silveroranges
Plastic
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2019
Too long, don't want to read:
I am looking to become a machinist. I have some basic hand tools, but barely any experience outside of a high school shop class, and a full time job I can't quit. I can do nights/weekends if that is what it takes. My local area does not offer any good vocational schools that I could find, and the cost of living is high and work ethic in general in Miami is extremely poor. I want to move up north but would like to do that with a trade I can live off of. What do you suggest? I am about to just find a list of all the machine shops in my area, and email each one asking if I can work nights, and weekends sweeping floors or whatever, in exchange for getting experience.
Toilet time version:
I am 26, male, not married, with a mediocre job. I don't like my job, but it is steady, and easy, if a tad annoying because of dealing with lazy people. I have a degree in computer networking. I have always been into making stuff, took all 6 woodworking and machine shop classes in high school as well as an autocad class, and mechanical drawing. I would like to learn machining. I can do the basics, at least I could in high school. I built a 3D printer from scratch, not a kit but actual pieces, modeled it out in fusion360. Working on building a CNC milling machine, I have the frame done but I am having trouble finding a spindle within my budget that will be rigid enough to let me to cut metal. I have been reading a lot of posts on this forum and get the feeling that a lot of machinist jobs are actually just people doing assembly line automation, or button pushers. I don't want a job like that. I wouldnt mind as an entry level, but not forever. I am extremely good at problem solving, and I want to put that to use. The job I am in now is basically a button pushing job, and looking at my coworkers, mostly older people who have either given up on life or are about to retire with a shitty pension, I don't want to become that. I live in Miami, where for what I am paying for a 2 bedroom apartment I could have a 3 bedroom house with a yard and garage in most other parts of the country. I moved here a couple of years ago. Luckily I live with my girlfriend, who honestly may as well be my wife a long as we have been together, and we split the bills. Otherwise I would never be able to afford to work on projects like I have been. I am willing to work for free in exchange for experience. I don't care if it is sweeping floors and emptying chip bins, or whatever it takes. Another concern that i have is my area doesn't have a particular high amount of people I would call 'masters' working here. Especially in my field, people who have been doing it their whole lives that I would have thought have a wealth of knowledge and tips I could exploit, turn out to barely know more than I do. The work ethic here seems to be, enough to get by is good enough, and I don't like that. My dad was an electrician, a master electrician, and he seemed to know everything about the trade. He knew the NEII (i think thats what its called) hand book in and out and always had a solution for problems. I was an apprentice for a year working with him before I started college. I was born/raised in Texas, and went to high school/college in Colorado. I was always told to strive to become the best, and that doing enough to just get by isn't enough. I am sort of realizing that I need to find a career before I get too old. Computer networking is fine, but I just chose that because I had to choose something. I did learn a lot of very useful skills like programming, and a general wealth of knowledge on computers that I use almost every day to fix problems, but I am not passionate about it like I am about making stuff, particularly out of metal. I have been doing it as a hobby for a while and am sure it is the career path I want to take, shame it took me this long to realize that.
My questions to you; how do I break in to the career with no formal training or school?
Once getting my foot in door, how do I learn? I am assuming it depends on companies training policy. I don't know if unions exist for this type of occupation, I assume they do, but Unions in south florida are pretty weak.
If anybody knows of reputable companies in Miami area I would love to know their company name, they are first ones I will be calling.
Just to clarify, when I say I want to be a machinist, I mean I want to learn how to program CNC machines(mill, lathe, EDM, water jet), run manual machines like lathes, mills, all of that. If I go to a good company being able to do all of that well, I think I have a pretty good chance of getting hired.
Any advice is appreciated, even if its rude. I don't know jack about the trade but I am willing to learn.
I am looking to become a machinist. I have some basic hand tools, but barely any experience outside of a high school shop class, and a full time job I can't quit. I can do nights/weekends if that is what it takes. My local area does not offer any good vocational schools that I could find, and the cost of living is high and work ethic in general in Miami is extremely poor. I want to move up north but would like to do that with a trade I can live off of. What do you suggest? I am about to just find a list of all the machine shops in my area, and email each one asking if I can work nights, and weekends sweeping floors or whatever, in exchange for getting experience.
Toilet time version:
I am 26, male, not married, with a mediocre job. I don't like my job, but it is steady, and easy, if a tad annoying because of dealing with lazy people. I have a degree in computer networking. I have always been into making stuff, took all 6 woodworking and machine shop classes in high school as well as an autocad class, and mechanical drawing. I would like to learn machining. I can do the basics, at least I could in high school. I built a 3D printer from scratch, not a kit but actual pieces, modeled it out in fusion360. Working on building a CNC milling machine, I have the frame done but I am having trouble finding a spindle within my budget that will be rigid enough to let me to cut metal. I have been reading a lot of posts on this forum and get the feeling that a lot of machinist jobs are actually just people doing assembly line automation, or button pushers. I don't want a job like that. I wouldnt mind as an entry level, but not forever. I am extremely good at problem solving, and I want to put that to use. The job I am in now is basically a button pushing job, and looking at my coworkers, mostly older people who have either given up on life or are about to retire with a shitty pension, I don't want to become that. I live in Miami, where for what I am paying for a 2 bedroom apartment I could have a 3 bedroom house with a yard and garage in most other parts of the country. I moved here a couple of years ago. Luckily I live with my girlfriend, who honestly may as well be my wife a long as we have been together, and we split the bills. Otherwise I would never be able to afford to work on projects like I have been. I am willing to work for free in exchange for experience. I don't care if it is sweeping floors and emptying chip bins, or whatever it takes. Another concern that i have is my area doesn't have a particular high amount of people I would call 'masters' working here. Especially in my field, people who have been doing it their whole lives that I would have thought have a wealth of knowledge and tips I could exploit, turn out to barely know more than I do. The work ethic here seems to be, enough to get by is good enough, and I don't like that. My dad was an electrician, a master electrician, and he seemed to know everything about the trade. He knew the NEII (i think thats what its called) hand book in and out and always had a solution for problems. I was an apprentice for a year working with him before I started college. I was born/raised in Texas, and went to high school/college in Colorado. I was always told to strive to become the best, and that doing enough to just get by isn't enough. I am sort of realizing that I need to find a career before I get too old. Computer networking is fine, but I just chose that because I had to choose something. I did learn a lot of very useful skills like programming, and a general wealth of knowledge on computers that I use almost every day to fix problems, but I am not passionate about it like I am about making stuff, particularly out of metal. I have been doing it as a hobby for a while and am sure it is the career path I want to take, shame it took me this long to realize that.
My questions to you; how do I break in to the career with no formal training or school?
Once getting my foot in door, how do I learn? I am assuming it depends on companies training policy. I don't know if unions exist for this type of occupation, I assume they do, but Unions in south florida are pretty weak.
If anybody knows of reputable companies in Miami area I would love to know their company name, they are first ones I will be calling.
Just to clarify, when I say I want to be a machinist, I mean I want to learn how to program CNC machines(mill, lathe, EDM, water jet), run manual machines like lathes, mills, all of that. If I go to a good company being able to do all of that well, I think I have a pretty good chance of getting hired.
Any advice is appreciated, even if its rude. I don't know jack about the trade but I am willing to learn.