How many of you are MACHINISTS for a living?

Journeyman Millwright, Journeyman Welder, electronics technician, computer technician, retired Voluntold Fire Fighter with a side of Machinst.

Currently own and run a small tool repair shop. Also take on small welding and machining jobs.

Walter
 
I was till I retired in a job shop but no production at all. production shops are to boring.:nono:



Well I guess I am back into the trade as my rat machine shop is been busy for 1 & 1/2 months working on vintage Jaguar parts, careful what you wish for as you might just get it:rofl:
More $$$ to buy more toys:thinking:
 
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Journeyman Tool & Die maker that has been instructing students at a community college since August of 06.......Don't know if this still counts me as a professional anymore or not. I now have an eleven month contract that means I'm under contract for 203 days a year vs. the 350 days that I used to put in working for Eaton Corp.

Get the opportunity to help out local businesses with the machining prototypes and making parts with the rapid prototyping machine to print off parts. Also helping out area companies from time - time with machining that they do not have the capabilities to do. This is most commonly done with the wire EDM.
 
I just want to make the comment that I an just a little surprised (pleasantly) that so many of our members are very experienced, and in a variety of the disciplines in machine work. It makes for a large knowledge base for those who join as hobbyists to learn from the rest of the group.

And I want you heavy-weights to know that I appreciate the experience and insight that those with such experience bring to the group. Thank you!
 
I just want to make the comment that I an just a little surprised (pleasantly) that so many of our members are very experienced, and in a variety of the disciplines in machine work. It makes for a large knowledge base for those who join as hobbyists to learn from the rest of the group.

And I want you heavy-weights to know that I appreciate the experience and insight that those with such experience bring to the group. Thank you!

My thoughts exactly, and it's also nice to know that you professionals enjoy your work so much that you are on here in your spare time as well..

Bernard
 
I was a machinist for around 15 years. CNC's took the fun out of the trade for me, so I went another direction. I usually found the oldest meanest guys in the shop. I hung around them, and took their abuse until they took me under their wings. They showed me how to get things done. That also made me into a dinosaur that mostly had experience on manual machines. When I finally got into CNC machines late in my career, I hated it so I moved on.



That is similar to my beginnings in the early 60s.
Some of those old farts/toolmakers....were hard to get along with, but they grow on you after awhile.:lmao:

I really loved teaching the youngins how to set up and operate those old manual machines, before the advent of NCs and CNCs.

I used to tell the trainees, "Your only goal in life is to be better than me".
The good ones stuck with the Trade.
 
I ran a luguin mill 25 years ago. Thats about it. Smoothing out x-ray grids.
Did that job in Carlsbad, CA for a year or so, then quit.

Worked for six years, at a place in Oceanside, CA, before Carlsbad, did a little more machining
junk, almost cut my finger off with a surface grinder thingy, think it was a tool grinder,
the one with 2 grinding wheels, maintenance mechanic there.


charl
 
Not any more I retired in 07. So now it is just a hobby.

Thanks for all the emails. I didn't really expect it to an old retired fart like me.

Happy holidays.

barn
 
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Journeyman machinist, first priority, journeyman millwright, second, licensed electrician, third. Been making a living at this stuff since '69, plus lathe, mill, welding equipment and related things at home. I've never stopped enjoying the challenges of the work, but I'm also sorta obsolete, stayed on the manual machine tools.
 
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