Welcome To My Shop

Hi everyone my name is Michael Idarecis and this is my home machine shop. My endeavor is to learn and share this wonderful world of machinery. There is more to this than just turning or milling metal. We have an obligation to share this knowledge and help others see that we were lied to in thinking that we should sacrifice the hands of our country for those of another country. This is Spiritual in nature as the will of man and the inflated ego rise it must sacrifice the body. The body has the hands/ heart and Spirit. Our hands are a bridge between the mind and The Spirit of God. Our hands reflect our heart. The mind of man becomes bitter when he has idle hands. The hands of a machinist or woodworker or any other manual form of creative work gives you peace of Mind with one's Spirit. That is why we feel good making things with our hands. This is all in The Bible. If you go as far as finding my website you will see that working with the hands is Biblical as well. Have studies on what happens when we don't use our hands at michaelidarecis.com | Michael Idarecis Books & Seminars

My posts will also have Spiritual undertones. Welcome a discussion at any time. Am also in the NYC (Nassau Country Area) and if you have a lot of space how about we put a few machines in there and start some sort of after school program to teach the next generation how to use their hands?

Was first introduced to machining when in Brooklyn Technical High School. Loved the machine shop class. It took until 45 years of age before bought my first Lathe and Milling Machine. It was July 2014 bought a Clausing 4904 lathe from a man named Jim Montana who was the son of Peter Montana. Peter Montana owned a machine shop in Lynbrook Long Island. When CNC took off he had to sell his shop he was past the time to learn how to use a computer and compete with the new emerging CNC world. Peter was a genius and had purchased everything from his son. Though Peter had died his genius was reflected in the tooling. Had learned from him while going through all the tooling. There are so many lessons that Peter Montana had for me and have not even met the man. This is what is being lost today in this world of CNC. We are losing the brilliant minds and hands to a computer. Now the CNC world in The United States is being replaced by other countries. All because of greed the American Iron is turning into rust sold for scrap metal. Shame on all of us for allowing the greedy business man to fool the people into thinking that working with your hands should marginalized. They sold The Spirit of this country to nameless countries.

Had also purchased a Millrite Milling machine. God smiled upon me in that He carved my path by giving me a job to mill before had a milling machine. That is a funny story to share in another post.

Those machinists on YouTube that are sharing their machining skills are doing far for than you might realize. God Bless them and soon you will see some of my videos as well.

Praise I AM,
Michael Idarecis

Welcome Michael -

Little less preaching and a little more posting and pics will go a long way...

Looking forward to seeing your shop here, not on youtube..

Brent

My hands get plenty dirty running CNC equipment and its every bit as satisfying to make something beautiful with the computer as it is on manual equipment. Being able to make things that are impossible make manually is more satisfying.
And this is the wrong forum for religious discussions
Jordy

Hey Brent,

Thank you for your post and am going to upload pics if my computer cooperates. Also had to let everyone know a little about me in my first posting.

Michael

Michael, I sent you a private message, if you check in the upper right corner of the screen you will see a notification.

Please let me know you received it, thanks.

Charles

Jordy,

My initial posting is an introduction of my machine shop and me the person and what you would expect to read from me. Am not looking to offend anyone, rather looking to expand this to more people.

Best regards,
Michael

This is my Clausing lathe with my first job chucked up a few months ago before getting my heaters going. It just sat there until a few weeks ago and had completed the 40 pieces once it got warm. The picture below is before milling.



The picture of the completed part:


Keep in mind this was my second lathe project on a lathe and my second milling job that had done since starting my machine shop.

The milling machine picture is chucked up in my Hartford Super Spacer. That Super Spacer held all the milled parts with hardly any visible scratches. A little emery cloth cleaned everything up after.

Hi Charles,

Responded to your message probably as you were typing your message.

Best regards,
Michael

Congrats on purchasing your first machines. I admit I gave up reading your post, but enjoyed the pictures. Nice work for your first pieces.

Thanks Steve,

Glad you stayed long enough for the pictures . Am very excited about machining...

Thank you Michael, please feel free to contact me anytime and thanks for understanding. Good luck with your machining and thanks for sharing with us. We all learn together, and while we all have different interests in some areas, we wouldnt be here if we didnt have machine tools or machining in common.

Feel welcome and have a nice weekend.

Charles

This is a kitchen cabinet drawer pull. Had made this to show a customers on some of my jobs. This was done with HSS bits that were in a drawer.



This is a picture of my "ghetto" made end mill sharpener which was an old craftsman table saw that no one wanted to buy so parted out a few parts and now have a sturdy grinder and vise stand. Might machine a few T-Slots to make it more sturdy than the craftsman fence and c-clamps you see in the photos.



