The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

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.

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SteveHGraham
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by SteveHGraham »

Phones are hurting the forums pretty badly, and so is Facebook.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
WJH
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by WJH »

Hi Jim, it would be nice to have others local to me with the same interests. I feel the same way when I make a thread about what I did and very little interest is shown. Vast majority of what I do is not documented. I'll make posts to an r/c helicopter forum and the responses I get are people dumb founded. I can't help but think our populace is running backwards in terms of intelligence. People are de-evolving. This last trip, just for fun, I learned trig functions of tan, sin, and cos. I'd say 99% of the populace has no idea how to apply that to the real world.
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BadDog
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by BadDog »

I enjoy reading a lot, sometimes nearly all (depending on work), of what is posted here. But if I don't think I have anything to contribute, I often don't post. Not that I never have, just that I tend not to. I can see how if many do the same thing it might be interpreted as lack of interest, but that is not the case.

On that line, I've seen lots of forms that allow you to "like" a post without offering further comment. It is intended to address just this issue where you either have dozens of empty useless posts saying basically "good job!" (etc), often to the point you miss valuable contributions within pages of nothing, or you have posters feeling that there efforts are not appreciated. I've even seen moderators on these sites police it to the point that if an empty post is made, the post is deleted and the poster is directed to use the "like" instead. I think it might work well here.
Russ
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JimGlass
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by JimGlass »

LinkedIn.com is a web site I joined and enjoy. We have some great discussions.
Below is a link to a discussion I started on this same topic of dumbing down of America. I had over 100 reply comments.

"Entry level technology students lack many basic skills"

I hope the link opens for everyone. If not you may need to register at LinkedIn.com:

https://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view ... st-0-b-ttl
Tool & Die Maker/Electrician, Retired 2007

So much to learn and so little time.

www.outbackmachineshop.com
WJH
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by WJH »

JimGlass wrote:LinkedIn.com is a web site I joined and enjoy. We have some great discussions.
Below is a link to a discussion I started on this same topic of dumbing down of America. I had over 100 reply comments.

"Entry level technology students lack many basic skills"

I hope the link opens for everyone. If not you may need to register at LinkedIn.com:

https://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view ... st-0-b-ttl
Thanks for the link, it's a private group, asked to join it. Almost 14,000 members! Quite impressive
Torch
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by Torch »

I love to read the posts and see other's projects here. I don't post on most of them because by the time I get to the thread, better ideas have already been mentioned by others.

On the subject of children and the future of mechanical trades: I help mentor a high-school robotics club. We can't use the shop facilities at the school due to liability concerns: a qualified machine shop teacher must be present at all times, and there is only one. Talking to another teacher, he says a significant problem is the difficulty in getting someone who is both qualified as a teacher (ie: has all the required degrees and certificates) AND is a qualified machinist. Why the hell would a good machinist start over at Teachers College? Conversely, how the hell would you train a teacher to be a competent machinist?

Anyway, there is hope. Last year I posted some pics of my 6 year old grandson learning to make a machinist hammer on the lathe -- a Father's Day present. His interest continued, we've tackled a few more things since then. In fact, he approached me this past week and asked to do another Father's day project -- wants to make some sort of tool that his dad can use when working on the car.

Now I'm trying to figure out a suitable project. Maybe a gasket scraper?
ronm
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by ronm »

I've been on this forum since 2003, (had to look at my profile to see, & I was surprised it's been that long...). My participation has dropped off a lot lately on this & other forums I hang out on, due to I guess it would be called forum burnout...just seems like the same ol' same ol', over & over.
Maybe it's the "machinist gene", but there's a certain group of "nit-pickers", who will pick apart any project or accomplishment, no matter how good it is...everybody's a frickin' expert, & there's always a dozen different opinions. One project I actually asked for feedback on ended up as such a mess I doubt I'll ever subject myself to that again. The thread didn't really get much feedback until I had already made a decision about which way to go, then the experts came out of the woodwork to say what a bad idea it was... don't need that again, so why bother?
I will say this forum stays closer to the "Home machinist" format than others I've tried, but there's still some put-down of home shop guys by professionals...
SteveHGraham has gained my admiration for his ability to ask basic questions & accept the advice & abuse with humor & humility. My skin ain't that thick...
earlgo
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by earlgo »

I, too, really enjoy the projects and problems that are presented here. Quite often it triggers a solution to a similar problem and then I forget to say thanks.
My contributions are small and mostly puerile as my shop is made up of old (s)crap that should have been thrown away decades ago.
As mentioned previously in this thread, my grown children are scattered from coast to coast so no one but the scrap dealer ($0.10/#) is going to be interested in what is in the garage shop.

