For close to 100% of this book, the subject matter is shaft alignment via the use of dial indicators. The phenomenal accuracy using dial indicators with which a literal myriad of objects can accurately be placed in close proximity with each another is limited only by a universe of space in which to function and the near limitless imagination of a good mechanic. --- And economically too.

There s a short story about me and the (purchased used for $1000) little rattle-trap car I drove for about 7 or 8 years. My good friend Walter had bought a new van for $20,000 and is said to have pulled up beside me at a traffic light and thought he d needle me a bit: Hey Tom, what s that I hear rattling there? --- To which I m said to have answered: $19, 000 in change! Of course, this didn t actually happen, but that s about my mind-set on alignment in general. As in: Be efficient and accurate as necessary while being frugal as practical in meeting the necessary criteria.

For about the price of a bushel of dial indicator sets one may purchase a very nice laser device that is pretty much limited to shaft alignment and will actually get a movable and static unit aligned as close as a single pair of dial indicators from that full bushel of dial indicators. Meanwhile, the rest of that bushel of indicators can be used on lathes and milling machines for positioning tooling and/or work pieces,...