Thread: My machine shop

Originally Posted by Ray Behner

Adam,
I do a bunch of that type of drilling too. I think you need one of these.

That one wrench 2 nut linkage is slick!

Thats a nice modification Ray. How come manufacturers dont offer that as an option on modern lathes? I would love to have those servos mounted on all my tailstocks.

I do like JH-Q, with 5C (for small drills), MT2/3/4 (obviously for taper shank drills), and boring bar (for straight shank spade drills) quick-change tool blocks. I only have to set the block height once, and getting the bit on center doesn't take very long when setting up.

I haven't had any disasters yet that would call for pinning the QCTP to the compound (or the compound to the crossslide, for that matter).

Are there any classes or books to help you learn how to rebuild/recondition hydraulic/pnewmatic cylinders, gearboxes, or pumps? I work for a paper company and have my own machine shop at the house. My goal is to retire soon and live off the shop. They have tons of equipment to rebuild, but would like to gather some knowledge while I am still working there.

Thanks,

Scott

Originally Posted by Scott H

Are there any classes or books to help you learn how to rebuild/recondition hydraulic/pnewmatic cylinders, gearboxes, or pumps? I work for a paper company and have my own machine shop at the house. My goal is to retire soon and live off the shop. They have tons of equipment to rebuild, but would like to gather some knowledge while I am still working there.

Thanks,

Scott

Folks who have done this all their lives can better comment on that goal - but if it is not what you have been doing all these years (Adam is 'third generation' at it, BTW) - and haven't already learned w/r the specific rebuilds you target while on that job? Expecting to 'live off the shop' is more likely to become 'dump retirement pension into supporting a shop'.

As I am doing... 'Old Iron Disease' being more rewarding than Alzheimer's, but also more costly.

Bill

Scott, my understand is that most large companies that specialize in industrial rebuilding(mechanic work) may offer in house training for employees. I dont know of any specific pay classes one can take to learn the trade. Ask around and most people will probably say they learned everything by on the job training and experience. Thats how I have learned everything about metal working, and cylinder rebuild, although I did take welding a couple of years at the local college. My boss did say at one time there was a company in Birmingham that taught "hydraulics", but they didnt teach you tear down and building of cylinders. Also, Lufkin may offer a short course on how to rebuild there gearboxes. There may be other people out there that has a better response than me, but thats about all I have to offer on the question.

Bill, have you made any headway on the transporation?

I just wanted to say, its going to be a sad day tomorrow for the shop. The big Monarch is about to get moved to its new home. I had to get it all cleaned off yesterday in prepes for it being moved. I really hate to lose this machine, as it has been such a great piece of machinery for our shop. But I could not talk my boss into buying it to move to our facility. I tried my best to convince him of how valuable it is, but when your talking to a buisness man its hard to convince him your way of seeing things. The buyers will be at the shop today to get it moved outside, and they will be back in the morning with a crance to pick it up and load onto the trailer.

I think this is the cleanest I have ever seen this lathe.

Originally Posted by Abom79

Bill, have you made any headway on the transporation?

Adam,

Yes 'mostly'. Will contact you later today by PM or email to progress that.

Adding; "later' now. Sent off that email several hours ago. DID forget that you use an i-something with an itty-bitty screen, so my messages, composed on 1600 x 1200, might be a PITA to read. I'm not opposed to smaller and lighter devices, but my fingers refuse to shrink, and even my 'bionic' eyes have their limitations.

Bill

Originally Posted by Abom79

Scott, my understand is that most large companies that specialize in industrial rebuilding(mechanic work) may offer in house training for employees. I dont know of any specific pay classes one can take to learn the trade.

Picking up on that... at the only place I worked (early 1960's) that had both a 'machine shop' and a 'hydraulic shop' (and an electric motor shop) under the same roof, hydraulics had the best machine tools, accuracy-wise, (and wouldn't let us near them..) .. were paid at a higher scale, and were considered the elite. They did hard-chroming in-house as well as turning, boring, grinding, and honing.

Youngest folks there were about age 30, even on night shifts, whereas the machine shop ranged from 18 upward.

This is a 'SWAG', but one might suppose that the absence of younger guys meant it took a good deal of time to work up into the hydraulics skillset and/or prove oneself capable of holding tighter tolerances and finer surface-finishes on hard surfaces than we held for the rest of mining and railway gear.

Exotic material presence, tolerances and machine capability in general having steadily improved in the years since, hydraulics may no longer be seen as so 'elite'. Perhaps even the reverse.

As to the University courses, AFAIK they are all about the theory, applications, engineering, and control of hydraulics - no hands-on machining of any kind.

JM2CW

Bill

Adam,

Real men don't cry. But, there is no way I would be able to hold back the tears seeing that Monarch leave.

I have 3 of them, and I love them! Best workhorse out there.

Josh

Originally Posted by wgnrr1

Adam,

Real men don't cry. But, there is no way I would be able to hold back the tears seeing that Monarch leave.

Sure there is!

Adam wudda said sumthin' if it was going to the scrappers.

I'm presuming a 'Happy Home' with folk who know what it is, WANT it, and expect to keep it turning for a long time yet.

She'll do fine. Monarchs are accustomed to outlasting mortals and having to earn new friends.

Bill

I spent two hours of my morning today helping the guys rig the lathe for lifting. I watched it get picked up and set on the truck. The whole time I was thinking to myself how sad I am to see it leave our shop. I guess its like seeing ones child off. I had to hold back the tears when they drove off with it. But as Bill mentioned, the new owners are very excited to have it in there shop and plan to put it to good use. They've known about the lathe for a long time and always said that if we sell it to please give them first dibs, which is what we done. I told them the selling price and it was agreed on with no hard nagotiating. They even asked me if I would be willing to come to there shop once its hooked up and running and give the guys a crash course on operating it. I think the biggest lathe they have in there befor now is a Monarch model K, but Ive never seen it. They guys rigging said mine is MUCH bigger than what there used to.
Ive got a few pictures and even a good video of the machine being lifted and loaded. Ill upload them this evening when Im at home and post them here. I think Ill have a drink in hand when I do.

Adam,

We still need to nail down a date, or range of dates, for me to fetch that Quartet. It will also be getting TLC.

Bill

Originally Posted by thermite

Adam,

We still need to nail down a date, or range of dates, for me to fetch that Quartet. It will also be getting TLC.

Bill

Just pm'ed ya. Sorry been busy.

As promissed, heres some pictures I took of the big Monarch getting loaded up today.












Sad day for me....

Heres a video...

Originally Posted by Abom79

Just pm'ed ya. Sorry been busy.

Truck is booked, as discussed. Morning-arrival flight is now also booked for 9th June.
Check should arrive 'shortly' if it has not already.

Will call and exchange updates before the flight.

Bill

Wow - what a gorgeous old beast. Would have hated to see it go too.

Brent

I guess that i have come in late and missed the briefing. If you are so attached to the old Monarch, why are you letting it go? Are you going to replace it with a similar capability, or are you simply downsizing? Regards, Clark

Adam,

Hope your employer gave you a bereavement day or two.