They are now in the planning stages and looking for folks and times they can come. If you can or want to talk about it Private message CSudd, who posted a few before me here. Just in case you don't know how, click his name on top left of post and a box appears and then click private message. I gave him the option of the number of days, but in order to make it fly we need 6 to 10 people paying we should be able to swing a 3 day class. The last class we did in MN we had 5 guys who took the full 5 day class and 5 days is an option too if you guys want to do that. I live here so I didn't need to rent a motel room so it was cheaper then a GA class. We are estimating the costs now, but as people tell us they are coming we can make it firm amount. The more people the lower the price. I did put the costs on this here, but deleted them. I don't want to talk money in the public. Send a private message and we will exchange email address's.
Tadd who is rebuilding his South Bend Lathe and is posting his progress in this forum, was there for 2 days. The host of that class has been rebuilding his bigger then a Rung-fo Mill on his own. In that class we had 2 guys who could only come 1 day a few other did 2 days, one guy from Canada came for 4 days. I ha d a class in AL a few years ago and we did a Fri, Sat and Sun class. we had 4 full time guys and 2 no - shows. but they paid anyway. I drove 2 days to go there and 2 days back home, paid for my motel and food. I figured I about broke even. So in ll of these future classes we will need to get 1/2 down ASAP in a Bank Check or Money Order and the day of the class balance due.
I plan on flying to GA and Craig or someone will pick me up, so I can save on the car rental. He is checking on some motel group rates. I will mail or UPS my tools I need to teach the class, the airlines charge I think $75.00 for extra bags. I use to bring 2 tool boxes of tools and supplies. The class will be based around giving You the confidence and know how to rebuild your machines. I will show you how to use a precision level, how to align the ways of a machine, how to hand scrape and hand flake, I will have 4 Biax power scrapers with and those who want to know how to use them, can plus I will have a Biax power 1/2 moon scraper. Some guys in the MN class only wanted to use a hand scraper because they figured they would never buy one and only hand scrape. I don't care, that option is open to you. I will ask that everyone has a hand scraper, I can send you plns on making one, or you can buy one from a couple of sources.
You can bring along a project. The MN class a few brought a straight-edge and I helped them scrape it, one brought his Chinese Mini lathe we improved the ways on it as it come new loose and would not cut. Another couple of guys brought the compounds off their South Bend Lathes and we scraped them and fitted the gibs with wear-strips. In the AL class we had 3 years ago, we aligned the tails stock on his engine lathe he had in his shop.
In the Dallas class we rescraped the saddle ways on his Bridgeport. In my classes I teach at factories we usually level and align the lathe department lathes. I split the them up into 2 person teams and each does a lathe. I will also show everyone how to scrape a tapered gib, how to adjust it, how to replace spindle bearings, lubrication, what ever we have time for. One of the Dallas guys said " the info was like drinking from a fire hose", I had a student tell me he felt as if I was his Father teaching him so he could follow in his foot steps. I promise you after the class you will have the confidence to repair your machines. Those who take at least 3 days will receive a copy of my DVD and a work booklet of "Tips of the Trade" to keep. I also will always be ready to help you in person or on the phone is you need help. In person isn't free unless you just down the block.
I always am looking for hosts for classes, we have 2 or 3 guys in the NE who want to go to a class, but not host has come forward. I am 80% positive we will be doing one in the Bay area of CA in the spring or early summer as we have a host and a couple of people already interested. But for the GA class if your close to him, contact him directly.
Rich.
PS The hosts are free. But they have to do the organizing and supply the shop and all that intails.
