What brings us all here to the Hobby Machine website ?

While I'm trying to start my own machine shop business. I still have an appreciation for old school machines. I own machines from the early 1900's up to brand new.

I wanted to join a community that had similar interests as me, without the attitude of "why did you spend all that time restoring that old junk!" Yeah I know they are obsolete machines. However, I enjoy using my horizontal milling machine, line shaft driven gear hobber and lathes. Furthermore, these machines still have value in a production shop. A cnc machine capable of doing the work my horizontal boring mill can do is leaps and bounds above my pay grade.
 
I started out with a vocational machine shop class in high school (three periods), only time I ever made the honor roll! Teacher said one day "they are having a apprentice test at Kaiser Steel, some of you guys should take it to see how you can do", well, I took the test and the rest is history, as they say; I worked there seven years, got laid off when business got slow, almost ran out of unemployment benefits, found a job with a local refrigeration shop that did machine work also and stayed there three years, then went into business for myself doing machine work, developing products for the local wine industry for over 30 years, sold out and retired; dammit! the guy who bought the business did not want all the machinery, so I had to move it home (alligator tears) ---- now I can do what I like to do and enjoy doing without worrying about paying the rent, etc. Some of my best friends reside in my shop behind my house! Also, I still have use of all the machinery that I sold, what could be finer, except to be in Carolina in the morning?
One of my finest projects was designing, making drawings of, and building foundry patterns for a 3" & 5-1/4" X 3-3/4" compound steam launch engine; I sold several finished engines and some kits of castings, then sold the whole project to a guy who still sells kits.
I am happy to say that I never got acquainted with CNC, CAD, or anything other than my two hands, eyes and brain, such as it is!
 
Where ever we all came from , once we learn these common terms , life is good ! :grin:


Here a some common machinist terms explained
  • Machine - A mechanical device for the removal of redundant parts of the operator's anatomy. It is fitted with various lethal weapons, known as tools.
  • Machinist - A person suffering from the delusion that they control the above machine. Chiefly employed in exhibiting grossly inflated wage packets to non-engineering friends.
  • Tool Setter - An interesting animal kept by the management and trained to replace broken tools, etc. Is very docile when deprived of sleep.
  • Q.A. Inspector - A survivor of the Spanish Inquisition. His chief function is to weaken the machinist's nerve, thus rendering him easy prey to the machine. This is done by informing him that certain dimensions are oversize and, after adjustment, are then undersize by the same amount.
  • Estimator - An illiterate whose mental processes cannot assimilate the fact that there are only 60 minutes in an hour.
  • Tool-grinder - Someone who can grind a cutting edge on a tool and leave it in exactly the same state as before.
  • Reamer - A device for producing various patterns on a bore surface.
  • Tap - like a reamer but much more brittle
  • Test Gauge - An instrument made of metal which has the peculiar property of momentary expansion or contraction
  • Chargehand - Strict caution to be taken with this individual. From his frequent inquiries as to the number of hours you have worked, it must be assumed he is connected to the Income Tax authorities
  • Laborer - This specimen has no ambition, does nothing all day and stays on overtime to finish it. Always missing when wanted. Very obliging a week before Christmas.
  • Foreman - Very rarely seen except when you pick up a newspaper or fill in your football coupon
  • Wagepacket - delayed action bombshell
  • Bonus - Latin name for carrot
  • Scrap - See Swarf
  • Swarf - Chief product of engineering
  • Component - By-product of the manufacture of the above
  • Finish - An abstract term used by the Q.A. Inspector and something that is never good enough
  • Bolt - A cylindrical piece of metal with a helical screw on the outside that is either under or oversize
  • Nut - Something that never fits the above
  • Location diameter - A size that is never right and is always produced by another department
  • Faulty set-up - An accomplishment always achieved by the opposite shift
  • Model - A standard of excellence produced accidentally
  • Coolant pump - A device so designed as to deluge the machinist with oil or water when he is not looking
 
I just hang out here to help out where I can. Hopefully I can pass on some tricks & tips to those with less experience, and can learn some new things by seeing what others are doing. Just trying to keep the trade alive.

I'm really just an old millwright, never really considered myself to be a machinist. Started machining in high school about 55 or so years ago. When I walked up to a lathe for the first time I just ''knew'' how to run it. I don't know where that came from, I guess it was something I was born with. Never had any formal machinist training, but I pick things up pretty quick. If you think about it, machining is just solving a series of logic problems, then you just develop your skills over time by doing. I've either owned or had access to machine tools all of my adult life. I bought machine tools to further my product development activities and they allow me build prototypes without having to go to outside vendors. I really don't do it as a hobby, but I do enjoy making chips and solving problems.
 
Did a little machine work on engine parts, back in the 70s while working as a mechanic in a small town, Then joined the AF and wound up doing computer security and networking before retiring out of there and going to work as a contractor for the AF. Always trying to make things, and various helping people welding etc. Father in law left me his sherline stuff when he passed. Started making small items, then figured out I wanted to make bigger stuff than would fit on the Sherline. Have been working up to a jet 10x24 and a enco 30 Mill. Stull just a hobby learning things the hard way. Joined to get advice and learn as did not know anyone here in SA that did machine work, and could not even find much in the way of people doing it here. I try to pass on anything I have learned if it helps someone understand something, or that they can learn from my mistakes. Have been told that I was a problem looking for a place to happen at times in various thing. So I know mishaps pretty good. (broke same hand, same bone like 4 times, and same bone in my foot also like 4 times.)
 
