Machinist BS Thread

Just wondering how many machinist are on here?

I'm only 2 years out of ISU computerized machining tech program.

I'd love to get some more manuals @ home and already have a craftsman 6x18.

First job I had was in the medical industry which I loved the parts despite all the documentation. While I was there I got experience in wire EDM, gun drilling/sharpening, Swiss lathes, and realized how much I liked Mori Seiki NL series lathes.

Now I work on farm equipment for $4 more an hour and a LOT more relaxed environment. I'm now pretty proficient with Mazak Lathes since most of our machines are Mazak.

Love to have a place to BS about work, personal projects, etc.

@bullaculla aren't you a lead machinist?

 

Hey man, just another machinist checking in!

My first real job at a local machine shop, I started out at the bottom as a shop bitch, fresh out of school and knowing everything. My duties included sweeping up metal chips, organizing the steel rack, and being the saw boy.

Fast forward 8 years later...

I'm currently in aerospace tooling. It's another world, coming from a job shop/production environment. I build, modify, and maintain aircraft tools and assembly fixtures.

My dream was to have a shop at home filled with a couple mills, lathes, and fab equipment. But, family and kids squashed that idea lol.

 

Lucky! I wish there was more Aerospace close to me!

I'm trying to get some manuals just so my boys understand how much work goes into some stuff and so they are crafty

 

Been maching for almost 17 years. Love the trade and the Mazak mills.

 

You like Mazatrol on the mills? I can't stand running our 640 controller using mazatrol. Our newer 530 mill is fun to use the renishaw probes on

 

If I had the opportunity to buy one cnc mill and lathe, they both will be Mazaks with Mazatrol. It's been more than 11 years since I've ran a Mazak lathe, but you can't go wrong with a Mazak mill. In my opinion Fadal and Haas can't compare to a Mazak.

 

Yeah I'd have to agree on the Mazak better than Haas or fadal. I love my Mazak 350 at work

 

Where I work each journeyman machinists get to do his own pre planning, set up, programming, production and inspection. If there's a tool you need to get the job done, the shop will get it. I get to machine a lot of prototype parts. Very rare do I get runs of 10 or more. Usually one or twos. So I have to be on my game. If I strike, the part is scrap. Machining to me is an art. Every part that comes off my mill has my signature on it. Our inspection department know which machinist completed which job by part finish and deburred skills.

 

Your lucky! The jobs I have applied for are doing the same process. I was only an operator at the previous job. I also do parts as if my name/reputation is on each one.

I do like how lax it is here because I can custom stuff on lunches

 

You guys got it made with all the CNC machines, I work in a job shop with wore out manual machines.

 

We have some manuals that I have to do a bunch of custom work. Other machinist there stay by their machine while I run from the manuals, cnc broacher, Haas HMC and Mazak QT MY 350

 

Same here. I run a shop with super old manual machines at Pearl Harbor naval shipyard. I did buy myself a small tormach and am teaching myself CNC in my garage. I also have a manual mini lathe and mini mill in my home shop.

 

Looking into a mini mill and mini lathe just for shits and giggles, I figure with a little welding knowledge, and some very basic machining knowledge I can make almost anything I need.
Converting the mini mill to CNC would be interesting as well, I always enjoy messing with CAD.

 

Machinist from KCMO checking in!

 

Any of y’all do engine machining type work?
Buddy had a valve job done.
#4 cylinder burnt exhaust Valves.
Gets back head
New exhaust valves in #2
Reused old exhaust valves in #4
To me this doesn’t seem right.
What are your thoughts please.

 

Machinist here as well, with 30+ years at this trade. I started in my best friends parents garage making parts on a Bridgeport trace mill at 15 years old (child labor).

I have made parts for just about every industry, from aerospace and medical to firearms, etc. And I have experience programming, setting up and running CNC mills (4 axis), lathes, wire EDM and deep engraving with our ACSYS laser. I am currently managing an American watchmaking shop, where we are making pretty much everything except the movement. (movement is in the works somewhere, hopefully sooner than later)


Here is a picture of my most recent part. A case back for a pilots watch, with some fun 3D engraving on it.

 

That's cool.

I know this is a hard question to answer, due to a lot of variables..
But, how long would you say it'd take to become fairly familiar with operating some of the equipment in a machine shop, like a CNC and other stuff? generally speaking.

 

Very nice. What’s the material and surface finish from? Bead blast?

I’m still sad about the Collings foundation B17 that was lost last year. Their fleet is beautiful.

 

Hi, Not a machinist by trade or education. Self taught, but a few years back I bought a mill to learn and make stuff. Now I have a mini mill and learned how to make some stuff. I have been using Fusion 360 for my modeling and cam generation. It has been a blast. The nice thing is you can make a model and do the tool paths, simulate the cuts to see if you are going to make a mistake. Even modeled up a part that we needed then sent the step file to a metal printer. Anyway just wanted to say hi.