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I miss machines........

To be competitive nowadays, spindle probes, pallet changers, hydraulic work holding...

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moparedtn said:
Ditto. Nowadays, I just live vicariously through watching the excellent YouTube channel
of AvE. Fantastically entertaining guy, very bright, obviously knows his way around
manufacturing and CNC and all that.
Click to expand...

If you like AvE check out Edge Precision. Not nearly as goofy/entertaining but he sure seems to know his stuff!
 
Still in the tool shop 40 + years later. Moved away from automotive/ consumer products and into medical, less feast or famine. Loved the job shop environment just didn't pay like the medical industry does.
 
I took Machine Shop at Vo-tech in HS. Pretty fun

My first job was CNC machine operator in a huge production shop manufacturing oilfield equipment: valves, casing and tubing heads, etc. Always pushing the limits of the machines and my nerves to make things as fast as possible. I hated that.

Then the boom ended in mid 80s and we went from 3 shifts to 1 in a week. I had to operate 2 to 3 machines simultaneously, since they were automated. I was one of the last to be laid off and was glad I didn't have to do it anymore.

I don't miss the pressure, danger, or walking on metal chips.

Sorry if this brings you down. I just wanted everyone to understand working in a machine shop is not always sunshine and oranges.
 
Went to work at a machine shop junior year HS. I had some knowledge around machines/tools as my dad had a home shop and he had been a T&D maker; took all the shop classes at school. I worked for some 5 years at the shop and the things I learned I still use today. At that time the big deal was when we got digital readouts on the Bridge ports. Also spent a lot of time running a 40‘s vintage Kearney and Trecker horizontal mill. We called it ‘the hog’. A major customer was Falk Corp; we made threaded studs for them, huge that were used on ships and mining equipment. Damn, those studs were heavy lifting those onto the machine, milling off one end, flipping it around to mill the other end. Then hoisting it down to another pallet. Lol, no ergonomics back then. After I went to tech-school, the company that hired me was Kearney & Trecker. Was fine…until we were among the USA mfg’s getting whacked by the deluge of Japanese machinery.
 
Cranky said:
In a machine shop? I find it somewhat amusing that so many find it totally complicated to the point that they are baffled by anything in a machine shop. I retired in 06 and miss lots of the machines that I had access to including surface grinders, horizontal boring machines, Bullards, and you name it.....and for ones that know machines......how many can comprehend operating an engine lathe or a milling machine or any other machine shop machine? There was a guy at the shop where I worked that was in his early 70's before he retired and I'm thinking I know why.....
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I don’t know what your thinking but I’m wondering why I couldn’t find a place to teach me, learn at. And not one shop was welcoming for a then kid wanting to know something and learn.

In the nicest words I can say, they told me to away, because the filth filled responses I received were truly words that floored me. The nicest response I got was ago F#%^ yourself and I had a wrench thrown at me. Along with items that I still don’t know what they were.

As far as I’m concerned, this is the reason I try my best to stay away from machine shops and purchase ported heads.

I’ve met only 2 shops that welcomed me and thankfully worth there weight. Great reputation and friendly. Awesome work done every time. For these guys, they would get the shirt off my back and keys to the car if they EVER called me up needing it.
 
With my dad being a machinist I always thought I'd follow in his footsteps, fortunately I learned early that I can't take much repetition. Monotony is no friend of mine so I took a liking to maintenance where there's a mix but both places had machine shops so I do dabble. At home though.. I grew up with a machine shop in the basement, I was boring dirt bike cylinders as a kid in the lathe and the shop has only gotten bigger.
 
Runner 68 said:
Would you rather have your stuff made in a shop like Padam's or one like this.

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That's my dad:rofl:

Him and I built a garage and for the longest time I was almost the only one using it but once he retired it filled up and turned into a cluttered up mess.. couldn't stand it and built my own.
 
Guess I was more lucky getting hired at the shop; my best friend got a job there and when they wanted another part time employee working evenings, got in. Real crap work at first cleaning machines and doing the most monotonous-simple machine jobs. Gotta start somewhere and their company prez position was filled, not needing it filled by a 17 year old, lol. My first day, the co-owner walks me over to a filthy lathe, chips overflowing from the tray saying “I want you to clean this machine like it’s YOUR car; not your old man’s”. He was a piece of work; but the other owner, after a few months, took me under his wing, he was like my 2nd dad, teaching me stuff, giving me more responsibility, and more challenging things to do. He liked the fact I did my work well…lessons from my perfectionist father “If you're not going to try to do the job right, don’t do it at all.” I dreaded having to get a job at Mac’s or as a dishwasher, so this was a lucky break as I reflect on it. The experience came in handy throughout my career.
 
