If you're not a machinist...look at how much FUN it is to be able to MAKE real parts...

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

[johnyrotten]

Great video,  this guy's got skills. Always fun watching a master at their craft. There's quite a few very talented guys on YouTube, check Joe Pieczyinski, extremely talented guy, builds scale lathes, mills ect. Educational as well, useful for guy's like myself. 

Edited April 14 by johnyrotten
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[Miatatom]

Mad skills, man.

[Bugatti Fan]

Seeing the video brought back many memories of my apprenticeship and the day job many years ago.

This thread reminded me. There is a Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum at Carlsbad, California. It was set up by the CEO Joe Martin of Sherline who make miniature machinery for model makers. Some of the engineered model exhibits there are mind blowing. I can only admire from afar living in England.

Edited April 14 by Bugatti Fan

[stavanzer]

My late Father was a skilled Machinist. He made parts for the antique Tractors he restored.

This guy is neat.

Edited April 14 by stavanzer

[slusher]

Bill, I bet you do some machine shop work.."

[Straightliner59]

I have a lathe and a mill, but, by no means would I call myself a machinist!😅 There are a few very skilled machinists, right on this forum.

[Bugatti Fan]

It one wants to learn about miniature machining, Joe Martin has written a book about machining using the Sherline range of machines.

Details of the book should be on Sherline Machines website. I have a copy and it is a very good introductory book about machining in miniature with many pictures of examples of different miniature engineering projects that are inspirational.

A number of years ago Gerald Wingrove wrote a book named Unimat lathe projects that describes how to make useful tools for model making using the little Unimat lathe. Long out of print but worth tracking down as the projects could be done on other small machines like the Sherline range.

Edited April 15 by Bugatti Fan

[johnyrotten]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:46 AM, Straightliner59 said:

I have a lathe and a mill, but, by no means would I call myself a machinist!😅 There are a few very skilled machinists, right on this forum.

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I'm in a similar position,  I run them at work regularly. Mostly self taught, I won't dare call myself a machinist. I like to say I know just enough to be "dangerous". 

[bobss396]

I'm a classically trained machinist, served a 4 year apprenticeship too.

I did all sorts of similar repair jobs like that on old car parts, race cars and boats.

FYI a telescoping gage is not that accurate, it may get you in the +/- .001 ballpark. Intra-mikes are much more accurate.

I have a Bridgeport mill and a Clausing lathe (not working right now..). I am in the market for a Sherline lathe. I struggle quite a bit without one.

I retired from everything between 2016 and 2020, I used to have precision lathe access at my job. I still have a cigar box with all my homegrown lathe bits, mini boring bars, etc. I have one cut-off tool that I can turn, face and use to part off finished parts.

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:22 AM, slusher said:

Bill, I bet you do some machine shop work.."

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Yes sir. I got into machine work in about 1996. I backed a fabricator who had the best design for a built-up Ford 9" housing for drag racing I've ever seen.

Long story short, things didn't work out, so I kept the stuff I'd paid for, a Bridgeport clone (Taiwan made, but decent, with 3-axis DRO), a 16" lathe, a nice water-cooled Miller TIG rig (pre-digital, so it'll probably run forever), 2 bandsaws, etc.

A friend at the time was an old wizard machinist who could make anything, quick, he taught me a lot, and I've been making stuff and learning more ever since. I would not call myself a real "machinist" but I haven't come across anything I've had to farm out yet (other than crankshaft work and balancing).

I bought a used but perfect Unimat a while back (wanted one since the 1960s), have been collecting tooling and accessories for it too, and making model car and train parts. 

Finally sprung for a Sherline lathe and mill, used, with tons of tooling, a couple of years back. The big lathe is just too big and the Unimat is just too small to do some things, and the Sherline is the perfect in-between machine. 

If I'd bought the Sherline first, I wouldn't have needed the Unimat, but the little machine is a joy to use and fits in considerably less space than the Sherline.

Only thing I've done with the Sherline so far was set it up, make a few cuts to verify its condition, and then re-pack it.  

