Any of you guys machinists?

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

i work at a machine shop

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

nah, just a plane jane stock one. There is a tripple black C6 vert in my town for sale with 14k miles on it for 30k .... not a bad deal. I'll prob snag it here when I get back next month. then as soon as I sell my jeep I can buy some goodies for it....I already got a Atomic 5kw and a new Eclipse NAV for it and a Mach 5 SPL 12 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Ah man dont weigh it down with a huge system. At least get a neo motored sub. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

Ah man dont weigh it down with a huge system. At least get a neo motored sub. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

I'll get right on the phone with Thilo for that one //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I'll get right on the phone with Thilo for that one //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Oh... Thilo... oh.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

Oh... Thilo... oh.
//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

lulz ...

 

[osiris999 10+ year member]

ive been a cnc machinist for 3 years now. pretty good job very hetic at times like now because of the oil spill and my shop being right on the coast. the moneys great and i never had to go to school for it so im happy.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I am. CNC is my specialty. Also do manual machining as well. Even have my own mill/drill at home. When I first got into it, I took a college course that lasted 6-9 wks long and was intense..in other words, they shove and teach you as much info as they can, and hands on training on the shop floor supervised by other skilled people. On the other hand there's sometimes apprenticeships programs thru employers usually for 4 yrs. Dam near guarantees you a job for that time period...depending upon how the economy goes. I've worked at a lot of machine shops in the past...and currently work at one now. Aerospace is a huge "customer" in the machining industry. Others may do other things like oil industry, heavy machinery, etc. I've got about 10 yrs. in the trade.

 

[uz1290 10+ year member]

Thanks for all the replies guys, sorry i couldnt get back to some of your posts ive been busy. But yea i think i will try to get a few basics of a little bit of everything to see what i like. As for now, im more interested in electrical engineering since they get paid more haha. I signed up for more electrical related related classes as opposed to more machine oriented classes but will reconsider if i change my mind agian. Dam im always so undecisive ha:crap:

 

[uz1290 10+ year member]

By the way, about how good are the job opportunities for machinist? I was talking to an older friend who went through a similar apprenticeship program and was asking him for advise but actually told me pursue an electrical oriented career if i was interested in that since there was more demand he said??

 

[SPLaudio 5,000+ posts]

i'm a toolmaker. if you want to become a mechy they will have you on the floor working for a couple weeks to get ur degree. to a mechy all it has to do is look right on paper i havent met any with real shop skills that could actually machine anything, but that is not there job. if you can sit behind a computer 40hrs a week then go for it alot of jobs for engineers...

cnc operators we call button boys. all you have to do load a fixture or vise tram it in and 0 out ur stopsload tools in the tool holder and a programmer writes it up. load the part,push the button,1000 times. alot of shops have set up guys so the "machinist" just loads part and uses nogo/go gauges.

its a good field to be in you do get dirty and there is room to advance. i got mine thru a appentice ship and i already had some schooling in blueprints

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Being called a button boy...or here a button pusher, kinda gets things mixed up. Theres more to it than just pushing cycle start all day. SPL. your def of button boy and describing the duties of that field differ a lot. CNC operator just loads material and pushes the button...thats it. A real machinist will actually set the job up from "ground zero" until the 1st part is bought off. Adjustments in X and/or Y may need to be made, if progs haven't been proved out. setting up your own tools, secure fixtures in place, finding X0, Y0, GD&T parts, etc. There's a lot involved in the machining field and yet these companies esp up here around my area are getting the idea, hey wait, we don't have to pay these guys as much. Or...have 2 guys run 3 machines which is BS. Another finding just to cut costs and work your *** off. Being a toolmaker should make good $$ I believe around here 25-35/hr is good, depending upon where you go. If your at Boeing, your pretty much set.

 

[toolmaker 10+ year member]

Like spl, I am a Tool and Diemaker. Have also dabbled a little bit in moldmaking. i started from the ground up. First being a punch press set-up man, to being a "button pusher", to learning how to program and set-up cnc's, to finally getting my apprenticeship in Tool&Die. And earned my Journeymans card a few(lol) years back. Been in manufacturing for 20yrs. In all reality, the more you can learn to do the better off you will be. i have learned, and still learning, how to integrate automation(plcs, air logic, motion controls) in the things i do. The more well rounded, and informed about whats out there, the more "value" you can offer a company(hence better pay, more room for advancement). I am actually half way through an assoc's degree in electro-mechanical engineering. And like to dabble in electronics( servo's,steppers, motion control).

And Spl, I actually knew(know) a Mechanical engineer that could machine like you wouldnt beleive, but he was a Tool and Diemaker first. He knew how to engineer a part that would be usuable the first time, and what it took to acutally make the **** thing, unlike the ones you meet today. But he is retired by about 10yrs now.

 

[SPLaudio 5,000+ posts]

i hear you its few and far between. most so called machinists are operators=button boys. where shops have 1 real machinist and alot of operators.

where a tool maker gets shown a problem draws it up themselves and makes the part.

i have my own lil shop at work with all manual machines, no production. i have very little cnc experience and want to keep it that way.

there is always room for improvement i love to learn hands on and always listen. ive only been in the field for lil over 5 yrs...

 

[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

in a few more years you will not have any of these trades left in the USA,liberals sent all our jobs to

Asia .......

 

[SPLaudio 5,000+ posts]

^ i hear that that is why there is no jobs in my area and everyone is getting out of NY. im thankful we make for the military so has to be made in the good ol USA.