New machinist student - what to buy

Topics include, Machine Tools & Tooling, Precision Measuring, Materials and their Properties, Electrical discussions related to machine tools, setups, fixtures and jigs and other general discussion related to amateur machining.

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

New machinist student - what to buy

Post by SteveM »

A kid I've known since he was a Cub Scout is going to tech school to learn to be a machinist.

He'll be doing manual machines for the first couple of years and then going working on CNC (which sounds good to me, since if you don't know the fundamentals, you're never going to be able to make the code do what you can't do).

In terms of tools, books, supplies, whatever ...

What should he get and which models/brands/sizes should he get?

He's going to have to buy stuff, plus he can put stuff on his gift list.

First thing, I think should be the best 0-1" mic, reading to 10ths that he can afford, as he'll probably use that as much or more than anything.

Steve
sch
Posts: 277
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 7:51 pm

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by sch »

You/he needs to check with the school as to required or suggested tooling and books. They almost certainly have a list of necessary or desirable
tooling, literature and storage boxes. It would somewhat boggle the mind if they didn't. Another possibility occurs: they may have a list of stuff
available from prior students who dropped out and want to sell what they bought. From my experience, chinese tooling was acceptable but they
strongly suggested B&S, Starett or Mitutoyo as these would universally acceptable at the end of schooling.
Richard_W
Posts: 2031
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 1:00 am
Location: Molalla, Oregon

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by Richard_W »

I know someone who is now in school taking classes. The thing he really needed bad was a set of Allen wrenches. He was wasting to much class time looking for an allen wrench to change inserts and to mount the tools in the Aloris tool post. Also a box of inexpensive tin coated C5 grade of TPG322 inserts from Ebay, because the school tried to always run the inserts past their useful life. I bought him a set of micrometer from Harbor Freight. That helped quite a bit along with a decent top quality depth mic. I haven't seen any china import depth mic's that I would buy. So sticking with a top brand is a good idea. Preferably used as some who go to school decide that machining isn't for them. Plus when they do get a job in the trade they can afford to buy better tools if they see fit. I use Harbor Freight digital calipers daily at work with no complaints. A combination square set and a 3/8" edge finder with a .200 end. I also bought him a round 1" mic standard, so he could get a better feel of how to measure round parts.

Another thing that puzzled me was the way he talked about surface finishes. So I had to ask if the had a surface roughness gage. He didn't know what I was talking about. So I bought him this...

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAK ... TPG=INLMK3

I would wait on the books as each school may use something different. Although one of these will be mighty handy even if you own a Machinery's Handbook.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Machinists-Read ... 165wt_1129

BTW These allen wrenches are very popular with machinist's. I have several of these sets both at home and at work. These days you need both inch and metric allens because of the import machines are all metric, but the tool holder aren't.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bondhus-20199-B ... 671wt_1129

Richard W.
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by hammermill »

i would ditto the allen wrench t handel sets, usually schools seem to have a limited supply spread all over.

good to see a interest in getting him outfitted.

a 0-1 and 1-2 micrometer will provide a good base.
revrnd
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:38 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by revrnd »

About the books, find out if he can contact previous students about the necessary books. I know from my year in college, students usually sell their textbooks after the school year. I wasted a large sum of money buying 2 NEW textbooks which we hardly opened.
The following are pretty much what I bought when I started my apprenticeship. I don't recall much in the way of tools in my college year. Mind you Machine practical was pretty much an afterthought in the course.

Machinerys Handbook was purchased either during college or my 1st year as an apprentice.

I've still got the Mitutoyo 0 - 1 & 1 - 2 mikes that I bought in '81.

Decent quality files?

A machinist square if he's doing a lot of milling.

I got a 8" dial vernier for Christmas the year I started my apprenticeship

Carbide tipped scriber. Ditto on the combination set. In addition to the set w/ a 12" blade, protractor & center head, I have a 6" combination square which is handy for laying out smaller pieces. Still use both of them (Fowler brand) a lot today.

Divider for laying out radii & circles

Adjustable wrench for adjusting tool holder height, locking carriage

Ball peen hammer, prick & center punches

Drill sharpening gauge

Drill/conversion chart (pocket size)

Some carbide insert suppliers also make pocket sized "converters" for determining speeds & feeds.

The company supplied us w/ some other tools or we made them as projects in "basic training". 1-2-3 blocks, 45 & 30/60 set squares, tapping square

All of this stuff (plus others) I've still got 32 years later.
Last edited by revrnd on Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
scmods
Posts: 211
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 2:24 pm
Location: North Country, New York

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by scmods »

In addition to the basic items like small micrometer calipers, good vernier (working) caliper, feeler gauges, allen wrenches, precision straightedge, center finder, tool height gauge, prick punch, carbide scriber, optical center punch, 118 and 135 deg drill sharpening gauges, last word indicator, etc., let's not forget a lockable tool box. A box with suitable shallow drawers to increase usable, manageable storage space in a suitable size to meet portability requirements. He must also understand the difference between the school's tools and his personal tools, and he must also understand that it is not his duty to supply the rest of the students out of his personal tools.

