The evolution of the compact, or portable, lathe has brought many a model engineer's life-long ambition to reality. No longer regarded as the scaled-down variant of the long-established permanent workshop machine, they are purpose-designed tools of remarkable ingenuity in their own right. Compact lathes (such as the Unimat III, Peatol, Shearline and Cowell range) are inexpensive, self-contained, adaptable to a broad range of machining techniques and ideally suited for beginners and those with working space restrictions. Stan Bray's comprehensive introduction to the subject covers the technology and the components, the machining operations and facilities which will enable the novice or experienced operator quickly to reach full proficiency and achieve the highest standards of lathe work.

Stan Bray has written a number of books on model engineering and was editor of Model Engineers' Workshop and assistant editor of Model Engineer magazines.