Toolman Mike I remember the old Fadal 4020’s well. I ran a lot of those... ours didn’t like excessive heat in the summer it seamed but overall good machines.
 
I’m a CNC Machinist. I’ve been doing it since ‘95. I currently program and run a Fadal 6535 VMC 5 axis with a Fanuc 18i control. The company I work for is in the railroad industry. It’s a job. I will say, I love machining Stainless Steel and Aluminum. Cast Iron... not so much. It’s dirty, and rusts. It’s really ****! :D I will say, you don’t see many guys make it to their 70’s. All that great smell isn’t so great for your longevity.
 
Several years ago I was looking for part time work. I had applied at two machine shops in my area and acquired interviews with both. Both owners told me that the young folks fresh out of trade school can't even read a set of calipers. I replied that they are probably teaching them with the digital calipers. They both replied with they can't read them either!
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khryslerkid said:
Several years ago I was looking for part time work. I had applied at two machine shops in my area and acquired interviews with both. Both owners told me that the young folks fresh out of trade school can't even read a set of calipers. I replied that they are probably teaching them with the digital calipers. They both replied with they can't read them either!
View attachment 1218880
Click to expand...
Lol, reminds me when we were looking for help, one of the questions was “Can you read a scale?” One dude says “Yeah sure, I’m a 150lbs.”
 
Don't ask about mic's either...might get a reply "I love karaoke".
 
I grew up with several machinists
all surrounding me, all racecars & IHBA drag boat guys too
Harley & Customs
they all worked at the Alemeda Ship Yards in the 60-80's

1 Don T. is a fabricator/welder (best I've ever seen)
& custom/racecar builder now (or was)
I learned a ton from him, building my 1st 23 T Altered/82 Omni FC

Bob M. sort of the same as Don above, but he didn't live by me
he lived in WC area

Another was Pete K. (my next-door neighbor in PH Ca)
is a truck driver, diesel mechanic now, self taught
only does what he wants too
& a U-Haul rental yard owner/with his son Fritz
he still dabbles in Nostalgia FE/TF cars to this day
(Pete & Marlene, Al Bush/Pilot (RIP Al) a fireman by trade were
long time world record-holders in IHBA BFFB, 354 Crazy Horse)

Another 2 were famous for custom bikes
Arlen N. & Jim D. (RIP bnoth)
all were partners 'when still alive' in a Nostalgia TF car
with Pete & Marlene/Fritz, still are

another Paul P. is an automotive/offshore & race engine builder
in Long Beach Ca. area

another Tim M. owns a speed & marine/machine shop in WC Ca.
he still dabbles in Nostalgia T/F Drag racing & Drag Boats
at one time a world record holder in TFH pickle fork lows 5's @ 247 (IIRC)

I was around it (most of them) from a very young age,
like 6-7 y/o...
I I'd hang around to learn & help when I could
my stepdad Bob, was always working, shift work (Pipefitter/Welder)
they were all sort of my male role models...
I became a shop foreman for PG&E in the powerplants
mainly during shutdowns...
I didn't like all the damn layoff BS, constantly
so I started my Construction Buss.
Never looked back...
But still remember the good old days & watching or usually helping
"the crew" in Pete's shop, he had a 'full on machine shop'
where his garage org. was, 40' deep x 20' wide, wise man, great mentor...
I haven't touched any in over a decade now...
Hell, I forgot most of it now...
I wasn't ever a great machinist, I just did what I needed to...
I was a great shop foreman/manager...
I also took machine tech. in school, later in JC
just so I could use the tools/facilities...
(I didn't go any further in my machining education, in that field)
 
Last edited:
khryslerkid said:
Several years ago I was looking for part time work. I had applied at two machine shops in my area and acquired interviews with both. Both owners told me that the young folks fresh out of trade school can't even read a set of calipers. I replied that they are probably teaching them with the digital calipers. They both replied with they can't read them either!
View attachment 1218880
Click to expand...
I interviewed at a power plant once, second interview was with the maintenance department.. no **** they laid a ton of instruments, tools and other devices out on the table and asked me to explain them all! Another company gave me a schematic and a short period on time to wire this circuit and make it work. Looking back that was smart, right off the bat they knew if I was clueless or not.
 
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