BannedCR500Riders.com

first off i have been doing aviation for quite some time and looking for a career change. really bored with work and im looking of better myself. i have always wanted to be a machinist. there is just something about taking somebodys ideas and making it a reality for them. i have been doing aircraft sheetmetal for a long time and i love it but never hurts to have another trade. i still have the gi bill so its free money and education. what classes are needed. ie cad. mike chim in here

i know of a feller in california that might be able to point you the right direction. He runs a CNC shop in rancho kakabutthole..

That's awesome!

"Where Innovation and Engineering become Reality..."

That's what it say's on the front of my building!

I started working in a shop in 1976 and I started my Tool and Die Makers apprenticeship in 1978 and my Mold Making apprenticeship in 1980 in a shop full of old timers Hungarian, German, Russian, Swiss etc. You get the picture, We had to learn it all and be proficient at it. I went on to learn 5 axis progrmming and later earn two Degrees and a half a dozen Certs that are all Industry related and in a month it'll be 32 years for me and I'm still learning...matter of fact I'm enrolled in a class now!

I wouldn't know where to tell you to start. I don't believe there are many good programs out there because of the people I run into who say they are for example a Welder been welding ten years and can't weld Titanium and say's "Well all I ever had to weld was Aluminum and Stainless" well he's not a Welder you have to be proficient. A Tool and Die Maker should be able to work to a tolerance of .0002 flat, parralel and perpindicular and if he can't he's not a Tool Maker because he's not proficient!

So before you say you want another "trade" as a Machinist you have to become proficient at that to become a "Journeyman or Tradesman" before you ever make any real money at it. We are the most underpaid skilled trade there is hands down.

If that didn't steer you away....

Call me I'll help ya bro

my dad was a tool designer in aerospace for years and never god paid squat! Thats why I gave up on my engineering major. My uncle (hoofarteds dad) worked in the same trade, they were job shoppers together and now neither has any real retirement or money of any sort even after 30+ years in that field. They are super smart, my father is the smartest man I know and he was living at my house for a while because he was broke and lost his job. I do I.T. for now and plan to make it in business, currently I own 2 businesses, neither is making any real money, but one step at a time, right?
if I were you, I'd use that GI to get a degree. Most of the people I know with money ar dumbasses with bullshit degrees.

I got 3/4 the way through a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering and gave up.

I dont have the patience for it and would always want to cut off more material in one go, I torched tons of really expensive bits

I know its not the best paying job. I love working with my hands and thinking thinking thinking. I coundnt do a desk job. sometimes it ot al about money. ill take a job that I enjoy and get paid less over a job I get paid a bundle but regret getting outta bed everyday. to take someones idea that is their head and place it in their hand is priceless in my eyes.

sounds like the job for you then. My family is actually really disappointed that I didn't persue engineering because that would make me the 5th generation engineer/tool maker/machinist that we know of. My grandfather started a company called berglund tools where he invented gnurl grips for caliprating micrometers and then started a business doing moble on site calibrations in chicago... too bad the jap stuff gained popularity and was so cheap they were disposable once they were out of true. His father worked for Ford in the depression making damn good money, and gave it up because his wife wanted to buy a farm (durring the dust bowl!).
I've just seen and heard of too many really smart guys who end up losers in the end, thats my only reason for choosing I.T. instead. plus I'm good at it.
anyway, enough of my boring family history, DO IT! and go buy a CNC so you can CNC us up some parts

ISBB wrote: rancho kakabutthole..

HAHAHAH!

Well Danny, all our Dads income was pretty much contract based. My pops wanted the $$ upfront and didnt want to hassle with working direct for a company. Hell , if he was direct, he'd probably still be working at 73. I know hes bored outta his mind now. Hes actually working on drawing up plans for a trailer dolly for that 28' WW I got. Too effin big to park like the old one.

ya, I know, but if they weren't contact based, they would have made a shit rate. Luckily, my dad changed his field around a little bit and specializes in automation now and is doing pretty well... Still all the idiot managers make more and get more vacation, benefits, retirement, etc.

IF your dad knows how to run a cnc machine my buddy down on 7th and archibald is always lookin for good help.. Might help ease his boredom a little

ISBB wrote:IF your dad knows how to run a cnc machine my buddy down on 7th and archibald is always lookin for good help.. Might help ease his boredom a little

Down the street from me...lol. Thanks, but he was a tool design engineer. I think he dabbled a tad on the NC machines - but hes retired.

A friend used to have their shop in that center. Was closer to Hellman and 7th though. They made the laser systems for Miles equipment.

ya, now his shop is in fontucky with chickens running around from the mexi neighbors!

dannygraves wrote:ya, now his shop is in fontucky with chickens running around from the mexi neighbors!

Yeah - but its developed all around him now. All new homes went in. I think the chickens are gone now. The neighbors are still around I think.

ya, still better than the houses in norco that they built right on top of cow shit.

my pals cnc shop does stuff for boeing, mcdonald douglas chit like that fabbin parts up for them super fancy jet things... and a handful of other shit..