I'm a machining instructor at a college, in addition to many other subjects, and a perpetual student (Never really quit taking classes over the last 15 years). The price of text books is outrageous, to the point where I refuse to make student's buy them, aside from the machinist's handbook. We are talking $500+ for USED books, multiplied by a lot of classes, it adds up to an unfair burden in my opinion. My initial solution was to use "How to Run a Lathe", but a small portion of the info is outdated, it is pretty inclusive to lathes, and there have been so many advancements in the field since then.
So, my next solution was to buy 13 other machining text books, add my experience, and (no plagiarizing) write an all inclusive text book that takes the student from intro through CNC. It's been several years in the making and I am almost done. The following is the favor I ask, and some reasoning:
1.) Are there any instructors out there that would be willing to proofread, offer up additional information to add to my material, recommend removal if necessary, etc.? I would not limit this to just other instructors, as I have a knack for teaching and can acknowledge there are soooo many machinists that are either just plain better than me, have different fields of expertise, more experience, or all the above. Credit would be given to any participants. I would like it continuously peer-reviewed to insure that it's accurate mainly, but also as inclusive as possible. I also notice a trend in books now that have massive amounts of filler material and huge words to make it sound more professional (and cost more), when things could be stated much more simply. I want to avoid that.
2.) I have found success in circumventing some of the shortcomings I see (I'll admit, its just my opinion) in most machining programs. One is that you make cookie cutter projects that don't inspire interest, which makes it difficult to make someone passionate. So, after they do my cookie cutter make-your-own-tools projects to learn the basics, they design and make projects that they are passionate about. It's opened up a lot of creativity and it does a great job of teaching them to learn, rather than teaching them how to do something. It also makes tolerances and fitment rear it's head in a learning environment rather than later on in employment. Another is materials. It seems like most schools have 6061 and low carbon steel. I'm sure it's done in many industries, but it's a rare occasion that I machine mild steel....so I get a huge variety of materials from various Cro-mo alloys, PH and not, titanium, brass, bronze, aluminum, etc. I also have a very high attrition rate in the first semester because you will learn to machine with just a file, and probably not like it much. One of the first projects (to stress the importance of being able to finish a product without tools that you should have) after weeks of class time, I give them a simple blueprint and have every student write down 3-5 tools that they would use for the project based on the lectures. Those are the tools they cannot use for the project.
So, for point number two, I guess what I'm looking for is critiquing or constructive criticism of my teaching style, or ways to better it.
3) I can't copy and paste pictures from everywhere to illustrate the text without copyright infringement, nor do I have the ability to take pictures of everything I would like to illustrate, so it would be amazing if people were willing to take photos complimentary to the text, or allow the use of existing photos.
4.) My main requirement is that it is a completely free download or resource by another means, to students not just at my school, but any school, and any aspiring machinist for that matter. That will probably weed out a lot of potential contributors, but I'm trying to draw talented students into the trade, not push them away. To illustrate the severity....I had over 400 high school students tour the labs over the course of a year, and only ONE know what machining was...ONE. Most thought it was me saying "mechanic" incorrectly.
5.) As a free resource, it would have to be hosted somewhere, and I'm not sure the best way to do that.
6.) Where is the best place here to have a continuous building of the material and discussion without it getting cluttered with off topic garbage and bickering, if the mods will even allow such a thing?
Finally, thank you for reading the above, and please tell me if it's stupid. If enough people tell me it's a bad idea, I can accept being wrong. I live with 6 females, I'm used to being wrong.
Thanks again guys.
So, my next solution was to buy 13 other machining text books, add my experience, and (no plagiarizing) write an all inclusive text book that takes the student from intro through CNC. It's been several years in the making and I am almost done. The following is the favor I ask, and some reasoning:
1.) Are there any instructors out there that would be willing to proofread, offer up additional information to add to my material, recommend removal if necessary, etc.? I would not limit this to just other instructors, as I have a knack for teaching and can acknowledge there are soooo many machinists that are either just plain better than me, have different fields of expertise, more experience, or all the above. Credit would be given to any participants. I would like it continuously peer-reviewed to insure that it's accurate mainly, but also as inclusive as possible. I also notice a trend in books now that have massive amounts of filler material and huge words to make it sound more professional (and cost more), when things could be stated much more simply. I want to avoid that.
2.) I have found success in circumventing some of the shortcomings I see (I'll admit, its just my opinion) in most machining programs. One is that you make cookie cutter projects that don't inspire interest, which makes it difficult to make someone passionate. So, after they do my cookie cutter make-your-own-tools projects to learn the basics, they design and make projects that they are passionate about. It's opened up a lot of creativity and it does a great job of teaching them to learn, rather than teaching them how to do something. It also makes tolerances and fitment rear it's head in a learning environment rather than later on in employment. Another is materials. It seems like most schools have 6061 and low carbon steel. I'm sure it's done in many industries, but it's a rare occasion that I machine mild steel....so I get a huge variety of materials from various Cro-mo alloys, PH and not, titanium, brass, bronze, aluminum, etc. I also have a very high attrition rate in the first semester because you will learn to machine with just a file, and probably not like it much. One of the first projects (to stress the importance of being able to finish a product without tools that you should have) after weeks of class time, I give them a simple blueprint and have every student write down 3-5 tools that they would use for the project based on the lectures. Those are the tools they cannot use for the project.
So, for point number two, I guess what I'm looking for is critiquing or constructive criticism of my teaching style, or ways to better it.
3) I can't copy and paste pictures from everywhere to illustrate the text without copyright infringement, nor do I have the ability to take pictures of everything I would like to illustrate, so it would be amazing if people were willing to take photos complimentary to the text, or allow the use of existing photos.
4.) My main requirement is that it is a completely free download or resource by another means, to students not just at my school, but any school, and any aspiring machinist for that matter. That will probably weed out a lot of potential contributors, but I'm trying to draw talented students into the trade, not push them away. To illustrate the severity....I had over 400 high school students tour the labs over the course of a year, and only ONE know what machining was...ONE. Most thought it was me saying "mechanic" incorrectly.
5.) As a free resource, it would have to be hosted somewhere, and I'm not sure the best way to do that.
6.) Where is the best place here to have a continuous building of the material and discussion without it getting cluttered with off topic garbage and bickering, if the mods will even allow such a thing?
Finally, thank you for reading the above, and please tell me if it's stupid. If enough people tell me it's a bad idea, I can accept being wrong. I live with 6 females, I'm used to being wrong.
Thanks again guys.