Machinists: If You Had to Teach a Machinist Course in ONE WEEK, What Would You Cover?

Nelson

Nelson

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Machinist courses are hard to find these days. Community colleges are discontinuing them. Some trade schools are doing quite well filling in the gaps.

What if WE created a ONE WEEK machinist program, and got one of you experts to teach it (for a small honorarium of course).

What would you cover?

I am throwing this out as an idea- please fill in the blanks.

Anyone interested in doing this in your area?


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1. Basic Instruction
Basic Instruction includes a review of all safety rules and practices, …It is approximately one hour long

2. RED Certification
This class is two hours long …will be able to use the Machine Shop, but only during business hours and only shen the shop manager is present.

The following equipment is available to this group of users:

All sheet metal equipment (shear, punches and brake)
All measuring tools (rules, tape measure, calipers and micrometers)
All hand tools (hammers, screwdrivers, hacksaw, etc)
Band saws, both vertical and horizontal
Abrasive saw
Hydraulic press
Drill press
Belt sander and grinding wheels

3. GREEN Certification
The GREEN certification consists of one-on-one training and may take up to 40 hours to complete, … may use the shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

All GREEN certified students are allowed to operate all of the equipment available to the RED-certified group as well as the following tools:

Milling machines
Lathes
Surface grinder

To reach the Green level the instructor has to certify the student's compentency with the following check list:

SAWS
Competency in the use of the vertical band saw
Competency in the use of the horizontal band saw

DRILL PRESS
Exhibit a safe working knowledge of using a drill press

LATHE
Identify the three basic parts of an engine lathe
Setup lathe to face off and turn down a work piece
Center drill and drill a hole using the tailstock
Bore out the inside diameter of a part to a specific size
Cut an internal screw thread using a tap in the lathe
Cut an external screw thread using the lathe for alignment
Learn how to adjust the feeds and speeds of the lathe

MILLING MACHINE
Align the machine vise to travel parallel with the “X” axis
Ability to change tooling in the machines head
Machine a part square and parallel to a specific size
Locate the position of a hole or slot using an edge finder
Locate the center of an existing hole using a dial indicator
Demonstrate working knowledge in the use of a sine bar

MEASURING SKILLS
Competent in the use of dial calipers
Competent in the use of micrometers
 
Well, I'll bite first I guess. As a shop owner, there's simply no way I would consider any level of competency achievable in a week on some of the machines you have listed there. And I mean even after a week of one on one. Well, maybe......but only the very simple machines. And I say that thinking on the level of hiring, for pay, a "graduate" or certificate holder based on that program. In my view, a person could get enough exposure during a week in a well equipped shop to determine whether they really wanted to take this on as a training program, but not learn enough to be qualified as a machinist. Some of those machines would take more than a week by themselves to gain even a basic proficiency with. I've worked alongside some graduates of a JC program that were hired after a year in a hands on class, and been less than impressed with what they could actually do.

On the other hand, for a hobbyist, the chance to get in AFTER having "played around" with their own machines and ask questions about specific operations or tasks common in a shop, then it would be great to have that opportunity. That's because no matter how much you read, or how many youtube videos you watch, it's just not the same as having someone watch over your shoulder and stop you as you are about to make a mistake, or tell you step by step how, and more importantly why something is done a certain way.

I think the idea certainly has merit, but there's a lot to it to pull off.
 
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In a week, I think I could teach someone how to 1)use a file, 2)sharpen a drill, and if the student was particularly talented make up a bandsaw blade.

In my 4 year apprenticeship I didn't learn how to do anything, but I learned a whole bunch of things not to do.....
 
First I would test them to see who qualifies and how much they already know.
I would give them a piece of flat bar 6061 aluminum 2" wide 4" long and 1/4" thick and a drill . and a print showing the1/2" hole in the center of the bar and tell them to drill the hole.Then i would ask." What is the very first thing they should do"?
Think you know the answer" What is it?
What is it? Just for fun
 
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If we go by your proposal in the first post. IT CAN'T BE DONE. That is too much to absorb in one week. You will be lucky to get past finding out what they are capable of in the first week.

"Billy G"
 
I agree with the 1 week for each, some might require a bit less some a bit more.
But i think your idea has merit.
Some of the trig and geometry might take a week to teach, depending on how much people retain from high school/college.

would this be video based or actual in shop learning?
how do you qualify the teacher?

I do like the idea but it reminds me of this:
View attachment 52779
 
bedwards said:
"What is it? Just for fun"

Put your safety glasses on. ;-)



That's a very good answer but if your in the shop , they should already be on.Try again.
remember your a machinist. :.(

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onecut jimmy said:
bedwards said:
"What is it? Just for fun"

Put your safety glasses on. ;-)



That's a very good answer but if your in the shop , they should already be on.Try again.
remember your a machinist. :.(
Click to expand...
Thank for trying.
No It isn't a trick quetion.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Tony I still own the shop but most machinery is gone.
While I was in business I taught a class called The Art OF Machining.
My students worked for my customers. They were candidates for the machinist apprenticeship program.
The first thing I did was give all 22 of them a 1/4"/X2"X4" piece of 6061 aluminum bar stock and a drill.and a drawing.
The only operation left was to drill the 1/2" hole in the exact center of the block. The I asked . What is the very first thing you have to do?

How would you answer that question?
 
Well, I guess I would find the center of the bar first (and if im wrong then I know I will learn something else helpful here :) )
 
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