At what point are you considered a "Machinist"?

Over my life of many years, I have become a machinist, janitor, window washer, cook, gardener, computer tech, chauffer, errand boy, painter, auto mechanic, electrician, plumber, loafer, retiree, comedian, doctor, accountant, king, peasant, joker, friend, neighbor, mechanical designer, checker, drafter, engineer, fabricator, welder, well, you get the idea. Labels, labels, labels. :encourage:

And for you guys going to the beach, backwoods, and other exotic vacation spots, I'll have you know there is no other place I dream of most than just being in my shop playing. My shop is my vacation spot and sanctuary from the rest of the world, no point in going anywhere else and wasting my time and money. So you may thrust any title you like on me, I will gladly except it.
 
My answer is first to generally clarify that in my experience, some machinists are dedicated on a lathe, mill etc.. and others are Toolmakers who can use all the workshop machines on a very high level.
The question can only be accurately answered by fully apprenticed machinists. Only they know what there is to learn, there is no way any self taught machine owner or operator knows the knowledge required to tackle making components accurately, safely & economically. In a fully skilled toolroom untrained operators certainly won't get the decent bucks. If it is discovered that an untrained worker gets the skilled rate the skilled men will quickly down tools. Most toolrooms I've worked in won't even allow unskilled workers anywhere near the machines.
You have to make the sacrifice of being poor for the first 5 years or so from leaving school & passing every exam to keep your job. I hope this explains what professional machinists and toolmakers expect a fellow machinist to be. You can understand now how important it is to tradesmen to safeguard their trade.
 
Where I apprenticed , they had machine operators along with the apprentices . The operators made more $$$$ than the apprentices and were stuck on one machine only . They didn't move thru-out the shop , so they stayed operators only . We had the good with the bad . In 2 years the apprentices were making more money than the operators . Completing your 4rth year you were well versed on every piece of equipment in the plant as you were moved every 3-4 months . After your 5th completed year , you held the title of Tool and Die maker . You were able to design , machine , harden , grind and finish your own projects with no help . You ran the job thru the plant . When layoff times came around , the multi skilled stayed , the non/less skilled went . What I can truthfully say , the apprenticships included all the math skills ( algebra , geometry , trigonometry , technical math ) that would ever be needed by a machinist . It's a 5 year journey that most didn't complete . I have my Tool and Die papers thru the state of Md . Proud of them but these days don't mean a thing as all the shops have closed up due to no workers going into the trade . The main reason I stuck with it ?




All the good jobs were taken . ;)
 
T
Parlo said:
My answer is first to generally clarify that in my experience, some machinists are dedicated on a lathe, mill etc.. and others are Toolmakers who can use all the workshop machines on a very high level.
The question can only be accurately answered by fully apprenticed machinists. Only they know what there is to learn, there is no way any self taught machine owner or operator knows the knowledge required to tackle making components accurately, safely & economically. In a fully skilled toolroom untrained operators certainly won't get the decent bucks. If it is discovered that an untrained worker gets the skilled rate the skilled men will quickly down tools. Most toolrooms I've worked in won't even allow unskilled workers anywhere near the machines.
You have to make the sacrifice of being poor for the first 5 years or so from leaving school & passing every exam to keep your job. I hope this explains what professional machinists and toolmakers expect a fellow machinist to be. You can understand now how important it is to tradesmen to safeguard their trade.
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Thanks
mmcmdl said:
Where I apprenticed , they had machine operators along with the apprentices . The operators made more $$$$ than the apprentices and were stuck on one machine only . They didn't move thru-out the shop , so they stayed operators only . We had the good with the bad . In 2 years the apprentices were making more money than the operators . Completing your 4rth year you were well versed on every piece of equipment in the plant as you were moved every 3-4 months . After your 5th completed year , you held the title of Tool and Die maker . You were able to design , machine , harden , grind and finish your own projects with no help . You ran the job thru the plant . When layoff times came around , the multi skilled stayed , the non/less skilled went . What I can truthfully say , the apprenticships included all the math skills ( algebra , geometry , trigonometry , technical math ) that would ever be needed by a machinist . It's a 5 year journey that most didn't complete . I have my Tool and Die papers thru the state of Md . Proud of them but these days don't mean a thing as all the shops have closed up due to no workers going into the trade . The main reason I stuck with it ?




All the good jobs were taken . ;)
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Thank you
 
wrmiller said:
Oh the labels we love and cling to.... :D

I'll stick with Chief Tinkerer.
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I love this word ---- I wonder if the non-professionals here are as confused as I am?
1. Compared with professional turners, milling workers, grinders, etc., both speed and skills are far away.
2. Because of the number of contacts, we must not understand the material characteristics and processing parameters better than professional personnel.
3. When it comes to difficult production, our backup technical support must be far less than that of professional processing industry.
4. The shock of seeing the exquisite parts produced by professionals, and the helplessness of professionals in the face of failure many times, both worship and disdain.
5. Most of the time I think my ability is higher than most mechanics, but I think that once the factory for professional processing operations will be unable to start. This sense of arrogance and inferiority continued throughout my production cycle.
6. When you enter the shop you are familiar with and operate the equipment you are familiar with, you are instantly confident that there is no mechanical part in the world that you cannot make.
I don't know if you have the same confusion here.
Yes, we have the same hobbies, I love your wide range of professional experience and look forward to visiting your shop!
 
verbotenwhisky said:
Is he a drafter or a designer? There is a difference.
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How can a draftsman be distinguished from a designer?
Let's make a hypothesis: if you can't draw at all (hand drawn or computer drawn), but you can draw and communicate with the draftsman to give you a very creative drawing according to your requirements, you can define as a designer?
Please forgive my question, because it has confused me for a long time!
 
a smile said:
How can a draftsman be distinguished from a designer?
Let's make a hypothesis: if you can't draw at all (hand drawn or computer drawn), but you can draw and communicate with the draftsman to give you a very creative drawing according to your requirements, you can define as a designer?
Please forgive my question, because it has confused me for a long time!
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Generally speaking, based on industry standards a Designer can create designs. A Draftsman takes designs and makes working detail drawings.
 
projectnut said:
I’m probably showing my age one more time. The first CAD system we used was Auto Trol. It was a mainframe system.
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The first cad program I was trained on in College was an Auto Trol GS1000 running on a Vax 11780
 
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