Modeling in Wax for Jewelry and Sculpture by: Lawrence Kallenberg

If you want to cast intricate decorative works of art, or jewelry you might very well benefit from a copy of this. This book is not about making molds and casting metal, its only about carving wax so that you have something to make a lost wax investment mold from. This guy clearly knows what he's talking about. There is a section in the book with color photos and you'll see that this guy is an expert wax carver to say the least. This may be just what you need if you want to design jewelry.

softcover 256 pages.

Metalcasting (Craftmaster)by: C.W. Ammen

This is a VERY detailed book (but not boring like many textbooks are) describing in simple terms what seems to be every type of metal casting technique imaginable. There are plenty of clear diagrams explaining everything from how a cupola furnace works to pouring clean ingots. This is a THICK book and the knowledge you'll gain from it is priceless!

The Complete Handbook of Sand Casting by: C.W. Ammen

Oh yeah! These are the basics that you need if you want to set up your own foundry. This will show you what you need to learn about the tools, and other materials. A very good foundation for beginners.
5 ½ X 8 softcover 238 pages.

Methods for Modern Sculptors Ronald D. Young and Robert A Fennell

If you're interested in casting scultures in brass or bronze you NEED this book. It details making life-size or smaller bronze sculptures and all the tools and equipment you'll need for that quantity of metal. Complete details are given on making wax patterns for "lost wax" castings, formulas for the ceramic mold shells, formulas for homemade patinas, details on building large melting furnaces and kilns, tips for welding bronze, even homemade gas burner designs are given, There's an 11 page glossary of terms and over 90 names and addresses of suppliers for metal, refractory materials, ceramic shell products, waxes and anything else you may need, plus an appendix of 40 books for more info. on any of the topics discussed. This is a VERY detailed book designed for the home metal caster who wants to make large scultures in bronze. I bought the book so I can cast a sculture of myself (okay...maybe just my head)!
5 1/2 X 8 soft cover 294 pages.

Handbook of Lost Wax or Investment Casting by: James E. Sopcak

I don't have this book and I've never read it but it's only 64 pages so I'm guessing that it's just the basics of the casting technique. I have experimented with lost wax casting and know its values. The method basically involves making a pattern or model of the object to be cast from low melting point wax then coating it with refractory material but leaving an opening. Next the "mold" is heated, the wax melts and flows out leaving a cavity to be filled with metal. You don't need draft or anything! It's great for jewelry and other one-of-a-kind work.
softcover 64 pages.

Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces by: Steve Chastain

If you seriously want to melt iron, and you want to know all the details that go into building a cupola which is scientifically optimized for performance then this is the book for you. The main feature of this book is a 10-inch bore cupola capable of melting 55 pounds of iron every 6 minutes or so. But there are so many calculations and formulas available that you can scale the furnace up or down. The engineering data in the book is thourogh but easy to understand. Well worth it for the future iron caster.
softcover 128 pages.

Build an Oil Fired Tilting Furnace by: Steve Chastain

If you want to do some hardcore aluminum melting... in the range of 50 pounds at a time (in 30 minutes) you may be interested in this book. Scrap collectors may find great value in this furnace which is fueled by propane, waste oil or kerosine. The furnace is built onto a manual winch powered tilting framework so the crucible load can be safely poured into ingot molds. Pour ingots up to 50 pounds each! This book is loaded with engineering details to allow you to scale the furnace up or down. Its easy to understand also. Build the unit as described, modify it or just get ideas from it for your own foundry.
softcover 192 pages.

Metal casting: A Sand Casting Manual Vol.1 by: Steve Chastain

This is book one in a two book series, and these books are like an updated or modernized version of the C.W. Ammen books but contain a bunch of new ideas and plans for homemade foundry tools. Of course you learn the basics about flasks and making molds with sand etc. But the book goes on to explain how to build aluminum flasks, a pneumatic vibrator to loosen patterns for easy removal, a hefty sandrammer, cast aluminum flask hardware, a propane burner and furnace and more. The book also goes into detail about the metallurgical properties of metal. There is some great information about cores and some nice photos of how old time auto manufacturers cast complete engine blocks with them. After reading a sandcasting book for absolute beginners this is the next evolutinary step in your learning process.
softcover 208 pages.

Metal casting: A Sand Casting Manual Vol.2 by: Steve Chastain

This is the second book of the series and its just as good as the first one. It goes into more detail about metals and their composition but this book details iron also. More plans are available for projects. The author has an engineering degree and you can tell quickly that he is interested in good results. Read this book and your knowledge will be way beyond that of the average hobbyist when it comes to foundry work and metallurgy. If you have the first book and found it useful, do yourself a favor and buy the second also.
softcover 192 pages.

Making Pistons by: Steve Chastain

I get great satisfaction from building and modifying machines. If you do also and have ever considered building an experimental piston engine or restoring an old engine then you should wrangle up a copy of this book, its fantastic for the future piston maker. Learn how to make patterns for, cast and machine real pistons! No not for a model engine... a real engine, for a car, truck or motorcycle, probably even a lawnmower too. Steve gives all the engineering data for strength requirments, machining instructions, etc... Gasoline or diesel engine? It doesn't matter. Learn why you should cast the piston blanks in greensand rather than oil bonded sand, learn how to make piston pins, and rings etc. Forget buying piston sets from aftermarket suppliers for restoring that old engine... just make you own and save some (a lot of) money!
softcover 63 pages.

