Us Navy Course

Welcome. Not sure if you're aware of a few folks on You Tube that do excellent videos for new and aspiring HSMs. I like Mr Pete 222, and Tom's Techniques. Very good basic a s well as more advanced techniques to get you making good parts & projects. Videos by Keith Fenner and OX Tools are also good.
I also recommend getting to your local community college. Most have Machine tool programs that offer continuing education courses. I've taken multiple classes at mine. I call it grown up shop class. Nothing like having a real machinist instructor teaching you the basics.
 
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Being a Navy machinist, and now a Journeyman Toolmaker, I have the Machinery Repairman book, well I did, just have to remember where I put it. MR "A" school in San Diego California took me from not even knowing how to turn a lathe on to, well here I am 32 + years later still turning and burning. I always wondered what it would be like to do the same job for 40+ years and retire. When I finally get to retire, I should be right close to 50 years machining. I just hope someone comes along that wants to learn what I have so the trade can be continued.
 
Richardsrelics,
Turning & Burning! I saw a short story about the Navy Machinists on National Geographic or Discovery channel. It was very good. Showed the shop onboard a ship and the interview with the crew. Saw them wrestling a big pump casting or similar onto a lathe to clean up.
I've visited several floating museums (US Navy aircraft carrier, battleship, and a submarine). Was fascinating to experience all the history first hand. And I always took a keen interest in the machine shops/tools on board.
 
I was fortunate to be on a Repair ship, USS Cape Cod AD-43 stationed in San Diego California. Our machine shop was very well equipped, 20 lathes from a small threading Hardinge to 2 VERY large lathes with 6 foot chucks, We also had 2 VTL's, Vertical Turret Lathes, with 8 foot OD chucks, 1 Horizontal Boring Mill, 8 Knee mills, our own grinding shop with a cylindrical grinder that could grind a 6 foot pump shaft, taper grinding as well, and even had our own plating shop. And the tool crib was to die for, oh those were the days...LOL We spent 4 months in Yokuska Japan repairing ported ships., big project was to replace ALL the Fuel transfer valves within the USS Midway. If memory serves there were 42 of them? We had our own mold shop that cast the valve bodies and our machine shop we machined valves, stems caps, nuts and hand wheels. We machined the valve bodies, then ground them so then the Machinist Mates,
(valve guru's) would lap the valves to ensure a good seal. I have a picture somewhere of the last one going out the "Sally Doors" to end the project.
Workday's were 12 hours for 3 days, then one 24 hour shift, then back to 12 hours for 3 day, and continue this for 4 months straight, no days off.. oh and to add more fun, when our ship connected to shore power, it failed to supply us with enough electricity to run so we were forced to run our power plant, read boiler plant for four months. It averaged 120 degrees in the shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...Builds character ya know...LOL
 
Very impressive. Would love to see pictures of the mold/foundry as well as your machine shop. Do you know of any repair ships that have been set up as a museum for the public to visit?
I've visited the USS North Carolina (when I was stationed at Ft. Bragg). Was a short trip to Wilmington, N.C., where she is berthed. Visited the USS Lexington down in Corpus Christie, TX. Don't remember the name of the submarine off hand. Was a WWII class diesel/electric close to where she was built. She has a small Sheldon lathe and a drill press only if I remember right.
 
gi_984 said:
Very impressive. Would love to see pictures of the mold/foundry as well as your machine shop. Do you know of any repair ships that have been set up as a museum for the public to visit?
I've visited the USS North Carolina (when I was stationed at Ft. Bragg). Was a short trip to Wilmington, N.C., where she is berthed. Visited the USS Lexington down in Corpus Christie, TX. Don't remember the name of the submarine off hand. Was a WWII class diesel/electric close to where she was built. She has a small Sheldon lathe and a drill press only if I remember right.
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I was a civilian guest of the Navy way back in '58. We were science fair winners as high school students during the Sputnik scare era. They exposed us to "war games" at sea off of San Diego. That included being submerged in a WW II diesel electric sub. For some time we had a free run of the boat. This one didn't have a machine shop. There is a maritime museum nearby me in Manitowoc WI with the USS Cobia sub open for tours. (One of the few submarines with a screen door LOL). This one didn't have a machine shop either. Just wondering why subs would or wouldn't have a machine shop.
 
I toured a sub up in that state up north of me, I am in Indiana and a HUGE Ohio State fan, so you can guess which state I am referring to. Anywho, they had one 10 inch lathe and a drill press in their "shop". If memory serves it was in the engine room. I do not remember the name nor the class of the sub...
 
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