So I'm a machinist now?

SamI

Registered
Registered
Joined
May 31, 2018
Messages
184
So it looks as though I am making an unscheduled departure from 9-5 work and in an effort not to have to go and get another I've been having a long hard think. I already run a small business in my spare time jewellery making (yes, I'm one of those Damascus steel guys you see popping up on YouTube - although I don't actually post on YouTube). I started that 3 years ago and before then the closest I had come to being a machinist was picking up a cordless drill. Not deterred by this I bought myself a mini lathe and quickly became hooked on machining.

Inspired by the thread B & A precision on Practical Machinist (a very long read!) I thought I'd document where I came from and where I'm going and hopefully provide some entertainment along the way. There is a good chance I'll get bored of doing this and / or forget in the coming months but I'll try to keep the thread updated.
***MODS: If you feel that this is inappropriate then please feel free to delete. I am not doing this to promote myself or my services and as such will post no links to my websites or mention my company name unless asked to do so via PM. My intention is to post general machine shop related stuff - I'll try and keep any commercial / financial stuff to a minimum***

I started out on my coffee table in the living room. We had a 6 month old daughter at the time. Once she learnt to crawl under the coffee table I was promptly banished to the cold and dark shed (she came out covered in swarf one day and the wife was now impressed! A couple of days later a hot carbide insert cracked and landed on her whilst she was watching TV - that was the final straw!). The shed was small and full of junk. Power was from an extension lead running through the cat flap (cat wasn't too happy). About 18 months later and with our second daughter on the way we moved to a new house - with a single garage! I had to run power out there but a few weeks later and some very blistered hands I had run a 10 mm armoured cable 3' deep through our very rocky terrain and had power to my workshop! :xmaslights:

294201
(This picture was actually taken a while later. I have these hard lumps on my palm which are very prone to blistering!)

I'm annoyed I don't have any pictures of any of the above to share with you (apart from my manky palms). But fast forward another 18 months and I am beginning to outgrow the single garage. I invested in a new lathe - a Warco GH 1330 , 13" x 40" (I believe of Taiwanese origin) and I wanted a milling machine. This was simply not going to fit in my garage (yes, I checked, measured, re-measured etc.).

So I moved the workshop away from the house. Yes, the "commute" is a pain but it's 25 minutes along dual carriageway with no traffic. I can live with that.

Welcome to my new workshop!

294190

Had to climb quite high up to take that!

294191

Those pictures were taken a couple of months ago but apart from a bit of tidying and moving the racking around a little it remains much the same. Except that is for the work bench. I built that myself from scratch but I am now finding out that, as a flat surface it is a magnet for clutter. I'm going to have to have a long hard think about storage. I'm thinking a trolley, cart or even a new roller tool box cab would be good for storing in process parts on. I put some drawers into the work bench but I'm frightened they'll become full of crap so, for the most part they are empty! I'll have to sort something out here. At least I should have the time going forwards!

294192

294193

Anyway, back to my situation as of today. I find myself in need of income. Now I'll admit right here - I am NOT a great machinist! :laughing: I can make good parts but out of tolerance is a phrase not unknown to me! I'm learning though and I'm enjoying myself. A while ago I started taking in paying machining work - not because I needed it. Far from it - I have been so busy, working 9-5 Mon-Fri, studying for a Master of Engineering degree and my jewellery making business that I barely have time to think. But I love the challenge. I love working out how to make complex (to me at least) parts and trying to machine them as fast as possible within the constraints of my machinery (sometimes pushing it's limits - I've had a few bits rip out of the chuck before and I'll often stall the machine trying to push the DOC before I find the maximum the machine can handle :oops2:). I am getting more conservative with my workholding now though! It is NOT fun trying to dodge 3-1/2" steel bar stock flying from the machine! :cautious:

I now have a handful of good customers. Repeat customers even with ongoing work - I've actually been turning them away recently. Previous work has been predominantly prototype runs and now they're coming back wanting me to machine small to medium sized production runs! :eek:

So when I found out that I was to be loosing my day job I saw an opportunity. To do something I love full time. Hey, it might not work out but I figure I've got a few months to try to make it work. I'll be so much happier working for myself that I've got to give it a chance.

So I've got to learn to become a "professional" machinist and quickly! I need to expand my workshop to allow me to take on more work (I'm screaming for a milling machine and I'm desperate for a CNC lathe!). I also need to develop a product! Something that I can work on when I'm quiet that can sell throughout the year. I've got a few ideas but haven't had the time to develop them - until now! The next few months will be a huge struggle for me but it is an adventure that I'm thrilled to be on!

As I said earlier, mods, if you feel that this thread is not in keeping with this forum then please feel free to delete - I will understand!

Anyway, enough of my rambling! Here's just a few of the parts that I've worked on recently. Enjoy:

A linkage bolt for a mountain bike. Broken one behind it for reference:

294194

A funnel for a local laboratory. Theses are sold commercially but require a number of adaptors to fit the bottles they use which have a habit of leaking. These fit perfectly!

294195

294196

An axle adaptor:

294197

Some rollers for a bending jig in the making. Heat treated to 52 HRC (tested) after machining.

294198

Modification of an alternator pulley:

294199

And some axle adaptors:

294200
 
Thanks! I'm nervous but pretty excited by the whole thing. I doubt I'll ever grow into a full production shop or anything like that but if I can get by for a while doing something that I love then I'll be happy!
 
Really and truly wish you all the best in your new venture, Saml!
 
All the best to you, Saml. I like your attitude. I think it will take you a long way.

As for:
It is NOT fun trying to dodge 3-1/2" steel bar stock flying from the machine! :cautious:
Au contraire! It IS fun dodging such a projectile. It's NOT fun when you don't dodge it. ;)

Tom
 
Au contraire! It IS fun dodging such a projectile. It's NOT fun when you don't dodge it. ;)

Tom

I think that you and i have a different definition of fun! ;) But yes, i can see how that, on a scale of fun, not dodging it would be far lower down! It's all relative I suppose.

I was actually surprised it flew out. I was using the external jaws on a 6" 3 jaw with only about 1.5 x diameter stick out although I guess the jaws themselves don't really have much contact area. I moved it into the 8" 4 jaw after that incident and finished the job on the same set of underwear I started with (after the initial change!).
 
I am not a professional machinist so the chuck holding a smaller chuck made me "chuck"le a bit. Looks like it works. Good luck on your new adventure.
 
You've found out our secret, figuring out how to turn a lump of steel into something useful, the figuring out is the reward. So many non-machinists just don't get it.
 
Hey be careful up there! A fall could end your new career before it “gets of the ground”.

I wish you the very best. I wish I had the guts to try it myself.
 
Back
Top