Brass from an estate sale:

A Rhodes shaper that am going to bring back to life. Sadly there just isn't enough room in my garage to keep it after it is brought back to life.



Burke #2 that had put back together and made my first cut. Took a .010 cut on a piece of steel with a very clean finish.

My father-in-law who has only one arm and no legs and is in a wheelchair bought his first CNC mill (Haas VF2 there's some American iron for you) when he was 58. His arm isn't in great shape anymore. He wouldn't be able to machine professionally anymore if he didn't have a computer. Says he will never get rid of the old manual equipment but neither would he ever go back to straight manual. Then at 62 he bought an Okuma CNC lathe and he says how old is to old to learn something new. Also I teach an after school metalwork program at the local high school teaching all manual equipment. It's totally volunteer and it's been so successful that the ministry of education wants to try and get similar programs set up throughout the province. I was one of the first students through it 20ish years ago. I encourage you to work with kids and teach them skills they can take into the world with them. When we get a little more organized I'll make a new thread about how we did it and any tips we have on starting up a class.
Jordy

Hi Jordy,

God Bless your Father-in-law for what he is able to do and to me it just demonstrates that God can always shine light upon bad situations and have one shine beyond their limitations. Truly amazing and would love to meet him one day if that day comes.

Love that he would not get rid of the manual machinery even though he would not use it.

In the example you read from me the man who owned the full blown machine shop realized it wasn't for him to go down the CNC road. He did maintain a shop in his garage making chips until last year when he died.

That is wonderful you are doing exactly what am looking to do here in NY. In fact would be very interested in any suggestions you might have. Am not seeking to reinvent the wheel. Am only endeavoring to provide an environment where people can experience the joy of making things themselves without being forced to buy some foreign made junk. The more we can impact people to enjoy the more this will grow.

Again Jordy anything you can share would be wonderful.

Am feeling that my first step is to find people that would want to get involved here and provide space. My garage is already packed enough and potentially dangerous for someone who is not aware of their uncoordinated motions as young people tend to be. Have a few young people coming from time to time mostly because their parents are not able to connect with them. After some time making things they become calmer. At one point had two employees in my audio business that drove me crazy because they didn't appreciate what they were learning working with me. Took them a few years after they were no longer with me to understand what they learned. That is what we do at times by sharing this work. At first they don't understand however later they will realize they acquired skills that they need and sadly skills that are being frowned upon these days.

Michael

Here is another Clausing (5000 series) that had purchased from a friend of mine. Most likely going to just take apart the apron and gearbox mostly to clean and look for anything that is loose or worn. This was fitted with a vari-drive which works great. Have to put another VFD drive on it to run. My garage doesn't have good power at the moment. Running extension cords from the main house. Have to set up a sub-panel and rent a digger to have better power.

By the way if anyone has some vibration issues with their machines try using Maple blocks under your lathe leveling screws. Would be better to apply a few coats of lacquer to the maple blocks to keep the oil from getting at the wood. Maple has beneficial vibrational dissipating qualities that work wonders. The thicker and wider the maple the better.



Michael

You misunderstand. He still uses the manual equipment regularly he would simply never sacrifice the capabilities of CNC.

I recomend to you to find a school that already has the facilities that you need and work with them to setup a course. The kids don't care where a a machine was made they only care if it works and they can make something with it. Don't allow the making of or modification of any sort of weapon. The liability in Canada is huge I can only imagine the problems it could cause in the US. We teach auto and small engine mechanics, machining, blacksmithing, welding, woodworking, jewelry making (that is surprisingly challenging), and we're trying to convince an electrical engineer to come in and teach electronics. Diversify what you teach and you'll attract more kids and keep them out of trouble.
Jordy

Hey Michael,

I agree that I am so thankful for those people Here on PM, and on YouTube, who are bothering to record, edit, and post lessons that we once would've had to have learned in person as a journeyman machinist. In person is till the best way of course, but just not possible for so many of us. It is so unbelievably invaluable, what people contribute, and all the work they go through to contribute the way they do to help people like us.

It sounds like you have found your spiritual path, good for you. I would be careful how much in the forefront you push that, with your posts. I'm not a moderator or anything, I think people understand stand that this was your introductory post. You might want to make your plan to help people in the long run by staying here and posting messages, and using a more subtle approach. That might be better than pushing things too much right up front. Besides getting flagged by someone, people might be more likely to actually hear you. Just my opinion, just my two cents.

I agree we have been sold away from buying American, and local, and making things here in America to make room for two affluent 'middle men" to skim profits here- importers and bankers. I do believe it is a mistake to think of other places as "nameless countries" though. They are full of people just like us, trying to make it every day too. And they are victims of the same big business people as we are, even if, temporarily, some of them are doing better than they were 20 years ago.