Machine work is some of the most fun I've ever had. Turning a raw piece of metal into a functional, machined part gives me more satisfaction than just about anything else. 

If I had it to do over, I definitely would have taken metal shop in high school. We DID have to learn basic machining operations at Tech, but back then it was something "engineers" were expected to understand.   

Edited April 16 by Ace-Garageguy

[johnyrotten]

  On 4/15/2025 at 11:59 AM, bobss396 said:

I'm a classically trained machinist, served a 4 year apprenticeship too.

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I never ever had that opportunity,  youtube university and many many hours reading the machinist handbook got me halfway capable in the "caveman" sense.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:14 PM, johnyrotten said:

...many many hours reading the machinist handbook...  

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That right there puts you way ahead of a lot of fellas.  

And I can count on one finger the shops I know locally that can set up and machine a part on manual equipment.

Don't get me wrong. There are wizards out there who can do and know WAY more than I ever will, and thankfully some of them make great YT videos. But I don't know but one within reasonable driving distance from me, and he's probably not going to be around that much longer.

Middle schools need to be teaching this kind of stuff if we're at all serious about bringing manufacturing back to the USA, but that's a whole nother can of worms.

Edited April 15 by Ace-Garageguy

[BKF]

I first started running manual machines in highschool in the later 80's. I currently run, program and manage cnc lathes, mills and edm but do enjoy getting back on a manual lathe when I can.

Edited April 15 by BKF

[johnyrotten]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:19 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Middle schools need to be teaching this kind of stuf

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Absolutely.  An accountant degree is great, but having trade skills to fall back on, way more important. Always have a backup plan. We are always going to need mechanics, carpenters ect. I'm class of 2000, which puts me squarely in the spot of "one trick ponies" that can't do anything without a screen or keyboard. Yet I  learned the value of manual, tangible skills and have many options available. 

[deuces wild]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:46 AM, Straightliner59 said:

I have a lathe and a mill, but, by no means would I call myself a machinist!😅 There are a few very skilled machinists, right on this forum.

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Thanks Dan!......😁🤓

[Bugatti Fan]

Schools generally over here in the UK tend to veer towards IT as well as the core subjects like Maths, English Language and Literature, Science, Geography and so on.

Just before I retired I worked at a local high school with engineering as a specialism. My job there was an Engineering CAD CAM Technician / Teachers Assistant for my last four years of gainful employment. Really enjoyed the job working with the students on their projects.   Sad to say very few schools take on engineering as a specialism which is ironic as the whole infrastructure of modern society depends on engineering in some form or other.

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/15/2025 at 2:13 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

If I had it to do over, I definitely would have taken metal shop in high school.

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I took metal shop in high school.

The only thing I remember learning was how to make a miniature cannon! 😁

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 4/15/2025 at 9:24 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I took metal shop in high school.

The only thing I remember learning was how to make a miniature cannon! 😁

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Well, that's something.  

[stitchdup]

I made a chisel in school shop class, of course it was supposed to be a screwdriver but my mind was elsewhere at that age....

[Bills72sj]

I dabbled in it when I had access to both a mill and a lathe. Just few side projects for myself and people I know. I have 4 items I made in the dash of my 1:1 Grand Prix.

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/15/2025 at 9:55 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Well, that's something.  

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I’m lucky to be alive! 😬

 

 

Steve

[Straightliner59]

  On 4/15/2025 at 3:22 PM, deuces wild said:

Thanks Dan!......😁🤓

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You are most welcome, sir!😄

[bobss396]

I got into machining after recovering from a serious car accident. I needed something that was easier to do physically.

I'm lucky to have gotten into an incredible model shop, then a true R & D shop. You had to be fast and accurate. I saw many older guys come in with "20 years of experience" that did not make probation.

It was almost all manual, with one NC Bridgeport mill. It was great to rough out multiple parts.

We had a huge Van Norman Universal mill, with cabinets of accessories, all mint condition. And 2 large Regal-LeBlond lathe with overhead cranes to change chucks and faceplate. I learned to EDM on a small Charmilles machine. We had a separate room for surface grinders.

There was a large sheet metal shop next door, these guys could make anything.