This is not an act of selfishness. These tools are the extension of his learned skills and are to be central to the pursuit of his chosen craft. He and his associates need to understand this.

Congratulations to this young man and to your efforts to support him.

Bill Walck
revrnd
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:38 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by revrnd »

I'll add to Bill's comments. When I started working it was an unwritten rule that you didn't touch another person's tool box. Even if you had permission yesterday to borrow someone's radius gauge set (not many had them as apprentices) for example, you asked them AGAIN if you needed to borrow them today.

The dep't had a tool cribs in the die room & m/c shop to sign out tools/cutters that weren't necessary to own.
Mr Ron
Posts: 2126
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:36 pm
Location: Vancleave, Mississippi

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by Mr Ron »

Whatever you buy, buy the best. Don't borrow or lend. Keep your fine tools under lock and key, learn how to respect your tools and they will serve you well. As for tools, I would add a Starrett 815 toolmakers hammer. It is invaluable for layout work. I don't know if they are still made or if anyone else makes them. Layouts sometimes takes three hands to do. The 815 eliminates one of them. It would make a great gift.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
art.h
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:24 am
Location: peterborough, ontario,ca.

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by art.h »

I taught for awhile, I agree with the waiting for the books and first assignments. Try to get instructor/s total course outline. Most instruction workshops have limited numbers of the basic instruments and expendables to get you started. Where it becomes an advantage to start aquiring equipment is when the assignments begin, the traffic jam begins. A few of everything and twenty students doing the same thing at the same time means slow progress.
Buy as needed to ease the traffic jams, you might find that there are enough 0-1" micrometers to go round but not enough 1-2". (example) You'll eventually need both but this would be the time for the 1-2" if you have the money.
As you begin to become familliar with the machinery and the method of tool holding for each machine You might consider investing in expendables (end mills, lathe bits) as the school's are usualy in short supply and in use by someone else.
But money is probably an issue so these might be considered:
A cheap small portable tool box and lock
A quality steel 6" rule
A good steel pointed scribe
A compact set of combination wrenches
A 16oz. ball pean hammer
A quality centre punch
Maybe a 10" adjustable wrench
Good quality Allen key set.and a small size torque wrench set to suit the tooling demands at school
Create a wish list for yourself machiist squares, verniers, micrometers, you'll know and need as you learn
Sooner or later you'll want a tool chest--buy quality in everything and consider second hand hunting to save money.

There is nothing more satisfying than to see a piece of art emerging from a hunk of steel and a sheet of chicken scratches. (draughtsmen please accept my apologies)
SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by SteveM »

Mr Ron wrote:I would add a Starrett 815 toolmakers hammer. It is invaluable for layout work. I don't know if they are still made or if anyone else makes them.
Yes, they are still making them:

http://www.starrett.com/metrology/produ ... -Tools/815

Need to get one for ME for my old eyes.

Whenever I do a presentation to kids that involves tools, I show them one of my Craftsman screwdrivers and tell them that my dad's best friend bought them for me when I was in 7th or 8th grade. Then I tell them the importance of buying good tools and taking care of them.

Steve
shootnride
Posts: 298
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:31 am
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by shootnride »

I agree with previous posters about waiting to find out what the school requires for text books, but a couple of decent, inexpensive references for the beginner that will fit in his tool box are :

The Starrett Book for Student Machinists
Audel's Machine Shop Basics

A small item that will be used daily is one of the little pocket charts (fraction, decimal, tap drill sizes, etc.) like Starrett includes with most of their instruments.

Hope it becomes a passion for him.

Ted
Some people raise the IQ of the room when they enter.........others when they leave.
sch
Posts: 277
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 7:51 pm

Re: New machinist student - what to buy

Post by sch »

Here is my CC list, mostly Starrett or equivalent: 1" micrometer, 12" combination sq, 6" stainless
rule (I would add a couple of these, metric, inch in tenths, 32d etc, they are cheap). single end edge
finder, screw pitch gage inch and metric, center punch set, 6" dial caliper, dead blow hammer 32oz,
ball pein 8oz, test indicator 0.030 and 0.0005 tenths (only B&S suggested), various adapters for same
to hold in mill or mag adapter for lathe use.

Allen keys inch/metric. Screwdrivers, several adj wrench 8" and 12"
Chuck keys... you won't find any in the shop... Mity mag or similar mag base with dial indicators.
Protractor, fishtail screw gage, several files various cuts. They also suggested MT2 live center and
M3->2 adapter.

These were mostly necessary for using the mills and lathes. You really need a decent storage box
that is lockable as well. A luxury would be a nice 115 drill set, sets of radius gages and angle gages.

If you get quality stuff new you are looking at close to $1000, if you include a chest, more depending on quality of the chest. I got by with a $100 Sears roll around base and bought a left
by student old machinist top chest for $20. It served.
Post Reply