American Machinist

American Machinist is an American trade-publication brand focused on machining and the international machinery industries. Its editorial subject matter has historically included machine tools, manufacturing methods, shop management, cutting tools, welding, materials, testing, design, tolerances, gauges, automation, and other technologies used in industrial production. The title was established in New York City in November 1877 by Horace B. Miller and Jackson Bailey as a monthly magazine at 96 Fulton Street. It moved to a weekly schedule in July 1879, reflecting the rapid expansion of industrial manufacturing and the need for frequent technical and commercial information. The publication emerged during a formative period in American industrial history. In the decades after the Civil War, machine production, interchangeable parts, mass manufacturing, and the development of specialized machine tools were reshaping factories and engineering practice. American Machinist was intended to report on these changes while concentrating particularly on practical problems faced by workshops and machine-building companies. Its early editorial mission included explaining new management methods and machining practices, discussing emerging materials and their industrial applications, and encouraging more systematic approaches to tools, testing, design, standards, tolerances, limits, and gauges. The magazine became part of the development of the American technical-press tradition. In 1888, its editors helped launch Locomotive Engineer, a separate title serving the railroad sector. The recruitment process for that publication brought John A. Hill, then an American Machinist correspondent, into technical publishing; Hill later became a cofounder of McGraw-Hill. American Machinist therefore occupied an important place in the network of specialist publications that connected engineers, machine-tool builders, job shops, factory workers, and industrial managers with new methods and equipment. Ownership and publishing arrangements changed over time. From its founding through the early twentieth century, the title was issued by several New York publishing companies, including the original American Machinist Publishing Company and the Hill Publishing Company. McGraw-Hill became its publisher in 1909 and retained the title for more than seven decades. The publication was issued weekly from 1877 through 1960, then appeared on a less frequent schedule. McGraw-Hill published it biweekly and later monthly from 1968 to 1988, including a short period under the title American Machinist & Automated Manufacturing from 1986 to 1988. In 1988, American Machinist became a Penton title. Penton's subsequent acquisition by Informa in 2016 placed the brand within Informa's business-media portfolio for a period. Informa later sold American Machinist, together with a group of other titles, to Endeavor Business Media. In 2013, the publication shifted from a combined print-and-online model to an online-only format, aligning the brand with the broader movement of industrial trade media toward digital publishing. The brand's historical influence also came through its editors and its associated reference works. Editors and coeditors included Frederick A. Halsey and Fred H. Colvin. Other editors in chief included Fred J. Miller, Leon P. Alford, who served from 1911 to 1917, John H. Van Deventer, who served from 1917 to 1919, and Anderson Ashburn. The publication and related editorial offices also contributed to machinists' handbooks, including American Machinists' Handbook. Today, American Machinist is best understood as a continuing digital trade-media brand serving professionals interested in machining, machine tools, production technology, and industrial manufacturing.

American Machinist was founded in November 1877 by Horace B. Miller and Jackson Bailey at 96 Fulton Street in New York City. It began as a monthly magazine and adopted a weekly publishing schedule in July 1879. Its creation coincided with the rapid growth of American machine building, factory production, interchangeable parts, and industrial standardization. The founders sought to create a trade publication that would follow changing conditions in the machine industry while concentrating on the practical concerns of workshops and manufacturing operations. Its early editorial program covered shop management, machining methods, tools, welding, materials, testing, design, and the development of consistent tolerances, limits, and gauges. The magazine served as a means of professional communication for machine-tool builders, job-shop operators, engineers, and factory workers at a time when industrial technology was becoming more specialized. The offices at 96 Fulton Street also became associated with the formation of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which was founded three years after American Machinist. In 1888, American Machinist's editors launched Locomotive Engineer as a separate railroad-industry title. The search for an editor introduced John A. Hill, an American Machinist correspondent from Pueblo, Colorado, to technical publishing. Hill later became a cofounder of McGraw-Hill. Over subsequent decades, American Machinist remained part of a wider technical-press ecosystem that helped industrial workers and managers learn about new equipment, production systems, and manufacturing practices. The publication's editorial network was also associated with machinists' reference books, including American Machinists' Handbook. The magazine's publishing history passed through several companies. It was issued by the American Machinist Publishing Company and later by the Hill Publishing Company before McGraw-Hill became its publisher in 1909. It appeared weekly from 1877 through 1960. McGraw-Hill later reduced the frequency to biweekly and then monthly, and from 1986 to 1988 the title was briefly styled American Machinist & Automated Manufacturing. In 1988, the brand became part of Penton. The publication continued to evolve as industrial trade media changed. In 2013, American Machinist moved from a combined print-and-online format to online-only publishing. Penton was acquired by Informa in 2016, and Informa subsequently sold American Machinist with a group of titles to Endeavor Business Media. The brand is now an online trade publication centered on machining, machine tools, manufacturing technology, and related industrial subjects. Its long editorial history includes Frederick A. Halsey and Fred H. Colvin as editors or coeditors, as well as Fred J. Miller, Leon P. Alford, John H. Van Deventer, and Anderson Ashburn among its editors in chief. In 1969, during Ashburn's tenure, the magazine won a National Magazine Award for a special issue examining industrial employment and the experience of a high-school dropout and parolee named John Garth. This recognition reflected the publication's willingness to address broader industrial and social questions alongside technical reporting.

