Learning Basic Machine Tools

[KpdPipes 388]

Does anyone know of a place where you can leart basics on a Mill and Lathe???

[Tom-NJ2AS 31]

Check any vo-tech schools in your area. A lot of them have night classes for adults.

[junkmanted 54]

pick up a cheep combo machine and jump in !

 

I have a harberfreight mill, drill, lathe its not the top of the line but as a hobby its fine.

 

I have made firing pins, mounts, mag extensions plus many other thing including crowning barrels

[Malsua 1,422]

I don't know how much space you've got but we picked up a couple Bridgeport lathes for practically nothing a year or so ago. There are tons of surplus machine tools around NJ.

 

If you do get started, here's my suggestions. Buy the cheapest bits and tools you can find. You're going to wreck a pile while learning, may as well not wreck good ones. Start with some brass. It's very forgiving and cuts really easy. Get some blocks or rods or whatever and go to town.

[WCLW 1]

www.practicalmachinist.com

 

great for questions and information.

 

You'll need to find a real machinist to study under. There are many people and teachers that think they know what to do.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Does anyone know of a place where you can leart basics on a Mill and Lathe???

 

Here is another Web Site that may help you out, some ok advise, but very basic. Best to have an old timer help you out if you know any local to you, and when I say old timer, I'm talk old time shops that still have non computerized stuff, the new wave of machinist probably would be able to do anything with an old Milling Machine or Lathe that didn't have a computer attached to it if they had to.

 

Machine Shop

 

Harry