Arc Welding : Basic Fundamentals by: John R. Walker

Instructional arc welding books don't get any simpler than this. It's a textbook used to teach welding and the explanations are so clear that a 13-year-old could easily understand it. The pages are 8 ½ by 11" and the print is large so reading through it is ridiculously easy. At the end of each section is a test to ensure that you learned the material. I read the first few chapters of this book and was making clean welds within an hour! Yes I taught myself to weld with this book and NO teacher. Welding lets you really put together an especially nice foundry.
8 1/2 X 11 softcover 128 pages.

Oxyfuel Gas Welding by: Kevin E. Bowditch, Mark A. Bowditch, Ronald J. Baird

This book is just as clear and simple to read and understand as "Arc Welding" above. If more authors and publishers could explain and publish information as efficiently as this then this would be a much better world! If you want to quickly cut-up a lot of thick steel a torch is the way to go. This book describes the different gas combinations, cutting and welding attachments everything! I was cutting steel with EASE on my first try after reading the first few chapters of this book.
8 ½ X 11" softcover 130 pages.

Welder's Handbook : A Complete Guide to Mig, Tig, Arc & Oxyacetylene Welding by: Richard Finch

This book was recommended to me because it is so easy to read through and understand as well as having valuable content on multiple welding styles. From the same author of 'Performance Welding' (listed below) this book is written for a beginner. Take a look.
8 1/2 X 11 soft cover 170 pages.

Performance Welding by: Richard Finch

If you like building or re-building custom cars, aircrafts, plan to weld magnesium, aluminum, stainless steel and do other custom work then you need to take a look at this book because regular welding procedures just won't do it. This book covers those details and more including welding jigs and special equipment. This book is easy too read and the techniques are easy to understand.
8 ½ X 11" softcover 160 pages.

Welding Projects by: James A. Ruck

This book has over 65 detailed plans for building welded steel items ranging from a hand truck to a weight lifting bench! In fact there are several sections with multiple plans such as "Gym Equipment," "Shop Equipment," and "Yard Equipment." Do you need a hydraulic engine lift? The DETAILED plans are here. What about an engine stand or even a music stand? Want a skateboard rail, snowmobile dolly, welding tank cart, boat anchor, motorcycle repair stand, lifting gantry (chain type hoist) or deer hunting tree stand? You get the idea, this book is PACKED!!
8 ½ X 11 softcover 98 pages.

The Complete Modern Blacksmith by: Alexander G. Weygers

This is a really great book for anyone interested in getting into blacksmithing. The book is illustrated with fantastic drawings by the author and the techniques are simple to understand. Learn to make an anvil and all the other tools you'll need. There's even a section on building a wood turning lathe! Make hammers and cold chisels, wood chisels, even stone carving chisels! Tongs, wrenches, fireplace pokers, pliers, tempering steel it's all here! So go get it!
8 ½ X 11 softcover 300 pages.

The Complete Metalsmith by: Tim McCreight

I haven't read this book but from what I hear it is a must for jewelry makers.
8 ½ X 11" softcover 189 pages.

Ultimate Sheet Metal Fabrication by: Tim Remus

After you finish "Performance Welding" that custom car chassis you've been working on you'll NEED this book to make all the outrageous curves in the body. This book is fantastic! It shows you how to take a flat piece of sheet metal and turn it into nearly any shape you can imagine for a car body! Wanna use a mallet? It's in there. How about an English Wheel? Yep, that's there too. Power hammers? Oh yeah you'll find that also. The book is SIMPLE to learn from and the photos are fantastic. The book is broken down into sections that describe different craftsmen's methods. The section were the guy uses nothing but wooden jigs and a mallet can get your personal bat mobile out the shop for pennies!
8 ½ X 11" softcover 144 pages.

Metal Fabricator's Handbook by: Ron Fourier

This looks like another good book for finishing your custom car project.
8 ½ X 11" softcover 176 pages.

The Flowerpot Crucible Furnace by: Lionel Oliver II
This booklet is straight out of The Lab and has been put together to provide more information on the construction and use of the Flowerpot Crucible Furnace. Up-close photos and detailed text. Flowerpots aren't just for flowers, melt metal in them!
5 ½ X 8 ½" softcover 33 pages.

How-to Cast Metal in Sand by: Lionel Oliver II
This booklet tells you all the basics to start building patterns make greensand molds and pour metal into them! It's easy!
5 ½ X 8 ½" softcover 38 pages.

Making pulleys with hand tools by: Lionel Oliver II
This booklet describes an easy method to make wooden V-groove pulley patterns with only hand tools, then explains how to properly cast them in metal! Make pulleys for many belt sizes; 2L, 3L, 0, A, B and more!
5 ½ X 8 ½" softcover 40 pages.

Take a look at some homemade pulleys here