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How long have you been machining?

Wild West

Hot Rolled
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Vista, CA
Ok, I'll go first. I started on the job cranking handles when in Nov. of '67 so here in just a few months I'll be at the half century mark. The thing is, I'm still doing it and enjoy it. I have a 2400 sf commercial rental and I'm a one man shop and that's how I like it. Of course I started out with manual machining on Bridgeport mills, Sheldon and Hardinge lathes. As soon as I saw a Bridgeport type mill (Induma) fitted with and NC (not CNC) tape system in '72 I was attracted to it like a magnet. When CNC came around they couldn't keep me away from it. I just plain like the technology and making things out of metal. I also MIG & TIG weld, braze solder and fabricate. It's all fun.

BTW, I have never gotten along with wood. I love the look and smell but it is a foreign material to me to build anything out from. Any wood project of mine never turn out well.

How about you?
 
I started playing machinist at the ripe old age of 13 when I went to trade school I'm now 74+ and still work full time 40+ hours per week.
 
Only 23 years for me. I still vividly remember being so intimidated by all the knobs, handles etc. on the manual mills and lathes I learned on. I remember thinking there is no way I can do this as I reached for the handles with shaking hands. A week or so later it wasn't a big deal. CNC was like the promised land once I got on them. I am much better at telling a machine what to do than cranking it around. I suck at etch-a-sketches too!
 
I started in June 1968 - my first job - a little machining, fabricating and welding - loved it!!!
Three more jobs in small shops and then opened my own in early 70s. Retired around 2002 and still go to my shop 4 to 5 days a week to machine weld etc. I love it as much as surfing!
 
Started at the CAT dealership in 1967.

Got a nice job out today

There have been some gaps, Science got in the way... ;-)
 
1988, first job was turning copper plated cylinders and rubber impression rollers for a printing outfit on a pretty nice Nardini and a worn-out POS Turnado.
 
I finished apprentice course at age 14, Dad was a Toolmaker. Learned on a Hendey 14x6 lineshaft driven lathe and a Garvin mill with a Bridgeport M head. 55 now and still machining.
 
Boy, some of you guys are old. I just turned 65 and started out over 50 years ago. Just putz in the shop when I have a chance. SWMBO has too many other projects for me.
JR
 
Since August of 2005 when I started at the OK State Univ Physics Dept Instrument shop. I probably learned more there than in class.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk
 
June of 1963, I was hired to grind and paint castings. The machinist found a better job, so I finished the summer threading castings on a Leblond. I visited Greenfield Village in Detroit over Labor Day, and the blacksmith shop set me on fire. I still have a couple lathes and mills in the shop, but ambition is sometimes scarce. Regards, Clark
 
Just a note this topic comes under the "I'm bored, let's chit chat" category, so normally would be locked.....but if you guys can keep the chit chat about machining only I'll let it continue.
 
I got my first power tool in 1949, a jigsaw. I was nine years old and my father had noted that I liked tools. It did not take long to find that it cut steel with less effort than a hacksaw. I got my first wood lathe in 1952 and found it turned brass just fine. Then the first metal lathe came in 1953. You do the math. Of course, it was not until 1958 that I got into a real shop and saw machine tools that did not come from Sears. I even got to run some of them after a couple years.

Larry
 








 
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