IronReb
Stainless
- Joined
- May 26, 2011
- Location
- Shreveport/Louisiana USA
I live in NW Louisiana,we have been looking for a machinist for a year now with no luck.We spent $$$ on online and paper adds and only got two to apply.The first guy didn't wanna work for us because our shop isn't climate controlled.The second guy was hired as a journeyman top notch machinist,he started at $2.00 less than I make.
First thing I noticed when he unloaded his tool box was all he had was some old sockets a claw hammer and a few screw drivers,NOT ONE mic or indicator.
OK..maybe he got in a pinch and had to sell his tools so I just assumed he just needed to get back on his feet so I told him I'd be glad to lend him what he needed.Rather than bash the guy and waste forum space lets just say after a few days when I set him up on a lathe with a 4 jaw that he had no idea how to indicate in he was out.He admitted to the owner then he BSed his way in to get the job.
My point to this post is that it seems in my area any way that there aren't many manual machinist left.And with the current pay scales no young blood wonts to get their hands dirty to learn the trade and work their way up,everyone seems to wanna push a green button these days.CNC has it's place but they can't replace a manual lathe or mill in a job shop that does repair work.The cost of a CNC lathe big enough to handle a 10" dia by 15' long shaft that just needs a bearing fit,threads chased or seal area repaired isn't cost effective for that job as an example.
Seems to me owners sooner or later are gonna have to up the pay scale to attract good workers into the field or there is gonna be a serious shortage of qualified job shop machinist to man the shop after my generation retires.For the last 15 years company's took advantage of a flooded labor market,now that same labor pool has dried up because junior watched his dad work his butt off for a low wage compared to other trades that take years to learn and don't want any part of it...just my honest opinion.
First thing I noticed when he unloaded his tool box was all he had was some old sockets a claw hammer and a few screw drivers,NOT ONE mic or indicator.
OK..maybe he got in a pinch and had to sell his tools so I just assumed he just needed to get back on his feet so I told him I'd be glad to lend him what he needed.Rather than bash the guy and waste forum space lets just say after a few days when I set him up on a lathe with a 4 jaw that he had no idea how to indicate in he was out.He admitted to the owner then he BSed his way in to get the job.
My point to this post is that it seems in my area any way that there aren't many manual machinist left.And with the current pay scales no young blood wonts to get their hands dirty to learn the trade and work their way up,everyone seems to wanna push a green button these days.CNC has it's place but they can't replace a manual lathe or mill in a job shop that does repair work.The cost of a CNC lathe big enough to handle a 10" dia by 15' long shaft that just needs a bearing fit,threads chased or seal area repaired isn't cost effective for that job as an example.
Seems to me owners sooner or later are gonna have to up the pay scale to attract good workers into the field or there is gonna be a serious shortage of qualified job shop machinist to man the shop after my generation retires.For the last 15 years company's took advantage of a flooded labor market,now that same labor pool has dried up because junior watched his dad work his butt off for a low wage compared to other trades that take years to learn and don't want any part of it...just my honest opinion.