Rate your fun/satisfaction in relation to your equipment

[core-oil]

Hi Guys,

Given that by reason we are all on the forum, shows somewhere in our make up we must have a deepseated love of machinery & the machanical arts now also some of us have over the years built up a fair collection of machines or tools, which we really treasure, & These items make out task in manufacturing miscellaneous items a bit easier , or cut out the extreme drudgery, (which in any manufacturing scenario is the name of the game)

Now for a question to the guys who have progressed a bit, Firstly,, When your workshop was pretty basic , Did achieving a particular outcome in manufacturing some item/repairing something or teaching yourself a skill, ( Upon looking back on those times,) Do you think you had more job satisfaction then, than now with more advanced equipment?


Also how did things work out differently from what you set out to do?
Did anyone mentor your efforts, or inspire you &how? Or did seeing some spectacular mechanical masterpiece inspire you to start up

For the guys starting up, Is todays times harder than say thirty years ago, What item of plant do you really wish for
Is anyone mentoring you or helping you on a practical level? Can you think on anything that inspired you to get going as well

 

[rbhodges]

For me it was not as much getting that great piece of machinary. It was realizing that this machine was not much good with tooling to with it. My old George Taylor milling machine is nice, but collets, a decent vise, a set of parellels, and a kind of cheap clamping set. Make this machine into somethig that can really do work. I guess its more to do with whats in my tool box than a machine itself. I have an old Clausing 100 that is quite frankly kind of warn out. However I have the tooling to use with it, and I can still make decent parts on it.

Rick

 

[Ray C]

Interesting questions with some of my responses inside your quote in Red font.

Ray

Hi Guys,

Given that by reason we are all on the forum, shows somewhere in our make up we must have a deepseated love of machinery & the machanical arts now also some of us have over the years built up a fair collection of machines or tools, which we really treasure, & These items make out task in manufacturing miscellaneous items a bit easier , or cut out the extreme drudgery, (which in any manufacturing scenario is the name of the game)

Now for a question to the guys who have progressed a bit, Firstly,, When your workshop was pretty basic , Did achieving a particular outcome in manufacturing some item/repairing something or teaching yourself a skill, ( Upon looking back on those times,) Do you think you had more job satisfaction then, than now with more advanced equipment?

I always had a good sense of what could be done within the limits of the tools and equipment available at the time. In the beginning, when I "manufactured" something, it was usually out of necessity or, at the very least, to save myself a ton of money and/or labor cost. That being the case, there was always satisfaction in finishing a task. The reward was self-evident.

As things are now, I do some routine/mundane work -and it's always satisfying because I love machines, metal and all the technology surrounding it. For my own pet projects (which are numerous) some are basic and are done for the same reasons (saving money) as before. Since I'm a frugal son of a gun, I still enjoy it and I test myself to see how few operations and with increased levels of precision I can accomplish the task.

For the complicated projects (e.g. I completely designed from the ground-up a 2 stage gas turbine engine which hopefully will be capable of supersonic flight -as well as other design goals) I enjoy the entire experience. Often times, it requires weeks of building preliminary fixtures and devices to test the theoretical calculations. When it comes time to work on the metal parts, I'm shooting for tenths (0.0001") and the tranquility of setting it up and executing is always satisfying. BTW: My equipment is not all that advanced -just fairly new and/or well maintained and predictable equipment.


Also how did things work out differently from what you set out to do?

The projects usually end-up just about the way I expect them. Things often take a little longer than what meets my expectations but it's usually for good reason and not something unforeseen (such as struggling with large heavy things single-handedly etc).


Did anyone mentor your efforts, or inspire you &how? Or did seeing some spectacular mechanical masterpiece inspire you to start up

My father was a tool & die maker (old school) and two uncles were machinists and metallurgists (respectively). We had an industrial lathe and mill in the garage and after endless hours of watching my father, I just knew how to do it. As a small kid, I hung-out at the local repair station where I would sit at at the bench and disassemble things for them -usually taking solenoids off starters etc... I then worked there through college. My mother was a librarian and part-time school teacher and she taught me how to learn. -And I was good at math.

For the guys starting up, Is todays times harder than say thirty years ago, What item of plant do you really wish for

Can't really comment... I work in a technical but unrelated area and just have a tiny pt-business doing what I like. What do I wish for? A bigger space to work and an early retirement.

Is anyone mentoring you or helping you on a practical level? Can you think on anything that inspired you to get going as well

No mentors. I'm good at self-study and try like heck to push myself to do cool stuff. Inspiration: Just like doing things with my hands. Also, there are certain aspects of my professional career that are undesirable and in the cocoon of my work-shop all things are under my control -and that's a good thing because I make things happen my way, on my terms. -The way it should be.... this in itself is inspiring.

 

[rebush]

t

Hi Guys: When I started had to do all the layouts with marking fluid. then set up and machine with a magnifying glass close by. Parts fit together and I was always amazed. Upgraded a machine and added a DRO to a lathe and my mill. Now I know exactly were I'm going and how to get there. If anything machining is more satisfying now that I know I'm in the right spot.
I enjoy building model engines. Have been lucky in finding a guy who builds models also but is light years ahead of me when it comes to machining. He's always answers my questions and helps when I'm stuck. I've picked up alot on my own, but, it's nice to have someone to show you a easier way to accomplish something.
After 37 years as a cabinet and furniture maker I'm good at seeing the end product in raw material. Working in metal is more challenging, which for me makes it more enjoyable.Roger`