• 2016

  Penton is acquired by Informa

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  Informa acquires Penton, including its portfolio of business publications.

• 2013

  Transition to online-only publishing

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The brand shifts from combined print and online publication to an online-only format.

• 1988

  Penton publishing era begins

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  American Machinist becomes a Penton title.

• 1986

  Temporary title change

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The magazine is briefly published as American Machinist & Automated Manufacturing.

• 1969

  National Magazine Award recognition

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The magazine receives a National Magazine Award for the special issue “Will John Garth Make It?”.

• 1968

  Publishing frequency is reduced

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  McGraw-Hill issues the magazine biweekly and later monthly.

• 1960

  End of the long weekly period

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The publication's continuous weekly run from 1877 through 1960 comes to an end.

• 1909

  McGraw-Hill becomes publisher

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  American Machinist becomes a McGraw-Hill title after earlier publication by New York-based publishing companies.

• 1888

  Launch of Locomotive Engineer

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The editors launch a separate publication focused on the railroad industry.

• 1879

  Publication becomes weekly

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  The title changes from a monthly schedule to weekly publication in July.

• 1877

  American Machinist is founded

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  Horace B. Miller and Jackson Bailey establish the magazine in November at 96 Fulton Street in New York City.

• Transfer to Endeavor Business Media

  [1]American Machinisten.wikipedia.org

  Informa later sells American Machinist as part of a group of titles to Endeavor Business Media.

A specialist business-to-business media brand for machining, machine tools, manufacturing technology, and industrial production professionals.

• Trade magazine · 1877

  American Machinist magazine

  The original American Machinist publication covered machining, machine tools, industrial methods, shop management, manufacturing equipment, materials, welding, testing, design, and standards. It served a professional audience ranging from machine-tool manufacturers and engineers to job-shop operators and factory personnel. The magazine was published monthly at launch, became weekly in 1879, and later moved through biweekly and monthly schedules before its print era ended.

• Digital trade publication · 2013

  American Machinist online publication

  The online edition is the continuing digital expression of the American Machinist brand. It provides trade-media coverage for machining and the machinery industries, with subject areas including machine tools, production technology, manufacturing practices, industrial equipment, automation, and related business and technical developments.

• Technical reference

  American Machinists' Handbook

  American Machinists' Handbook is an associated machinists' reference work connected with the technical-publishing tradition surrounding American Machinist. The handbook format extended the brand's practical orientation beyond periodical reporting by organizing useful information for machinists and manufacturing professionals.

• 2016

  Penton acquisition by InformaM&A

  Background

  American Machinist was part of Penton's business-media portfolio.

  Action taken

  Informa acquired Penton, bringing the publication into Informa's portfolio.

  Aftermath

  American Machinist was later included in a group of titles sold by Informa to Endeavor Business Media.

  Source

• 2013

  Transition to online-only publishingStrategy

  Background

  The trade-publishing sector was shifting toward digital distribution and continuous online updates.

  Action taken

  American Machinist ended its combined print-and-online format and moved to online-only publication.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued as a digital source of machining and machinery-industry coverage.

  Source

• 1986

  Use of the American Machinist & Automated Manufacturing titleStrategy

  Background

  Automation and advanced production technologies had become increasingly important subjects in industrial manufacturing media.

  Action taken

  The magazine was briefly published under the expanded title American Machinist & Automated Manufacturing.

  Aftermath

  The expanded title was discontinued before the publication became a Penton title in 1988.

  Source

• 1879

  Adoption of a weekly publishing scheduleStrategy

  Background

  The new magazine operated during a period of rapid industrial and technological change, creating demand for more frequent trade information.

  Action taken

  American Machinist changed from monthly publication to a weekly schedule in July 1879.

  Aftermath

  The title maintained a weekly publishing pattern for many decades, through 1960.

  Source

• Sale to Endeavor Business MediaM&A

  Background

  Informa subsequently reorganized its portfolio of business-media properties.

  Action taken

  Informa sold American Machinist as part of a group of titles to Endeavor Business Media.

  Aftermath

  Endeavor Business Media became the brand's group or house owner in the available reference material.

  Source

1. 1American Machinisten.wikipedia.org