Fred Herbert Colvin was an American machinist

Machinist

A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...

, technical journalist, author, and editor. He wrote, co-wrote, edited, or co-edited many periodical articles, handbooks, and textbooks related to engineering, machining, and manufacturing. His autobiography, Sixty Years with Men and Machines, provides a thorough and colloquial look into the decades of 1880 to 1950, giving insight into the culture of the Machine Age

Machine Age

The Machine Age is a term associated mostly with the early 20th century, sometimes also including the late 19th century. An approximate dating would be about 1880 to 1945. Considered to be at a peak in the time between the first and second world wars, it forms a late part of the Industrial Age...

.

Overview of career

Over the years, Colvin worked on both Alexander Luchars

Alexander Luchars

Alexander Luchars was an American publishing executive, originally from Scotland, who founded Industrial Press, a large publisher of scientific and technical content, such as textbooks and reference books....

's journal Machinery (of which he was chief editor from its beginning in 1894 until 1897) and John A. Hill

John A. Hill

John Alexander Hill was a co-founder of The McGraw-Hill Companies. He was born in Sandgate, Vermont on Feb. 22, 1858....

's journal American Machinist (which he worked on from 1907 until retirement in 1937, having been co-editor for many years). He came to the Hill Publishing Company (soon to become McGraw-Hill

McGraw-Hill

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...

) in 1907 to work on the American Machinist, and in the subsequent decades, besides his work on the journal, he authored or coauthored dozens of McGraw-Hill monographs, textbooks, and reference books in the field of machining. His principal coauthor was Frank A. Stanley; their first book series together was the "Hill Kink Books" series of 1908, a collection of handy, practical advice for the machinist on the shop floor. (The word "kinks" in this context was used in the sense of "tips and tricks"; that sense of the word is rather obsolescent today and merits glossing.)

From 1908 to 1945, Colvin and Stanley coedited eight editions of American Machinists' Handbook

American Machinists' Handbook

American Machinists' Handbook was a McGraw-Hill reference book similar to Industrial Press's Machinery's Handbook. The somewhat generic sound of the title American Machinists'...

, a McGraw-Hill reference book similar to Industrial Press's Machinery's Handbook

Machinery's Handbook

Machinery's Handbook for machine shop and drafting-room; a reference book on machine design and shop practice for the mechanical engineer, draftsman, toolmaker, and machinist is a classic reference work in mechanical engineering and practical workshop mechanics in one volume published by...

. (The latter title, still in print and regularly revised, is the one that machinists today are usually referring to when they speak imprecisely of "the machinist's handbook" or "the machinists' handbook".)

Colvin was retired and in his 70s when World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 started, but he came out of retirement in order to help with the war production effort.

Colvin was the 1942 recipient of the Worcester Reed Warner Medal

Worcester Reed Warner

Worcester Reed Warner was an American mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, manager, astronomer, and philanthropist. With Ambrose Swasey he cofounded the Warner & Swasey Company.-Biographical sketch:...

. In 1944 the Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...

 awarded him an honorary M.E. degree for his life's work in advancing the field.

Near the end of his life, Colvin worked on a history of the American machine tool industry, but very unfortunately for historians of technology, he died before finishing.

Machining monographs, textbooks, and reference books by Colvin himself, Colvin & Stanley, or Colvin & others

The following table has been compiled using information from:

• the US Library of Congress online catalog;
• information from Colvin's memoir Sixty Years with Men and Machines; and
• digitized images of the books themselves, available via Google Book Search
  Google Book Search
  Google Books is a service from Google that searches the full text of books that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical character recognition, and stored in its digital database. The service was formerly known as Google Print when it was introduced at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October...
  
  .

