Looking for a good Machine Tooling class

[rrefx]

I just got the Garage it's Christmas present. A good condition used Le Blond lathe, and a Bridgeport mill. I'm pretty good on Lathes, but haven't had any real experiance on a mill, and am anxious to learn. I took a general machine tooling night class at UVSC several years ago, and ended up with a bunch of mechanics learning how to turn break rotors. It wasn't what I was looking for. I was hoping there is a good class out there, preferably a night class, where I could become aquainted with my mill and it's capabilities. Anyone taken a good one?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[James K]

have you looked at SLCC?

and a side note..................where did you pick up your mill? and what did you give for it?

got pics of the mill?

 

[rrefx]

I haven't tried SLCC yet, has anyone taken a class there, know if it's worth the time?

I got the mill, the lathe, a knack box full of tooling for both, a turn table, and a large grinder all for $2000 from a fellow Effects guy in LA who is moving his whole machine shop to Oregon, and wanted to downsize. I snapped some quick shots for you. For now, I just put them in the back corner of the garage till I can make a place for them, and get the garage wired up for them.

 

[rrefx]

That's odd, the pics didn't upload. Let me try again.

 

[rrefx]

Thee we go. They are in need of a little cleaning up and a touch of paint, but my uncle use to be a machinist in this guys shop, and says thy're in great working order. I also have allready had someone offer me $2000 for the lathe, which makes me feel pretty good about the buy.

 

[James K]

my jealousy is high, very good score

 

[rockreligious]

my jealousy is high, very good score

x2

 

[rrefx]

Thanks guys,
I'm quite happy with them myself. Excited to jump in, get them cleaned up and a fresh coat of paint, and start playing. I was also fortunate enough to pick up a second mill with my dad. It's a Bridgeport series 2, and we are hoping to rebuild it, and retrofit it as a modern CNC mill. It's not at my place at the moment, but hopefully soon we can start on it. I'm a little intimidated, seems a big project, but I can only imagine what it will be like when up and running.

Ryan

 

[bobdog]

I beleive the SLCC machinists program is no more. The story I heard is that they had a school president that was very hostile to the "dirty" trades.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I beleive the SLCC machinists program is no more. The story I heard is that they had a school president that was very hostile to the "dirty" trades.

As of last year they were still teaching some sort of machining/manufacturing class. I took an Engineering based manufacturing/machining class there, and I know there were some standard machining classes still using the machine shop too. However, I heard a similar story about the diesel mech program

 

[rrefx]

I beleive the SLCC machinists program is no more. The story I heard is that they had a school president that was very hostile to the "dirty" trades.

That's a shame. Always learned a lot more in my "Dirty Trades" classes in school than in a lot of the other stuff they make you sit through.

 

[bobdog]

As of last year they were still teaching some sort of machining/manufacturing class. I took an Engineering based manufacturing/machining class there, and I know there were some standard machining classes still using the machine shop too. However, I heard a similar story about the diesel mech program

That is strange. Two years ago I was attending classes in the Diesel/Heavy Duty mechanics program and there was no machinist program. The Diesel instructers were pretty pissed that all the machines had been sold and they did not get a stab at them. The machining class that used to be a requirement of the program was not offered because there was no machine shop there any more.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

That is strange. Two years ago I was attending classes in the Diesel/Heavy Duty mechanics program and there was no machinist program. The Diesel instructers were pretty pissed that all the machines had been sold and they did not get a stab at them. The machining class that used to be a requirement of the program was not offered because there was no machine shop there any more.

Mabey we both have no clue...

There is still a decent machine shop at the Redwood campus. There are ~15 lathes, 10+ computerized mills, drill presses, saws, etc. They had ALOT of tooling too. Our class (and the other machine class) was taught by a guy named Joel that was a Mechanical Engineer. I had my class Spring 04, and I know they still had it as of last spring, it is a basic ME requirement to come o the U.

Anyone want to come see a BLING machine shop, I would gladly show people around the AML (Advanced Manufacturing Lab) here at the U where we are building our Mini-Baja vehicle. 70kRPM lathes, 2 EDM machines, 5 axis mill with pallet changer & 100+ tool behive, coordinate plotting machine, rapid prototype machine, TIG, MIG, ARC, lathes, mills, etc...

 

[bobdog]

Mabey we both have no clue...

There is still a decent machine shop at the Redwood campus. There are ~15 lathes, 10+ computerized mills, drill presses, saws, etc. They had ALOT of tooling too. Our class (and the other machine class) was taught by a guy named Joel that was a Mechanical Engineer. I had my class Spring 04, and I know they still had it as of last spring, it is a basic ME requirement to come o the U.

QUOTE]

Maybe they only let the smart kids play with the fun stuff now. I need to pick up a schedule or catalog and check it out.