What Type of Machining Experience and Interest Do We Have On This Site?

What Types of Machining Interest and Experience Do We Have on This Site? (Select as many as apply.)

  • Hobby use for general fabrication & repair

    Votes: 288 84.5%
  • Business Shop owner

    Votes: 37 10.9%
  • Professional Machinist

    Votes: 59 17.3%
  • Tool ownership ie Lathe & mill

    Votes: 262 76.8%
  • Level of experience: Experienced

    Votes: 86 25.2%
  • Level of experience: Newbie

    Votes: 104 30.5%
  • Level of experience: Moderate

    Votes: 138 40.5%
  • CNC experience

    Votes: 64 18.8%
  • Formal education from a tech school

    Votes: 86 25.2%
  • Formal training in Machining

    Votes: 74 21.7%
  • Other: Specify Below

    Votes: 47 13.8%

  • Total voters
    341
First of all, my job and my hobbies are mostly the same. I am an experienced millwright, fabricator, machinist, mechanic, and carpenter. The only things I have ever hired out are auto front end alignment, and body and paint, as I don't enjoy hand sanding. I do everything else from rebuild my automatic transmissions to building computers or kithen cabinets. In my job, I am the sole mechanical support for a small manufacturing company of heated handheld tools. I have to do mechanical repair, machining, tool and die, woodwork, prototype development, HVAC, electrical, and anything else to keep the place going. I have a part time helper for facilities maintenance. I am an old school machinist, no DRO, use lantern style toolposts and hand grind tool bits, but have exposure at work to CNC lathes and high speed CNC engravers in the production departments. I believe strongly in sharing knowledge and helping others to learn new things. My motto is " It's always easier to find a reason NOT to do something"
 
I had an interest in all phases of metal working when I was in high school. Back then I was able to learn welding and aluminum foundry work in "Hot Metals" and took one year of machine shop classes, plus a year of "Special Projects" which were a joint decision between the student and instructor. I learned how to use the lathe, vertical mill, horizontal mill, surface grinder, and shaper, in addition to learning how to make some simple patterns then ram them up and pour them. Right after high school I went to work in a local machine shop and spent my days drilling the same holes over and over and over (sound familiar anyone?). Since I had grown up on a farm I had some experience with driving trucks and I suddenly found myself in that role when the company's driver quit. That appealed to me more than drilling the same hole a thousand times per day, and I soon found myself moving on to bigger trucks, eventually becoming an owner/operator.

During this time I built a number of different implements for a compact tractor that I had, including a two stage snow blower, from scratch. A friend of mine saw what I could do and invited me to apply to the maintenance department at a company where he worked. I applied, got the job, and did quite a bit of design and fabrication. They also had a full machine shop and the maintenance manager was an electrician who grew up in a machine shop that was owned by his family. I inquired about using the mill and lathe to make some parts for a project and he asked to see what I knew. He was impressed and asked where I went to school for machine shop. Of course I told him that my training was only in high school and some practical shop experience as a machine operator. He decided that I knew enough to be turned loose on the machines, and I found myself doing many of the machining projects there.

Eventually that company sold out and everything was moved to Ohio. I worked in the maintenance department for a couple of companies since then but found myself back driving a truck to pay the bills, as I still am. Machining has become an enjoyable past time for me and my oldest son now wants to learn, as does his daughter. I guess I will have plenty to do in my free time!
 
Whooee. Boy am I a rookie.
So far, up to an including today, I have about, oh I don't know, maybe six or eight hours running an old milling machine on Plexiglas (and that about 40 years ago) and no other machine tool experience whatsoever.
I'm not able to work a job and have gotten curious about CNC machinery and 3D printing, closely related skills. I have a couple of Russian motorcycles and can see myself making custom parts for them, and pieces for my 27' sailboat. Mostly I am interested in the learning process itself, and I'm confident that after I obtain and learn to operate CNC machines I'll be able to figure out things to do with them. Motorcycle hobbyists never run out of goodies they'd like to have.
At my current stage I am trying to learn how best to choose affordable machines, probably to convert to CNC.
Jeff

