Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

This forum is for those individuals or small business to solicit requests for Service from those members of our group. Machining, Foundry work, Sheet Metal work etc. This site makes no guarranty of work or represenation by the users of this site. It merely attempts to provide a place to allow individuals the opportunity to meet and discuss needs and capabilities.

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racer8412
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Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 12:18 pm

Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by racer8412 »

I'm a student in Palm Harbor, Fl, and am a complete beginner to machining, I need a mentor and am looking to create a scale replica of an original Curta Calculator, I can buy materials but I need access to at least a mill and a lathe, maybe a laser cutter, if you can help me please let me know it would be much appreciated!
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Adirondack
Posts: 410
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:59 pm
Location: southern CT

Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Adirondack »

This may be the coolest non-train related item ever posted here! WOW

http://www.vcalc.net/cu.htm

ADK
Adirondack Car & Foundry
Check out our projects: https://www.facebook.com/ADKrail/
Visit our ALL-NEW online store: https://adirondackcarfoundry.square.site/

A little locomotive with 4 wheels on the track is a lot more fun
than a 1/2 finished one with 16 wheels on the bench!
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Bill Shields
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Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Bill Shields »

A very ambitious project for a beginner..
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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Adirondack
Posts: 410
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:59 pm
Location: southern CT

Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Adirondack »

Bill Shields wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:05 pm A very ambitious project for a beginner..
Bill, that would be ambitious for YOU. :P

ADK
Adirondack Car & Foundry
Check out our projects: https://www.facebook.com/ADKrail/
Visit our ALL-NEW online store: https://adirondackcarfoundry.square.site/

A little locomotive with 4 wheels on the track is a lot more fun
than a 1/2 finished one with 16 wheels on the bench!
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Bill Shields
Posts: 10442
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
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Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Bill Shields »

now there you go...making fun of my blacksmith training
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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Harold_V
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Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Harold_V »

Heh! Fact is, it is an ambitious project for most anyone.
One thing about this troubles me. Brings to mind the time, many years ago, when the husband of one of my sister's friends called on me. I was operating my humble one man shop (commercial) at the time, engaged in the aero-space industry.

This guy, who shall remain nameless, told me he was thinking of buying some machines and making parts during the off-season (he was a school teacher). I asked him how much experience he had on machines. None, I was told.

I struggled a great deal when I first entered the machine shop, and I had an aptitude for the work. I understood what needed to be done, and how it should be done, but I lacked experience. That comes only with time. *Note that this condition isn't forever. My years away from the machines has resulted in my now not having the same skill I once had. I can still do the work, but I also make mistakes that I once never made.

I would like to remind anyone interested in reading my words-----anyone can turn on a machine and make chips---but it takes experience to make parts reliably--to print--without supervision.

Running machines isn't much different from playing a musical instrument (a talent I do not have).

H

*edited
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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Rick
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Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 8:34 pm
Location: Stone Mountain, Ga.

Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by Rick »

Harold

Your post reminded me of a saying I heard about musicians but it can be applied to any skilled endeavor.


"An amateur musician practices so they can get it right, a professional musician practices so they can't get it wrong"
Rick

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965)
"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". Unknown
Murphy's Law: " If it can go wrong it will"
O-Tool's Corollary: "Murphy was entirely too optimistic"
tetramachine
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Re: Looking for a mentor and a place to use machines.

Post by tetramachine »

I was in the motorcycle business. A Dad would come in with junior and ask for the Best Motocross bike we have, junior would wipe out a list of all the stuff he needs added to the bike so he can WIN. So what bike do you have now ? None, this is his first, But has riden his buddies a couple times. And he knows that he will be great at racing.

Few dads make it past the sticker shock of juniors desire, few ever buy, and only a couple juniors ever make it to the first race.

Set big goals, only with a plan to get there.
My wheels don't slow me down
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