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Lindsay’s Technical Books ended its catalog-order business after February 28, 2013, according to a notice reported in Make on November 12, 2012. The announcement closed a distinctive source for practical technical books—not the books themselves or the projects they described.
What Lindsay’s announcement said
Make’s November 2012 article reproduced the order notice: “No orders accepted after February 28.” The article reported that Lindsay would stop accepting catalog orders after February 28, 2013. It did not say that the titles or the subjects they covered would disappear.
The timing matters: this is a historical account of a 2012 announcement, not a current inventory notice. The article described Lindsay’s catalog as containing more than 300 titles at the time. It recalled an unusually broad range of practical and historical subjects, including locomotive boilers, hand-scraping metal, foundry work, neon signs, and metalworking. Read the Make article.
Why the catalog was notable
Lindsay’s books served readers interested in hands-on technical skills and older methods that could be difficult to find in mainstream publishing. A standout example in the Make article was Dave Gingery’s seven-book sequence, which starts with a charcoal-fueled foundry and moves through building a lathe, metal shaper, milling machine, drill press, dividing head, and sheet-metal brake.
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That description explains the series’ appeal as a practical, step-by-step project collection. It is not a current safety assessment or a recommendation to attempt foundry work; readers considering such projects need appropriate training, equipment, and safety guidance.
What happened to the books afterward?
A David J. Gingery Publishing links page says Lindsay had retired and identifies Your Old Time Book Store as the official source for Lindsay books. The page also lists Camden Miniature Steam in Great Britain and Plough Book Sales in Australia as Gingery-book sellers, and Budget Casting Supply as a source for casting supplies and some Gingery books. These listings are leads, not confirmation that a particular title or edition is in stock today. Check the seller’s current listing before ordering. See the Gingery Publishing links page.
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If you are looking for a specific book, search by its exact title—such as The Charcoal Foundry or Dave Gingery’s Build Your Own Machine Shop from Scrap series—and verify the edition, seller, and availability. A casting-supply retailer is not necessarily a book source for every title.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the historical record establishes
The Make article reports that Lindsay Publications was incorporated in Illinois in 1984. Its author also said he believed he had found the company’s first advertisement in Popular Science, in October 1973; that date is presented as the author’s belief, not as a confirmed founding date. The article does not establish current prices, present-day inventory, or availability through any particular large retailer.
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