We are buying products made cheaply in foreign countries and IMPORTED here, and sold in big chain stores like Walmart. These items are also designed with programmed obsolescence, to keep us needing new every few years, instead of repairable.

When we stop making things here, we make lower wages, and cannot afford properly made things, that American wages build. We are making lower wages, BUT are offered the ability to purchase, with interest, the things media so efficiently makes us desire.

When we cannot afford to work hard and make enough for a decent home and family, and earn enough to pay cash for much of it, and short term loans for the rest, BANKERS make the record profits they are making these days collecting interest on almost EVERY single thing we own, throughout the rest of our lives.

I understand your ambivalence with CNC machining. I don't think it's correct to totally knock it, as it is very empowering, and allows a lot of things to happen that would never be possible in the past. At the same time as replacing some jobs, it is also contributed greatly to the standard of living of the average person in other ways. I just don't think we have finished recovering from the shock waves of this "new" technology in our society. But I agree it would be a shame if it contributed to our losing our ability to work manually, with our hands.

Bernie

Hi Jordy,

Oh got it.

It is a challenge to work within the New York School system. They are petrified of anyone getting hurt which is likened to a nanny state in all their dealings. With that being said am going to work through the schools however not in the schools. Am not going to encourage anything that has to do with weapons. There are plenty of things that can bring enjoyment without going towards weapons. Yes diversify and since have wood lathes and other wood working tools there will be plenty for them to explore and enjoy.

God Bless,
Michael Idarecis

Hi Bernie,

Yes agree that it is wonderful that people are recording this art in any manner that they can. A legacy of the past coming into the present. Wonderful.

Can't say "found a spiritual path" because the path of God is invisible to the will of man. Rather it is the will of God for one to be in the path of Truth. God opens one's eyes and then you can see. The blind can't open their eyes. Appreciate your concern and comments and yes this was my introduction and it is a place where it is acceptable to speak of one's beliefs. Am not worried about being flagged or misunderstood since God is in charge.

You see the entire cycle of goods coming from these countries like China are nameless. That is why someone is hard pressed to find good quality from China when the Chinese are making products for Greedy American companies. The greedy american business man becomes the head and the nameless people make the products. China can make products on their own and that is fine with their own names. When for instance you look at the Chinese Lathes they fall apart even if they are stamped with the name Enco or whatever. They are selling their own people to produce this stuff and it is the consumer's fault that buys this garbage. We the consumer are the fuel of their evil. If we don't buy then they won't make. Sure our products cost more however they are not disposable like the imported nameless junk. Can anyone ever see South Bend Lathes being sold off as junk 40 years from now? Nope because they are made by people who had names and South Bend of past was strong name. However can anyone make an argument that a Central Machinery Lathe will be coveted after 40 years from now? Impossible. Nameless people made that and nameless in the sense that they were exploited. They were not given dignity in the manufacturing process. This lack of dignity is a travesty of modern slavery. An example of Steve Jobs who had died a few years ago. Can guarantee that none of the line workers in China that worked to make iPads will be remembered like Steve Jobs. When Steve Jobs died the world witnessed the man that sacrificed his body died in front of everyone's eyes. He deteriorated and died by his own hand. His own fruitarian diet killed him. What a magnificent manifestation of a psychopath businessman being judged by The Living God. Does anyone see this?

We actually agree more than we disagree. Companies like Walmart are ruining this country yet it is the consumer that is enabling these monsters. This is similar to the fact that the inflated ego always has an enabler waiting for them. The greedy businessman has the enablers of China. Who sacrifice their own people to sub-human conditions. Only with our people learning to use their hands again can we reclaim our lives.

CNC to me is part of the problem. It is again using the mind and neglecting the body and hands. The abilities of CNC are quite intriguing yet as you go down that path it is an endless money pit as well. The machines own you and the amount of time you thought you would gain with the modern CNC is lost. In reality you have less time and consumed with work. Would love to hear if someone can argue this point. Was in the concert audio business can say it is very similar in that you keep buying more and more to try to make more and more and then you have less and less time. Peace is associated with time not so busy you can't sit and smell a few flowers on any given day. CNC has countries like China on their back since CNC becomes so much cheaper in China that here in The United States. The tide is coming upon them too.

My niche business is to find those that need limited quantity and high quality before it pays to go to CNC. They will be happy to know me. They will meet and have coffee with me. We will laugh together while their dreams are materialized in front of their eyes as we work together to make their parts etc. The CNC conversation is more of a conveyor belt HA HA. The Chinese will take your conveyor... If not China some other country that will strip the names of their people in their own slave machine.

May God Bless The Hearing of His Word and brings our hands back to life and bring our country a heart that it so needs.


Praise I AM,
Michael Idarecis