Year	Author(s)	Title ± subtitle	Edition number	City, Publisher	Digitized book link
1895	Fred H. Colvin	Machine shop arithmetic	1st ed	New York, Practical Publishing Company (Colvin and Cheney)	[No digitized book link yet available]
1897	Fred H. Colvin	Machine Shop Arithmetic: A Pocket Book containing some of the problems of everyday shop life and the way in which they are solved	2nd ed	East Orange, N.J., Practical Publishing Company (Colvin and Cheney)	[No digitized book link yet available]
1898	Fred H. Colvin (Ichabod Podunk)	Practical shop talks. A collection of letters on shop subjects which show by actual examples some of the existing methods of shop management and practice.	1st ed	New York, Press of Locomotive Engineering	[No digitized book link yet available]
1900	Fred H. Colvin	The compound locomotive	1st ed	New York, Press of Locomotive Engineering	[No digitized book link yet available]
1902	Fred H. Colvin	Machine shop arithmetic	3rd ed	New York, Practical? Derry-Collard?	[No digitized book link yet available]
1902	Fred H. Colvin	Turning and boring tapers	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard	[No digitized book link yet available]
1903	Fred H. Colvin	Threads and thread cutting	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard	[No digitized book link yet available]
1903	Fred H. Colvin	American compound locomotives: a practical explanation of the construction, operation and care of the compound locomotives in use on American railroads	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard; London, Locomotive Publishing Company (US-UK co-edition)	Digitized book link
1904	Fred H. Colvin, Walter Lee Cheney	Engineers [sic] arithmetic: a pocket book containing the foundation principles involved in making such calculations as comes [sic] into the practical work of the stationary engineer.	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard; London, Locomotive Publishing Company (US-UK co-edition)	Digitized book link
1905	Fred H. Colvin	Link motions, valve gears, and valve settings	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard	[No digitized book link yet available]
?	Fred H. Colvin	Link motions, valve gears, and valve settings	2nd ed	New York, Derry-Collard? Norman W. Henley?	[No digitized book link yet available]
1905	Fred H. Colvin	Machine-shop arithmetic: a pocket book containing some of the problems of everyday shop happenings, and affording their fast and accurate solution by easy methods	4th ed	New York, Derry-Collard	[No digitized book link yet available]
?	Fred H. Colvin	Machine-shop arithmetic	5th ed	New York, Derry-Collard? Norman W. Henley?	[No digitized book link yet available]
1905	Fred H. Colvin	Practical perspective: a practical explanation of the only practical perspective (isometric)	?	New York, Derry-Collard	[No digitized book link yet available]
1906	Fred H. Colvin	The railroad pocket-book: a quick reference cyclopedia of railroad information	1st ed	New York, Derry-Collard; London, Locomotive Publishing Company (US-UK co-edition)	Digitized book link
1907	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Press tool kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Note that this title page is from the first edition, third impression. It is most likely that the "McGraw-Hill […] 1908" slugs were added to the plate upon reprint. Hill had just recently become McGraw-Hill. Original pub info was Hill, 1907.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Drawing room kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Note branding overlap in these frontmatter pages between Hill and McGraw-Hill. Edition and impression numbers not noted, but most likely second or third impression. Hill had just recently become McGraw-Hill.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Drill press kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Milling machine kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Note all Hill branding. Likely first edition, first impression.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Screw machine kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Compare the branding transition on this title page! Yet another variation—here they actually spelled out "Successors to the Book Departments of the McGraw Publishing Company [&] Hill Publishing Company".]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Screw thread kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Note all Hill branding. Likely first edition, first impression.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Repair kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Again, "Successors to the Book Departments of the McGraw Publishing Company [&] Hill Publishing Company".]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Patternmaking kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	[No digitized book link yet available]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Jig and fixture kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [Again, a third impression with only McGraw-Hill slugs on the title page.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Toolmakers’ kinks	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link [No impression number; only McGraw-Hill slugs on the title page.]
1908	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine shop and drawing room data, methods, and definitions	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	[No digitized book link yet available]
1908	Fred H. Colvin	Machine shop calculations	1st ed	New York and London, Hill	Digitized book link
1909	Fred H. Colvin	Machine shop drawings: reading drawings, making shop sketches, laying out work	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1909	Fred H. Colvin	Engine lathe work: practical suggestions which will give the young machinist or apprentice the foundation principles of engine lathe work	1st ed	?
1910	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Machine shop primer: an introduction to machine tools and shop appliances, with illustrations, names and definitions	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1912	Fred H. Colvin	Machine-shop arithmetic: shows how all shop problems are worked out and "why." Includes change gears for cutting any threads; drills, taps, shrink and force fits; metric system of measurements and threads	6th ed	New York, Norman W. Henley
1912	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinist grinding book: modern machines and appliances, methods and results	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1913	Fred H. Colvin, Lucian L. Haas	Jigs and fixtures: a reference book showing many types of jigs and fixtures in actual use, and suggestions for various cases	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1914	Fred H. Colvin	Link motions, valve gears, and valve setting: a practical treatise which explains the mysteries of valve setting	3rd ed	New York, Norman W. Henley	Digitized book link
1914	Fred H. Colvin	Engineers’ arithmetic	3rd ed	New York, Norman W. Henley
1914	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine shop and drawing room data, methods and definitions	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1916	Fred H. Colvin	Practical die-making: a collection from the latest information on dies and die-making, comp.	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1916	Frank Richards, Fred H. Colvin	Practical perspective: a treatise showing just how to make all kinds of mechanical drawings in the only practical perspective (isometric)	4th ed	New York, Norman W. Henley
