Classes for hobby machining?

JPMacG

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H-M Supporter - Silver Member
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Mar 22, 2014
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I am looking for training in operating a manual mill and lathe. For me this will be a hobby - I have no desire to make it a profession. The community colleges and trade schools around here (eastern PA) are aimed at CNC work. They might spend a week on conventional machining and then the next 12 weeks on programming.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
 
I watch you tube even though I do not own a lathe. Lots of good beginner insruction. I have the time and try to watch a new topic every week. I do not know if evening adult classes exist any more, but jr colleges (? and high schools) used to have classes in welding and machining at nite.
 
Explanation with demonstration works best with me.I have a slight reading comprehension problem.
 
Check the local technical colleges. In our area there is Madison Area Technical College (Now known as Madison College). Over the years they've had both a Technical Degree program and an Apprentice program. When manual skilled labor seen as an undesirable occupation they dropped the apprentice program. Now that there's actually a shortage of skilled machinists they've reinstated that program and added several adult evening classes to accommodate the hobbyists and try to lure more of the younger generation back into the field.

A few years ago I was looking for some new machines for the shop. The local dealer suggested I take one of the evening classes to get access to the types and styles of machines I was looking for. I checked out their machines and found they had 12 different models and brands of the machines I was considering. I took a 13 week class and was able to try out all 12 of the machines.

The classes were multi level. From experienced machinists looking for access to machines they didn't have in their shops, to hobbyists, to students interested in possible future careers as machinists. The supervision ran from instructional to those new to the trade, advice for hobbyists, to free reign of the machinery once you proved competency with each piece you wanted to use.

I forgot to add earlier that the evening classes are centered around the manual machines. There are at least a dozen lathes, 10 vertical milling machines, 4 horizontal mills, a dozen surface grinders, and all the necessary support equipment
 
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