I thought some of you might be interested in the thoughts of a machinist from 1887 concerning accuracy, error, and precision in his day. He compares two identical lathes commissioned by two different shops, one that was specified by the purchaser to be built in a "good and workman-like manner" and the other specified to exacting tolerances on 65 measurements of the bed, head, tail, spindle, etc.
This is rather long read in Victorian English. If you don't like to read, don't bother.
American Machinist, August 26th, 1887, Small Error Limits in Large Lathes, by John Randol:
http://books.google.com/books?id=TL8cAQAAMAAJ&dq=lathe%20indicator&pg=PA614#v=onepage&q&f=false
This is rather long read in Victorian English. If you don't like to read, don't bother.
American Machinist, August 26th, 1887, Small Error Limits in Large Lathes, by John Randol:
http://books.google.com/books?id=TL8cAQAAMAAJ&dq=lathe%20indicator&pg=PA614#v=onepage&q&f=false