1917	Fred H. Colvin, Walter Lee Cheney	Machine-shop arithmetic: shows how all shop problems are worked out and "why." Includes change gears for cutting any threads; drills, taps, shrink and force fits; metric system of measurements and threads. Used by all classes of mechanics, apprentices, etc., etc.	7th ed	New York, Norman W. Henley	Digitized book link
1917	Fred H. Colvin, Ethan Viall	United States rifles and machine guns: a detailed account of the methods used in manufacturing the Springfield, 1903 model service rifle; also descriptions of the modified Enfield rifle and three types of machine guns	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1918	Fred H. Colvin	Aircraft mechanics handbook: a collection of facts and suggestions from factory and flying field to assist in caring for modern aircraft	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1920	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine shop and drawing room data, methods and definitions	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1921	Fred H. Colvin	The aircraft handbook	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1921	Fred H. Colvin, K.A. Juthe	The working of steel, annealing, heat treating, and hardening of carbon and alloy steel	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1921	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Machinists' question book: a practical supplement to the American machinists' handbook, over 600 questions upon 25 important subjects	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1922	Fred H. Colvin, K.A. Juthe	The working of steel, annealing, heat treating, and hardening of carbon and alloy steel	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1922	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Machine tools and their operation	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill	Digitized book link
1926	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine-shop and drawing-room data, methods and definitions	4th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1928	Fred H. Colvin	The aircraft handbook	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1929	Fred H. Colvin	The aircraft handbook	4th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1932	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine shop and drawing room data, methods and definitions	5th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1935	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms, a reference book of machine shop and drawing room data, methods and definitions	6th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1936	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Turning and boring practice: modern machines, tools and methods used in representative plants	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1936	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Drilling and surfacing practice: drilling, reaming, tapping, planing, shaping, slotting, milling and broaching	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1937	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Grinding practice: typical machines and methods used in a wide variety of work	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1937	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Gear cutting practice: methods of producing gears for commercial use	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1938	Fred H. Colvin, Lucian L. Haas	Jigs and fixtures: a reference book showing many types of jigs and fixtures in actual use, and suggestions for various cases	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1940	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms	7th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1941	Fred H. Colvin	Running an engine lathe: practical suggestions which will give the young machinist or apprentice the foundation principles of engine lathe work	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1941	Fred H. Colvin	Running a milling machine	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1941	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Running a machine shop	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1942	Fred H. Colvin	The aircraft handbook	5th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1942	Fred H. Colvin	Gauges and their use in inspection	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Turning and boring practice: modern machines, tools and methods used in representative plants, including wartime data supplement	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Grinding practice: typical machines and methods used in a wide variety of work, including Wartime data supplement	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Drilling and surfacing practice	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin	Gear cutting practice	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin	Planing, shaping and slotting	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1943	Fred H. Colvin, Lucian L. Haas	Jigs and fixtures: a reference book showing many types of jigs and fixtures in actual use and suggestions for various cases, including Wartime data supplement	4th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1945	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	American machinists' handbook and dictionary of shop terms: a reference book of machine-shop and drawing-room data, methods, and definitions	8th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1948	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Turning and boring practice	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1948	Fred H. Colvin, Lucian L. Haas	Jigs and fixtures: a reference book showing many types of jigs and fixtures in actual use and suggestions for various cases	5th ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1948	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Drilling and surfacing practice: drilling, reaming, tapping, planing, shaping, slotting, milling, and broaching	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1948	Fred H. Colvin	Starting a small machine shop	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1948	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Running a machine shop	2nd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1950	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Grinding practice: typical machines and methods used in a wide variety of work	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1950	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	Gear cutting practice: methods of producing gears for commercial use	3rd ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1955	Fred H. Colvin, Frank A. Stanley	The new American machinist's handbook. Based upon earlier editions of American machinists' handbook	1st ed	New York and London, McGraw-Hill
1956	Fred H. Colvin	The machinist dictionary: the authoritative handbook of terms, definitions, and accepted standards of the machinist craft and industry	1st ed	New York, Simmons-Boardman

External links

• Fred H. Colvin Collection, Department of Special Collections, Case Western Reserve University Library, Cleveland, Ohio, US
• Lindsay Publications, a publisher specializing in the republishing of useful technical books from decades and centuries past. Several books by Colvin are available from Lindsay.
• Google Book Search, which makes many of Colvin's oldest books (copyrights expired) available online.

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