to buy almost every book in it. For you guys that
aren't familiar with them, loads of old reprinted books. I always find
it best to get a catalog, then circle everything I want to buy. then
gradually work it down to just one or two books. Good reading, even if
you don't make anything from them.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:24:38 +0000 (UTC), Bruce Barnett
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Prometheus <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>> The only problem with Lindsay Books is, every time I get one of
>>>their catalogs I want to buy almost every book in it.
>
>> You're not kidding, there. I spent a couple of hours just looking
>> through the site. Even if you never got around to doing it, it's
>> still a pretty entertaining retrospective on late 19th century style.
>> Ironically, that was what worried me a bit- the style of the site
>> really evokes "Snake oil" and "crackpot."
>
>
>Yeah. It's important to note that many of the techniques described in
>these books are DANGEROUS. Maybe you have to be a little crazy to try
>them...
On the bright side, I'm a little crazy. Not a lot, just enough to
figure some caution and knowledge is all a guy needs to do most
things.
>On the plus side, shipping is cheap!
There's a bonus!
On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 13:14:02 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
>Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 4:47am (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
>doth posteth:
><snip> Built from plans found here
>http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/ <snip>
>
> The only problem with Lindsay Books is, every time I get one of
>their catalogs I want to buy almost every book in it. For you guys that
>aren't familiar with them, loads of old reprinted books. I always find
>it best to get a catalog, then circle everything I want to buy. then
>gradually work it down to just one or two books. Good reading, even if
>you don't make anything from them.
You're not kidding, there. I spent a couple of hours just looking
through the site. Even if you never got around to doing it, it's
still a pretty entertaining retrospective on late 19th century style.
Ironically, that was what worried me a bit- the style of the site
really evokes "Snake oil" and "crackpot."
Prometheus <[email protected]> writes:
>> The only problem with Lindsay Books is, every time I get one of
>>their catalogs I want to buy almost every book in it.
> You're not kidding, there. I spent a couple of hours just looking
> through the site. Even if you never got around to doing it, it's
> still a pretty entertaining retrospective on late 19th century style.
> Ironically, that was what worried me a bit- the style of the site
> really evokes "Snake oil" and "crackpot."
Yeah. It's important to note that many of the techniques described in
these books are DANGEROUS. Maybe you have to be a little crazy to try
them...
On the plus side, shipping is cheap!
--
Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to this account incurs a fee of
$500 per message, and acknowledges the legality of this contract.
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 11:24am (EDT+4)
[email protected] (Bruce=A0Barnett) doth sayeth:
Yeah. It's important to note that many of the techniques described in
these books are DANGEROUS. Maybe you have to be a little crazy to try
them...
On the plus side, shipping is cheap!
Waling high steel is dangerous; walking across the screet is
dangerous; using woodworking tools is dagerous for some people; just
gotta use common sense (which seems to be less common than it used to
be), and pick and choose your projects. I'm just trying to think of
something I can use homemade thermide for.
Besides, cheap shipping makes up for a lot.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:36:03 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
>Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 11:24am (EDT+4)
>[email protected] (Bruce Barnett) doth sayeth:
>Yeah. It's important to note that many of the techniques described in
>these books are DANGEROUS. Maybe you have to be a little crazy to try
>them...
>On the plus side, shipping is cheap!
>
> Waling high steel is dangerous; walking across the screet is
>dangerous; using woodworking tools is dagerous for some people; just
>gotta use common sense (which seems to be less common than it used to
>be), and pick and choose your projects. I'm just trying to think of
>something I can use homemade thermide for.
Well, see that? I've already done that other stuff, need something
new to kill me. :)
Not much use for that homemade thermite, JOAT. I made a smallish bit
of it a long time ago, and while I worked (at least partially), it was
little more than a science experiment. Too hot for much beyond
wrecking things.
> Besides, cheap shipping makes up for a lot.
That, and people are always telling us to recycle.
Prometheus wrote:...
>
> Considering the amount of grinding or filing you'd need to do to have
> enough to scrap a car, it's probably easier (though less fun) to use a
> saber saw and an angle grinder.
>
> Or even better... build a huge trebuchet and launch the suckers
> somewhere else. Your neighbors might not like that much, but I
> suspect there's a business opportunity in there somewhere. I know
> there have been a few cars I'd have paid good money to demolish with
> a huge catapult.
Or a sawsall with a metal cutting blade. Mine cuts through
2" steel pipe right quick. Should cut through a car fast too.
If you do go the thermite route, please get it on video and
post it!
--
FF
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 2:04pm (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
doth sayeth:
Not much use for that homemade thermite, JOAT. I made a smallish bit of
it a long time ago, and while I worked (at least partially), it was
little more than a science experiment. Too hot for much beyond wrecking
things. <snip>
It has other uses? Actually I was thinking along the lines of
cutting up old junk casrs (I have sons) into small enough pieces to put
in the trash can. Probably not a real good project.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:56:14 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:
>Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 2:04pm (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
>doth sayeth:
>Not much use for that homemade thermite, JOAT. I made a smallish bit of
>it a long time ago, and while I worked (at least partially), it was
>little more than a science experiment. Too hot for much beyond wrecking
>things. <snip>
>
> It has other uses? Actually I was thinking along the lines of
>cutting up old junk casrs (I have sons) into small enough pieces to put
>in the trash can. Probably not a real good project.
Probably not. It may well do the job, but there's a signifigant fire
hazard involved, and welding goggles are definitely called for. Don't
do it over anything you want to keep (like the driveway). :)
My guess would be that you'd need quite a lot of the stuff. It'll
burn through anything, but I suspect it helps if that "anything" is
solid- like the engine block. If you put it on the roof and expect it
to cut the car in two, my guess is you'd end up with a lot of bright
sparks in the interior of the car lighting everything in sight on
fire, and floor panels that look like swiss cheese.
Considering the amount of grinding or filing you'd need to do to have
enough to scrap a car, it's probably easier (though less fun) to use a
saber saw and an angle grinder.
Or even better... build a huge trebuchet and launch the suckers
somewhere else. Your neighbors might not like that much, but I
suspect there's a business opportunity in there somewhere. I know
there have been a few cars I'd have paid good money to demolish with
a huge catapult.
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 3:50am (EDT-1) [email protected] (Prometheus)
doth sayeth:
Probably not. It may well do the job, but there's a signifigant fire
hazard involved, <snip>
Yeah, I know. Fun thought tho. I know a guy who cut up an entire
car, and put it in his trash can to get rid of it. Took a few weeks,
because the trash can would only hold so much, and I understand the
trash guy was a bit miffed.
I had to have a parts car removed a bit back. Hurt to do it, but
no choice at the time. The tow truck guys (actually a roll back) were
about like Abott and Costello, or Laurel and Hardy, watching them made
losing the car almost enjoyable.
I guess I'll have to get another Lindsay catalog and see what I
need from it.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
Should work. Be aware though that his books are written as a series. Each
one references to techniques explained in the previous. The lathe book is
number two. The shaper being one, I believe.
"bigegg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> a bit OT:
>
> I'm toying with the idea of making a "Gingery" lathe using glass
> reinforced concrete to make the main castings, with cold rolled steel
> for the slides and bushes, and wood for the bearing blocks and pulleys.
>
>
> --
> BigEgg
> Hack to size. Hammer to fit. Weld to join. Grind to shape. Paint to cover.
> http://www.workshop-projects.com -
> Plans and free books - *Now with forum*