Long thin bay covers with tight tolerances for groove and OD. Lots of screws but they worked pretty good. 1144 stressproof didn't bend or warp at all. Pretty great fixture material.

This is up at a local auction and would like your opinions. I am a complete newbie but have been watching videos trying to learn. Primary use would be gunsmithing/hobby stuff.

I’m 21 in the DFW area and potentially have an opportunity to become a CNC machinist apprentice starting around $26/hr. I was also considering A&P school for aircraft maintenance, but getting paid to learn machining is appealing.
For people in the trade, would you recommend starting in 2026? How are the long-term pay, job stability, and opportunities to advance? What should I ask the company to make sure it’s a solid apprenticeship?

New to CNC turning, working with a ProtoTrak 1630. Was testing a part on AL6061 scrap before switching to steel for the production part. I needed to drop the DOC by over half…the machine missed that memo. Luckily I was running at slow feed so stopping it was quick…but boy did that one make some noise.

Hey I’m a fab guy and I have a 1/4 in drill bit that works awesome on hardened steel and I’m looking to get more I just don’t know what kind of bit it is I would appreciate the help

Hi guys! I’m a precision grinder and I’m in need of some help. A new customer has sent a drawing with a material I’ve never seen/used before and I’m unsure of its properties. The material is 18CrNiMo 7-6. After some research it seems like it’s a really hard material to grind with once it’s been hardened. Has anyone used this material before? Thanks

I was gone for 6yrs and found my calipers, micrometers, 1-2-3 blocks, dial gauges and other tools went missing from my storage unit.

Almost all were Mitutoyo I bought when I was in trade school. I'm not a machinist by trade anymore, but I work on vintage bikes and will be getting a hobbist mill.

Is MSC the place to get replacements? Last time I made purchases it was through Enco.

I've seen numerous posts on here mentioning all it takes is a pulse to score one of these jobs. I've applied to quite a few with minimal response. I first tried in August after getting laid off from my. creative services desk job of 22 years. And then again just now after attending 8-9 weeks of machining school at my local community college. I figured learning how to read blueprints and use precision measurement instruments would land me at least an interview. My plan is to keep going to school until I land a job or receive my two year technical diploma.

Just wondering if it's the lack of experience or my age that's working against me? They'll figure I'm at least over 40 with the work history. I'm in SE Wisconsin where the manufacturing jobs are plentiful.

Needed a little extra support on this long thin part that had a perfect step to clamp on, and this step clamp was in reach so I used it. It’s almost .250” off the fixture plate.

hi guys, I'm wondering how much you are earning with this trade in Europe, your experience, country and how big is demand...

Hello everyone, I need some help with my mental state in the trade right now. I’ve been working at an aerospace shop for around a year now. Is my first job in the trade, I knew absolutely nothing going in. For the last 2-3 weeks I was put on a job with 4 plates for a weldment. It was one of my first jobs programming on my own, and doing it all alone. I got all of the plates done, they were all in spec and then my supervisor comes to me with a rev change on all 4 plates. I get them all re-programmed, get 2 of 4 done and on the 3rd plate I absolutely torch it and mistype my comp for a countersink. Crashed right into the part. I was in a groove and was trying to get the countersinks done before my shift ended.

It’s absolutely tearing me up. I’m in a weird mental spot. Part of my mind is telling me to ditch the trade, I’m young enough I wouldn’t have an issue learning anything else. Just in a very negative headspace and need someone to talk to. Thank you.

I was cleaning out chips in our Haas VF2 when I noticed the hose had very little pressure. I took the nozzle off and saw what looked like a rubber band wrapped around the ball valve inside the hose nozzle. I turned the coolant on without the nozzle on and all of this came out, meaning it had to come from the tank or the pump but I just can’t imagine where. Has anyone seen this before?

Should I correct his spelling?

Can anyone recommend a supplier other than MSC or McMaster for the solid carbide version of this end mill? Or possibly an alternative tool?
Thank you

Tool maker for an aerospace company and I think this every time i finish a fixture.

A doctor, a lawyer, and an engineer were waiting to be guillotined by the Taliban.

They tested it by chopping off the head of a goat. They dragged over the doctor. "Do you have anything to say?" "Why kill me? I'm a doctor. I can treat your sick and injured." "off with his head!" shouted the mullah. The crowd roared. The doctor was stuffed into postition, the executioner jerked the lanyard and - nothing heppened. They took the doctor out and tried it on a goat. Chop! It worked perfectly.

A big cry went up from the crowd. "Spare the doctor. It is the will of God!" And the doctor was freed.

Next they dragged up the lawyer. "'I'm a lawyer. I can represent your cause before the world court..." he was stuffed into the guillotine... the lanyard... nothing happened...the goat... the crowd "..the will of God" and the lawyer was freed.

Next they dragged up the engineer. He said: "There's a burr that stops the latch lever every other pull. Gimme a file and I could dress it off."

Sup yall, ive recently took a peep at some of the tuition my job offers that can go to completing different certificates and degrees, id like to dip my feet into the Cnc machining word and am wondering which of the options would have a better route to go, and which would just be redundant or not really helpful for getting Into this field. The options are these pictured, any advice is welcomed.

Edit: Here's the classes associated with each one

I also realized some i missed the window to apply so these are the ones remaining.

Industrial Manufacturing Essentials Micro

-foundations of industrial and manufacturing -fundamentals of hydraulics and pneumatics -intro to industrial electronics -PLC & CNC in industrial manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing Undergrad

-engineering graphics and design -GD&T -advanced machining -additive manufacturing process -advanced additive manufacturing

Surface grinder using crystal cut 322 on carbide. This amount of foam happens within a handful of minutes immediately after we refill the coolabt reservoir.

Been doing cnc for over 20 years. The first 17 or so was fab with sheet lasers 5 axis laser press brakes that supported cam programming.

Stepped away to do CAD design and cam programming for another company for a year.

My old company purchased a machine shop so got my foot in the door and since they knew I had to skills to translate I negotiated a 75k salary to come on board.

Machining was a lot more technical than I anticipated, but in under 2 years I can setup and proof out a variety of live tooling lathes and mills ( samsung okuma mori ect) while also providing the other machinist and my myself with models and toolpaths from fusion. Small shop 8 machines 4 machinists 1 qc.

Just wondering if I'm on par, punching above or should look around. Thanks.

The lathe is a Colchester Bantam and the Mill is an Adcock & Shipley model 0. The were originally purchased as an auction lot from a factory that was closing down and may have included parts that were thrown in that didn't match the machines just to get rid of them.

A bolt on hinged clamp for the sine table at work so I don't have to use toe clamps.

Mostly a woodworker but the machine shop supervisor lets me play around sometimes. Did some manual machining on the lathe. The parting cuts on the screws all have this spiral pattern. I'll be keeping it.