joshuacisme
Plastic
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2019
Hello. I'm brand new to this field. I'm 36 and went the college route (BS in Business) when I was fresh out of high school. After moderate success in the business world, I had a mid-life crisis and decided to study a trade because like working with my hands. Machining is something that greatly interests me and I have mad respect for people who are really good at it. Several of my uncles are old-school machinists who have helped me with car projects - so for the past year I have been in vocational school learning everything I can.
I love the work, from what I have been exposed to in school, but there it seems watered down/unstructured and I'm not sure what to expect in the real-world. We are kinda left to our own and have a shop for trial and error with little instruction. The manual lathe made sense early on … but the manual mill still gives me trouble, ie I will square something and it doesn't rest on the parallels perfectly - even though I have trammed the mill dead nuts. At times I feel defunct on some things - although I can draw blueprints and write programs, setup CNC mills/lathes, and I can do almost everything basic on the EDM. I feel like a hodgepodge of knowledge with sprinkles of talent, but it's not all come together like I think it should.
I have about 4 months left that I can stay in school … but I am starting to get coop opportunities. The shop I really want to be at is a BIG shop that focuses on automation machines. I know they have an apprentice program that closely resembles a journeyman program in that they build you up on manual machines before you ever get to touch a CNC (2 years). They haven't had an opening as of yet, but may by the time I'm done with school. Not really sure what to do or whether I should just start with a smaller production/job shop to get my beak wet.
MY QUESTIONS:
1.) MAIN ONE: what do most shops expect out of a new machinist the first day on the job? Within the first month-3 months?
2.) should I keep trying to build myself up in school hoping for the BIG shop to have an opening or go with gaining experience in small shops?
3.) To avoid being a simple button pusher, should I strive to get into a shop working manual machines or get the CNC experience?
4.) Will having a BS degree in Business help at all or should I just wipe my ass with it like I have wanted to do for more than a decade?
I know some of this has been covered in other threads and, believe me, I have read some good stuff. I'm just wondering if there is any new insight and really worried I won't be able to cut the mustard. I would go with a 110 degree shop making less money if there is that one old guy in the corner who is the right person to build me up to the level of machinist I hope to become … and I would gladly bring him coffee and sweep his area. Really appreciate this website! I find the community to be full of very intelligent/witty people. Thanks for reading and all replies appreciated
I love the work, from what I have been exposed to in school, but there it seems watered down/unstructured and I'm not sure what to expect in the real-world. We are kinda left to our own and have a shop for trial and error with little instruction. The manual lathe made sense early on … but the manual mill still gives me trouble, ie I will square something and it doesn't rest on the parallels perfectly - even though I have trammed the mill dead nuts. At times I feel defunct on some things - although I can draw blueprints and write programs, setup CNC mills/lathes, and I can do almost everything basic on the EDM. I feel like a hodgepodge of knowledge with sprinkles of talent, but it's not all come together like I think it should.
I have about 4 months left that I can stay in school … but I am starting to get coop opportunities. The shop I really want to be at is a BIG shop that focuses on automation machines. I know they have an apprentice program that closely resembles a journeyman program in that they build you up on manual machines before you ever get to touch a CNC (2 years). They haven't had an opening as of yet, but may by the time I'm done with school. Not really sure what to do or whether I should just start with a smaller production/job shop to get my beak wet.
MY QUESTIONS:
1.) MAIN ONE: what do most shops expect out of a new machinist the first day on the job? Within the first month-3 months?
2.) should I keep trying to build myself up in school hoping for the BIG shop to have an opening or go with gaining experience in small shops?
3.) To avoid being a simple button pusher, should I strive to get into a shop working manual machines or get the CNC experience?
4.) Will having a BS degree in Business help at all or should I just wipe my ass with it like I have wanted to do for more than a decade?
I know some of this has been covered in other threads and, believe me, I have read some good stuff. I'm just wondering if there is any new insight and really worried I won't be able to cut the mustard. I would go with a 110 degree shop making less money if there is that one old guy in the corner who is the right person to build me up to the level of machinist I hope to become … and I would gladly bring him coffee and sweep his area. Really appreciate this website! I find the community to be full of very intelligent/witty people. Thanks for reading and all replies appreciated