Hello, I am new to this forum. I worked for 42 years in the metal fab industry. First as a B Fitter,A Fitter and then A Layout (F+W) man, maybe 15 years. Then I transferred to the machine shop starting as Radial drill press operator (16" column) to get on first shift so I could see my daughter more than once a week (plus I got my foot in the door, it was a chess game, being a union official (not me) trumped skill and seniority!), CNC VTL, then I was trained by an older Yugoslavian machine shop manager on a 6"spindle horizontal manual bar (no DRO!). Veneer scale and a flashlight! Large rock crushing machinery being manufactured. Then another large bar w DRO, CNC lathe (large eccentric shafts), manual radial grinder, and finally settled in on CNC vertical machining centers. The company recently closed their doors. I served them well and they served my purposes well. I worked every bit of overtime. Once I worked 12 hours a day ,7 days a week for 65 days in a row. Paid cash for a new 4WD truck at the end of that little stint! I started when I was 23 in 1978 and they shut it down when I was 65.Kind of a lifetime...right? An earnings lifetime.
I was always able to use "my" machines to work on my government jobs of which I utilized to the fullest. Others ate their lunch, I took advantage of a tremendous opportunity. So much for that.....but you young guys (50 and under pay attention to your future because that's what it was at $30 an hour) So even then you could not go to work and that was it. I am 66 years old. Do the math.
I have a Central Machinery 12x36 lathe which I have setup but have really never used because it was easier to stay an hour over at work and use their tooling and make the mess and clean up there! Same thing with a milling machine. Anything I needed....get foreman's approval .....make a program....use their material and run it on my lunch hour. No more. Glad to not have to punch in every day but I have so many unfinished projects!
So I need/Want a mill. I most always ran ( last18 years) a CNC vertical machining center Cincinnati MAG .Siemens control.
Help me with advice. I am looking at product availability and customer service also. I am looking at the Grizzly.....G0761, G0755, and G0729.
As far as the G0729 I have new 1.5 hp DC Baldor motors and quality speed controllers with tachometer feedback so if I got tired of belt changes I could switch that out at a later date if it really bothered me.
Sorry to bend your ear with details about my machining history. I truly hope you younger guys make it to retirement age in this industry with the recent political changes.
Thanks for any advice!
I was always able to use "my" machines to work on my government jobs of which I utilized to the fullest. Others ate their lunch, I took advantage of a tremendous opportunity. So much for that.....but you young guys (50 and under pay attention to your future because that's what it was at $30 an hour) So even then you could not go to work and that was it. I am 66 years old. Do the math.
I have a Central Machinery 12x36 lathe which I have setup but have really never used because it was easier to stay an hour over at work and use their tooling and make the mess and clean up there! Same thing with a milling machine. Anything I needed....get foreman's approval .....make a program....use their material and run it on my lunch hour. No more. Glad to not have to punch in every day but I have so many unfinished projects!
So I need/Want a mill. I most always ran ( last18 years) a CNC vertical machining center Cincinnati MAG .Siemens control.
Help me with advice. I am looking at product availability and customer service also. I am looking at the Grizzly.....G0761, G0755, and G0729.
As far as the G0729 I have new 1.5 hp DC Baldor motors and quality speed controllers with tachometer feedback so if I got tired of belt changes I could switch that out at a later date if it really bothered me.
Sorry to bend your ear with details about my machining history. I truly hope you younger guys make it to retirement age in this industry with the recent political changes.
Thanks for any advice!
Last edited: