mineralman55 Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Every once in a while I get an inkling of encouragement from developments. Not major, but a good trend. I was invited to attend a ribbon cutting at the local college for their new CNC program and complete shop. Interestingly, the wiring and HVAC for the shop was installed by the students in those programs. Now, this might not sound like much, but it is an impressive shop and their program is thinking years ahead. Industry down here is hurting for qualified machinists. There were several mayors in attendance, state senators and representatives, someone from our federal senator's office, a bunch of local industry CEOs. There are two Haas CNC machines, a bank of CNC simulators in the attached classroom, and things that warm my heart... a manual machine tool section with three restored 16" Southbends, some Bridgeports, and some other machines. It was great. BTW, can anyone tell me what the last "Summit" mill machine is? I'm not familiar with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Cross Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 BTW, can anyone tell me what the last "Summit" mill machine is? I'm not familiar with it. That's a radial drill press, not a mill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolndie7 Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 That summit is "just" a drill press. Those south bends look like they are in great shape! Remember jumping the pulleys for those deep cuts when the belt started to stretch? haha Im happy to see lots of money and effort going into educating the next generation. The industry overall is lacking and this is an awesome way to combat that situation ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisco Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Well trained machinists are short everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted July 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Well trained machinists are short everywhere. Is that a slur about machinists' manhood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Is that a slur about machinists' manhood? Of course not. To mean that he would have said "Machinists are lacking." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 That's a radial drill press, not a mill. Hell yeah - two years ago I had a friend that received that exact Summit as a gift... "If you want it, come and get it or I'm tossing it out!" <lmao> I had to help him move it. Same machine, but already mounted on a stand alone base. We used a front-bucket tractor to get it on my trailer, but we didn't have that same tractor to get if off my trailer and into his shop... <laughs> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Back up real fast and the give it the brakes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Cross Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Hell yeah - two years ago I had a friend that received that exact Summit as a gift... "If you want it, come and get it or I'm tossing it out!" <lmao> I had to help him move it. Same machine, but already mounted on a stand alone base. We used a front-bucket tractor to get it on my trailer, but we didn't have that same tractor to get if off my trailer and into his shop... <laughs> How did you get it off your trailer? Those SOBs are HEAVY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisco Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 (edited) Is that a slur about machinists' manhood?MM 55 just to make you feel better about this. " There are people everywhere just waiting to accommodate a well trained and well equipped machinist, and to let him or her ply the tools of their trade." Edited July 17, 2015 by Sisco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Hell yeah - two years ago I had a friend that received that exact Summit as a gift... "If you want it, come and get it or I'm tossing it out!" <lmao> I had to help him move it. Same machine, but already mounted on a stand alone base. We used a front-bucket tractor to get it on my trailer, but we didn't have that same tractor to get if off my trailer and into his shop... <laughs> I was the part of one of those projects but it was a Bridgeport think my back still hurts lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted July 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Sisco, it doesn't bother me, but it is an interesting quote. I'm not a machinist by day, and I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night either. I'm just an occasional weekend hack with machine tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 How did you get it off your trailer? Those SOBs are HEAVY. There were 4 of us - but 4 aren't enough... <lmao> It wouldn't have mattered if there were 8 of us, because you'd never be able to get 8 guys around that think and move it, without looking like a monkey fucking a football... <laughs> The 4 of us tried to do the work of a tractor, but that fucker wasn't budging. We had to give up, and physically unbolt it from it's base, and it took 4 guys to get each piece off the trailer. Twice. We got it into the corner, and reassembled it. It wasn't the ideal place for it - but it's still there to this day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 /\/\/\/\ Truth. Moving a small machine once with 4 people almost resulted in it being dropped, moving it only 8ft. At a later date, me and one other dude moved it WAY easier with leverage and proper placement of carts and benches. A local gunsmith got his leg crushed several years back, when they were moving his Bridgeport and it fell over onto him. Cast iron ain't no joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisco Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 /\/\/\/\ Truth. Moving a small machine once with 4 people almost resulted in it being dropped, moving it only 8ft. At a later date, me and one other dude moved it WAY easier with leverage and proper placement of carts and benches. A local gunsmith got his leg crushed several years back, when they were moving his Bridgeport and it fell over onto him. Cast iron ain't no joke. Amen as any one who has worked on a farm can testify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisco Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Sisco, it doesn't bother me, but it is an interesting quote. I'm not a machinist by day, and I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night either. I'm just an occasional weekend hack with machine tools. Envious man, the two things I wish I had learned in life; Welding and Precision Machining. Probably should have, would have quit my white collar job and become a gunsmith, I know I would have enjoyed my job more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 White collar job? That's it! You're excommunicated! <laughs> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Envious man, the two things I wish I had learned in life; Welding and Precision Machining. Probably should have, would have quit my white collar job and become a gunsmith, I know I would have enjoyed my job more. I'm still young per say, but ill probably never learn. I wish i had taken metals in high school and learned to weld. When I was in tech school there was no "basic" welding class if you wanted to learn you needed to to take the course. One thing I did learn that I'm glad I did is sheet metal work. I started in highschool in a shop of an hvac company bending duct work and fittings. It's something that thought me a nitch not many shops even do anymore more but pre made duct and fitting or have machines that do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted August 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Ok, I decided to participate and not just onlook. I registered for the CNC course. Beginning tomorrow, three days a week for the fall semester. It's been almost 40 years, but back to school! I'll find out if you can teach an old dog a new trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Ok, I decided to participate and not just onlook. I registered for the CNC course. Beginning tomorrow, three days a week for the fall semester. It's been almost 40 years, but back to school! I'll find out if you can teach an old dog a new trick. Easy-peasy bro! Basically you're going to be learning to put all your speeds/feeds, radii, sines/cosines, cutter paths into the control panel. As with manual machining, there is always more than one way to skin a cat. Pay attention to tool paths...they can bite you in the azz. So long as you aren't maching clamps, jigs, or fixtures you're good. And you will see scales of magnification of the old adage "The only thing I've ever seen two machinists agree upon is that a third machinist is doing it wrong." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 And you will see scales of magnification of the old adage "The only thing I've ever seen two machinists agree upon is that a third machinist is doing it wrong."After about two months of learning cnc machining on Haas simulators and machines, I can say "Damn, this is fun!" It's also humbling. I'm not a programmer, or even that computer savvy, so learning the programming language and editing on the Haas computer panels is awkward at best. But like everything else, crawl first, toddle, walk, run later.We've been doing 98% on the mill, but will begin the lathe soon enough. What am I going to do with it? I don't know. As I said, it's just fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Awesome!Lathes, eh? Two words: Live Tooling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Lathes, eh? Two words: Live ToolingThe instructor jokingly refers to the Haas cnc lathe as a "glorified toolroom lathe". No live tooling, static tailstock, but the 4-position tool post allows programable changes.Who knows, maybe I'll eventually get a small Sherline CNC lathe just for the fun of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Sherlines are interesting. Check out Taig/Micro Proto. The Micro Proto is the CNC side, made here in Arizona (as are the Taig). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted November 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 We had a neat project for a local entrepreneur. He wanted a five-cavity mold. I wrote the programming for this (not all by myself) and after zeroing it, let the machine chug along. First a rough cut, then a finish pass. The mirror half of the mold is next. Really enjoyed doing this. mold_1.3gp mold_2.3gp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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