Fred Herbert Colvin (1867–1965) was an American

machinist A machinist is a tradesperson or trained professional who operates machine tools, and has the ability to set up tools such as milling machines, grinders, lathes, and drilling machines. A competent machinist will generally have a strong mechan ...

, 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 The Machine Age is an era that includes the early-to-mid 20th century, sometimes also including the late 19th century. An approximate dating would be about 1880 to 1945. Considered to be at its peak in the time between the first and second wo ...

Overview of career

Over the years, Colvin worked on both Alexander Luchars's journal ''Machinery'' (of which he was chief editor from its beginning in 1894 until 1897) and

John A. Hill John Alexander Hill (February 22, 1858 – January 24, 1916) was a co-founder of the McGraw-Hill Book Company, the predecessor corporation of today's S&P Global and McGraw-Hill Education. In the 1880s, prior to entering the publishing busin ...

's journal ''

American Machinist The ''American Machinist'' is an American trade magazine of the international machine industry, machinery industries and most especially their machining aspects. Published since 1877, it was a McGraw-Hill title for over a century before becoming ...

'' (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 is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

) 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'' was a McGraw-Hill reference book similar to Industrial Press's ''Machinery's Handbook''. (The latter title, still in print and regularly revised, is the one that machinists today are usually referring to when the ...

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

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'' (the full title of the 1st edition) is a classic reference ...

''. (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 or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 (May 16, 1846 – June 25, 1929) was an American mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, manager, astronomer, and philanthropist. With Ambrose Swasey he cofounded the Warner & Swasey Company. Biography Life and career War ...

. In 1944 the

Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a Private university, private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely de ...

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 he died before finishing.

Memoir, poetry, and labor-relations titles by Colvin

Memoir

Poetry

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Labor-relations monographs

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Bibliography

References

External links

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Digitized items from the Fred H. Colvin Collection, Department of Special Collections, Case Western Reserve University Library, Cleveland, Ohio, US

Books authored or coauthored by Colvin—Library of Congress catalog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colvin, Fred H. 1867 births 1965 deaths American book editors Machinists Stevens Institute of Technology alumni