Spent a little over 22 years in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic on several airframes, and have always been the kind of guy who loves to tinker. Been working on and helped build a few race cars so I've always loved being able to fabricate my way out of tough spots during projects. The machining bug bit me during the engine swap on my car. Didn't have a bunch of money or resources (AF pay) at the time so had to really get creative a few times like making a supercharger bracket....chain drilling and using a jig saw on 1/2 al plate...building counter bore out of a bolt and scrap of steel chucked up I'm my drill press and so on. I got frustrated trying to make spacers so I bought a little horror freight lathe and after that I was hooked. Now a few years later, I have a new job that pays well but I deploy 4 months on/off, so I have time while I'm home to play. I finally have my first proper machine on order (PM-30MV) and I'm super excited about the possibilities.

I discovered the site and was immediately surprised by the good nature and helpfulness of folks here, this is a great resource of info and I don't feel dumb about asking questions...that a big thing!
 
I am here because no one else will have me.:tranquility:
Seriously this place was recommended to me by some good folks who do not find the same goodnaturedness anywhere else.
We do not have a monopoly on machining knowledge but have become the best machining therapy group on the net.:eagerness:
 
To be brutally honest, I'm a dilettante. Somewhat more kindly, a Jack of All Trades, Master of None. I'm here to learn more about my latest interest: metal working and machining.

I grew up on a small farm in circumstances where, for the most part, if you couldn't do it yourself, it didn't get done. Dad was an industrial electrician nights and farmed days. He was a pretty good hand at carpentry, electrical and mechanical and I picked much of that up, largely by being too ignorant to know I couldn't DO that.

I retired from the Navy in 1990 after 22 years as an Electronics Technician, my only formal training. Of course, all that is nearly 30 years out of date now. After retiring from the Navy I bummed around in several jobs, mostly electronic, electrical or mechanically (sometimes all three) related. One job was on the maintenance crew at a cannery. Before my time, the cannery had it's own machine shop and there was a big Hendy lathe and a Bridgeport mill in the shop. The mill was being used as a glorified drill press and the lathe was collecting dust and rust. I took it upon myself to find the tooling for both that had been stashed and forgotten, and taught myself how to do basic operations on both machines. As another poster mentioned, I have some ability to look at a situation and see how to go about it. Perhaps not the BEST way, but a workable way. I also learned a bit about welding through an Adult Ed class, mentoring from a very good welder at work and lots of practice with their machines, stick, MIG and TIG.

I tend to get interested on a hobby or process, dive into it, and then taper off as interest wanes. Last Winter it was Arduino programming and various related projects. This Winter has been back to model building in brass and using my new lathe to make various simple bits that weren't possible before I had the lathe. At some point I think I'd like to combine the two into working models.

I've built all my own outbuildings: barn, garage, toolshed and various animal shelters, along with some simple furniture in my wood shop.

I've also rebuilt several motorcycles and ATV's, a tractor and a number of truck/car engines (before computerized everything).

Pretty much any excuse to buy more tools...:anon:
 
I came here because the gear train was wrong in my lathe and it wouldn’t thread properly. I googled my way here. Likely, not to the "other" place. You guys paint a very clear picture of it. I have no interest in that. No one is born with knowledge... although, you’d wonder with the way that some people act...

I loved the community so much here, I stayed to pester as many people as I could! And learned more here in two years than anywhere else for anything else in my whole life.

I left high school without finishing. Couldn’t hack it, couldnt sit still. Spent my time playing music in bands, running lights and sound for the auditorium. Got a job fixing surgical instruments in a small shop. Got canned after 4 months, boss was an old guy, I was 18, he was out of touch with kids and I didn’t know how to take criticism and just shut down every time he gave it.
Had a weird interview at a local factory. Interview was terrible on my part. "Yes, no, yes, no, sometimes, sure, thanks very much...." to my astonishment he called me back for a second interview and gave me a job. He said he liked that I didn’t bullpoop, I said I walked through the door and my mind went blank... I spent 7 years there working my way up to lead operator, wound up getting politically shuffled out the door along with 7 other senior employees by the plant manager in an attempt to take more control over the failing facility. Only to find out it was head office that was causing it to fail (which we tried to express to him...), then to get fired himself. The production manager who hired me, who runs it like his personal candy store since day one, is still there 15 years later. Good for him. He makes them money.

Blah blah blah, more factories, started dabbling in construction, more construction, then less factories, then no factories and all construction. Always enjoyed welding. Was able to fabricate from time to time in the 7 year factory. I bought a lathe in 2016, and here I am. The interest turned into a hobby, which turned into a fixation, now it consumes most of my money. (Don’t tell my wife :dejected:)

Edit: changed prohibited word
 
I got into bike racing in high school and ended up racing for 23 years. I got to see the world. Made a few mistakes and ended up racing way to long. I have two big regrets in life, one is not learning my fathers trade.
Ended up going to a tech school in St, Cloud and earned a few AAS degrees. I&C tech, Power Plant Tech & Mechatronics. I was required to take welding and also machining in school and I loved every minute of it. Fast forward 5 years and I'm working for a large utility up here as an journeyman out plant operator. I really dislike the work and am trying desperately to get into any trade.
Anyway, to keep me sane I bought a lathe first then a mill and a few other machine tools. It's the only thing that give me any sense of accomplishment.
I can't remember how I got here but the members here have really helped me get started and always offer advice, even if the questions seemed silly to me now. I really appreciate that.
 
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