In the last couple of years a shop owner in Willoughby, OH got certification from the State of Ohio to open a school for training machinists. He took the time trouble and money to do that because he could not find suitable people for his extensive shop. http://www.precisionmachininginstitute. ... formation/

There is another shop in Solon that is oriented toward CNC programming on Citizen machines that are made by the watch people. http://www.cnc-training.com/contact.htm

Years ago the Akron Machining Institute closed its doors and long before that the Warner and Swasey journeyman program stopped.

JMHO:I think a lot of folks have not been exposed to the art of making things by hand and the pride that goes with it.

--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
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Harold_V
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by Harold_V »

ronm wrote:I've been on this forum since 2003, (had to look at my profile to see, & I was surprised it's been that long...). My participation has dropped off a lot lately on this & other forums I hang out on, due to I guess it would be called forum burnout...just seems like the same ol' same ol', over & over.
That's pretty normal, although with machining, there's almost always something that has not been discussed.
Maybe it's the "machinist gene", but there's a certain group of "nit-pickers", who will pick apart any project or accomplishment, no matter how good it is...everybody's a frickin' expert, & there's always a dozen different opinions. One project I actually asked for feedback on ended up as such a mess I doubt I'll ever subject myself to that again. The thread didn't really get much feedback until I had already made a decision about which way to go, then the experts came out of the woodwork to say what a bad idea it was... don't need that again, so why bother?
I'm pretty sure I remember this one, and I have to agree, once a decision was made, there were critics that had remained silent until decisions had been made. Let the firestorm begin!

How did those bearings turn out, Ron? Are they operational? If so, any regrets with the final choice of alloy?
I will say this forum stays closer to the "Home machinist" format than others I've tried, but there's still some put-down of home shop guys by professionals...
That is often the result of those who know (or think they know) being critical of those who don't have credentials (they are not machinists) making decisions that are not the same as decisions he/she might make. Of course, each of us think that OUR way is best, or often the only way to accomplish a task. That can be good, and it can be bad, depending on the nature of the problem. Some times a guy with experience has to step in to save an individual from himself. A good example might be a cylinder for an engine, which should be straight and round, but has taper, and it's virtually on size on one end. How does one approach this project and ensure the desired outcome? I would NEVER recommend a common hone be used, as they have little ability to correct errors, and are more likely to introduce more than to eliminate any. That will almost always introduce comments from those who have done just that, and accept the results they achieve, ignoring the fact that it could have been better.

I recall offering some advice on parting. The material in question was leaded brass, and it was being parted at a snail's pace. When I suggested that the speed could be increased tenfold, the retort was that the suggestion would be run past one of the machinists on the job, to see if that was true. Not a very complimentary comment from someone who obviously doesn't know, to one who has worked in the trade for several lustrums, and practices what is preached.
SteveHGraham has gained my admiration for his ability to ask basic questions & accept the advice & abuse with humor & humility. My skin ain't that thick...
He's been a lot of fun to have on the board. He hands out jokes regularly, and takes them in stride. And, while it may not be obvious, the questions he constantly posts are very helpful for those who are pursuing knowledge.

Something to ponder. Steve may appear to be a bumpkin. Don't let that fool you. He's one of the smartest and best educated guys on this board. We can all learn from him, assuming we permit that to happen.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
ronm
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by ronm »

Harold_V wrote:How did those bearings turn out, Ron? Are they operational? If so, any regrets with the final choice of alloy?
They turned out great, fit beautiful, but not tested yet, the D2 being the side project & suffering from lack of time, due to other concerns, not the least of which was getting married in Sept...
The pony motor is assembled & ready to go back in the tractor as soon as the leaking fuel tank & rust-filled fuel system is dealt with. [/quote]
Harold wrote:Something to ponder. Steve may appear to be a bumpkin. Don't let that fool you. He's one of the smartest and best educated guys on this board. We can all learn from him, assuming we permit that to happen.
Oh, I was never under the notion Steve wasn't smart...that would be a bad assumption to make.
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Harold_V
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by Harold_V »

ronm wrote:
Harold_V wrote:How did those bearings turn out, Ron? Are they operational? If so, any regrets with the final choice of alloy?
They turned out great, fit beautiful, but not tested yet, the D2 being the side project & suffering from lack of time, due to other concerns, not the least of which was getting married in Sept...
The pony motor is assembled & ready to go back in the tractor as soon as the leaking fuel tank & rust-filled fuel system is dealt with.
Cool! Looking forward to the report on the success of your hard work!

By the way, congrats on the marriage. I hope it works out for you as well as mine has with Susan!

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
ronm
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Re: The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

Post by ronm »

Thanks Harold, I think it will work out. She is a good woman.
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