Classes for hobby machining?

I am the same way. Same if someone is standing up front talking. What I do that helps fo reading is highlighted. I read something 1 time, highlight just the pertinent info as I read it a second time, then read the highlights before school or test or what not. Maybe one day I will get around to up loading and down loading all my notes and school papers and drawings.
gredpe3 said:
Explanation with demonstration works best with me.I have a slight reading comprehension problem.
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Thanks everyone. I have watched some of the Tubal Caine and MIT videos. They are excellent. I have also read most of the "how to run a lathe" book by Atlas. I'll have to get a copy of Walker's book.

I think I would benefit from hands-on training with an instructor - just simple things like properly grinding an HSS cutter. Tubal Caine has a good video on this but it is nothing compares to actual hands-on training.

The community colleges around here don't offer any manual machining course. They get right into CNC almost the first week. One of the local universities does offer a basic machining course on a non-credit basis to their physics and engineering majors, but they don't allow outsiders to participate. I need to check the technical / vocational schools. There may be something there.
 
I can tell you how that training will go. You will be told everything that TC say's except no teaching aids. Then sent to the grinder to grind. Then you either pass or try it again. School is worth it's weight in gold for the tricks that take years to learn. But for the basics you will be told way more info than you can digest and then sent right out to try it. Unless your a slow learner, you will be teaching your self ALOT. Certainly worth the money though
 
I have been a hobby machinist for about 1 and 1/2 years now. Never touched a lathe before, or any other metal working machines . I learned on youtube, I now have a channel and put up my videos so others can give me pointers. ie; the series on chip control, I got help from tom lipton and others that helped me grind the tool correctly for what I was trying to do. It's amazing the help that is on youtube and on places like these forums.

I am lucky to have a tool and die maker as a friend, and I met him on forums. Trying to find courses for this stuff is hard, I tried and it was expensive and for someone taking up the trade. Buy a machine and start using it, watch youtubes, post youtubes. You'll very quickly become that hobby machinist you always wanted to be.

But realize that your wallet will get very thin as you start buying everything you want. Maybe there will be a few things you need, it's the want that really blows the budget.

JPMacG said:
Thanks everyone. I have watched some of the Tubal Caine and MIT videos. They are excellent. I have also read most of the "how to run a lathe" book by Atlas. I'll have to get a copy of Walker's book.

I think I would benefit from hands-on training with an instructor - just simple things like properly grinding an HSS cutter. Tubal Caine has a good video on this but it is nothing compares to actual hands-on training.

The community colleges around here don't offer any manual machining course. They get right into CNC almost the first week. One of the local universities does offer a basic machining course on a non-credit basis to their physics and engineering majors, but they don't allow outsiders to participate. I need to check the technical / vocational schools. There may be something there.
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There is another text book that I'm currently using in my high school classes. It's title is Precision Machining Technology by Hoffman,Hopewell, Janes, Sharp. This text is geared more to the beginning student at the high school level. I used John Walker's book for many years and it is excellent. I've met Mr. Walker and even have an autographed copy of his textbook. In my experience, his text is geared more to the apprenticeship level and covers a lot of ground. This is fine in the right setting, but the Precision Machining text is more basic in it's approach to getting the student started in basic techniques on the type of machines likely to be found in the home or hobby type shop.
Both books are excellent and I use both, I think one is better for the beginner.



Precision Machining Technology -----Delmar Cengage Learning is the publisher.
ISBN-10: 1-4354-4767-0

Thanks
Gary
 
What you seek is exactly why I came to the Hobby-Machinist. I personally am more interested in how hobbyists do things than professionals on big CNC machines trying to make a profit. (not that making money is a bad thing...)

Our local JC has a few manual machines, but their primary charter is to spit out operators for the production shops. So I surf the web, join small hobbyist sites, and read. I'm one of those who can teach myself how to do something faster than some teacher in a classroom can. Blessing or curse I can't say.
 
I think those MIT vids would be an excellent addition to the stickies.I watched them all and will revisit some from time to time.I learned something from each video.
 
Whether video or reading over the years I find an interesting topic and then "gorge" on it til saturated. Along the way go try it and then go back to correct your mistakes. That way tailors itself to a person's interest and abilities in a way many classes do not. I took a lathe class once and was not experienced like the other students. The thing scared me.
 
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