Jeff
Vietnam vet - Patriot Guard rider
sent from my Android phone
 
I started in the trade as a Tool Designer fresh out of high school. I worked at an extrusion shop and also a shop that made automotive bearings for a few years doing tool design. I didn't like it, so I quit and took a job in a shop that made air moving equipment ie grain dryers, mainly large props running a radial drill press. I did that a few months before starting on lathes. I worked there for about a year and started at Rockwell in the Power Tool Division as a Setup Man and Group Leader. Two years into that job and I was laid off due to the shop closing. I was out of work for a few months until I started working for Grimes Manufacturing in the Model Shop making prototypes for aircraft lighting. After a couple of years in there, the department shut down and I again found myself in Tool Design. Man, I hated sitting behind a desk. About a year after the desk job, I ended up bidding on a job in the Tool Room where I worked until I had to take disability. I worked 30+ years for Grimes which eventually became Honeywell through a couple of purchases. At the very end, I was the lead Toolmaker in our department. Over the years, I have taught quite a few to learn CNC and also machining and designing. I miss working there as it was an exciting job with something different every day. When the lead Die man retired, I had to take over his position building and repairing dies, which eventually led to having to retire on disability. Ten shoulder surgeries total with five total replacements, four revisions, and a scraping, left me with an arm that I cannot use today and in constant pain. But upon retiring, I did manage to purchase a Lagun manual mill and a new JET 14" x 40" lathe. It gives me something to do to pass the time when I feel like I can stand running them. At least I can get a few hours of machine time once in a while to keep the cobwebs out of the brain.
 
Hobby shop - mostly dirt bikes & general auto maintenance

Most impressive poll categories are hobby shop guys and tool ownership. Lots of us taking advantage of affordable or used tooling.

Even though it's not polled, there are some savy daughters, growing up under Dad's training. If we have women in the armed forces, fire /police, riding street or dirt bikes, they're in the shop as well.

Welcome, even if you continue to lurk:))
 
I have no experience or training whatsoever in machining, never made so much as a 'chip', but I have always had a fascination and respect for anyone who could make their own parts out of metal. I wanted to be one of those people so here I am. I am not afraid to try and fail....in the name of learning experience. I love machine shops and machine tools.

I am building a kit helicopter and wanted to make custom parts for it, asthetic, or otherwise non crucial to flight pieces. I bought a lathe (14"x40"), mill, press, and assortment of other machining tools, odd's 'n' ends, probably 100 pieces, all together as a package from an elderly gent who could no longer physically use them. ....I still feel guilty for the price I paid for everything, but he wouldn't take a penny more, happy that everything went together to a good home.

The helicopter project starts this Fall. In the meantime, I plan on learning, firing up the machine tools, and practice making......punches, or something similar.

Mylo
 
I have no experience or training whatsoever in machining, never made so much as a 'chip', but I have always had a fascination and respect for anyone who could make their own parts out of metal. I wanted to be one of those people so here I am. I am not afraid to try and fail....in the name of learning experience. I love machine shops and machine tools.

I am building a kit helicopter and wanted to make custom parts for it, asthetic, or otherwise non crucial to flight pieces. I bought a lathe (14"x40"), mill, press, and assortment of other machining tools, odd's 'n' ends, probably 100 pieces, all together as a package from an elderly gent who could no longer physically use them. ....I still feel guilty for the price I paid for everything, but he wouldn't take a penny more, happy that everything went together to a good home.

The helicopter project starts this Fall. In the meantime, I plan on learning, firing up the machine tools, and practice making......punches, or something similar.

Mylo
I myself have a passion for aircraft and work in Mexican Aerospace Components machinning from molds, dies, hydroforming dies for aircraft structures, turbo compressors and so on. If I can be of help once you get to the tough materials will be glad to help.
regards
 
I have no experience or training whatsoever in machining, never made so much as a 'chip', but I have always had a fascination and respect for anyone who could make their own parts out of metal. I wanted to be one of those people so here I am. I am not afraid to try and fail....in the name of learning experience. I love machine shops and machine tools.

I am building a kit helicopter and wanted to make custom parts for it, asthetic, or otherwise non crucial to flight pieces. I bought a lathe (14"x40"), mill, press, and assortment of other machining tools, odd's 'n' ends, probably 100 pieces, all together as a package from an elderly gent who could no longer physically use them. ....I still feel guilty for the price I paid for everything, but he wouldn't take a penny more, happy that everything went together to a good home.

The helicopter project starts this Fall. In the meantime, I plan on learning, firing up the machine tools, and practice making......punches, or something similar.

Mylo

Makes me feel a little better knowing there's at least one more rank beginner besides me!
Jeff
 
I was apprenticed as a fitter/turner, trained on millingmachine, lathe turning, shaping machine, tool grinding, hand scraping, sheet metal work, welding (gas & electric arc), basic hacksaw and file handwork to 1/2 thou accuracy (that was 9 months of torture). It was a good grounding.

a long time since I worked these tools and methods, sine bars, tool makers buttons etc. I guess it may take some refresher training to bring it all back.

I'm learing/reading about CNC control drivers and programming, I want to make a cnc router/mill that has reasonable tolerance parts, not just an MDF or plywood based model.

interested to learn more as I go along and share my knowledge and experiences.

regards

Colin
 
file handwork to 1/2 thou accuracy (that was 9 months of torture). It was a good grounding.

Was this in the 40's or 50's?

I know a life long machinist who trained first with file skill.
 
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