Alexander Luchars was an American publishing executive, originally from Scotland, who founded Industrial Press

Industrial Press

Industrial Press, Inc., is a privately held corporation headquartered in New York City. Its primary areas of business are publishing technical books for engineering, technology, and manufacturing....

, a large publisher of scientific and technical content, such as textbooks and reference books.

Luchars started a monthly magazine called Machinery in competition with other similar magazines in the metalworking field in 1894. (Although the history page on Industrial Press's own website says that Machinery was started "in about 1880", both the Library of Congress

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...

's catalog and the autobiography of Machinerys first chief editor, Fred H. Colvin

Fred H. Colvin

Fred Herbert Colvin was an American machinist, 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...

, place its beginning in 1894.)

In 1914, the first edition of Machinery's Handbook

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 is a classic reference work in mechanical engineering and practical workshop mechanics in one volume published by...

was published.