: Concepts of work, power, force, and pressure.
: Interestingly, some reviewers on Hardcover find the first half—covering basic levers and wedges—to be "awful" due to its focus on manual calculations. However, they find the second half, which dives into hydraulics and internal combustion engines, to be much more engaging. Basic Machines and How They Work
: Basics of hydrostatic and hydraulic mechanisms, internal combustion engines, and power trains. Basic Machines and How They Work - Amazon UK : Concepts of work, power, force, and pressure
: Readers frequently note that the book is "easy to understand" and "clear and helpful," making it ideal for non-experts or first-year engineering students. One reviewer on Amazon India highlights it as a "great little book" that covers everything from pulleys to hydraulics in a very accessible manner. : Basics of hydrostatic and hydraulic mechanisms, internal
: The vintage black-and-white line art and photographs give it a 1940s-50s feel that some readers find charmingly "retro". Core Topics Covered
The manual systematically builds from the simplest mechanisms to complex naval applications:
Reviewers often describe the book as a "retro gem" that remains highly relevant today.