Want to learn machining

[miket]

I know in Round Rock next to the Lowes at LaFrontera there is a place called techshop that lets you come in and buy machine time. Looks like they offer classes as well. I always mean to stop in there but never have time. You could buy my machine shop in the classifieds and I could spend some time with you I just have a garage shop but have everything you would need. I simply don't have time to use them anymore , I started traveling a lot for work. Robert


techshop.ws/austin_round_rock.html

I was wondering if you had sold it. I was seriously considering it but since oil crashed I havent had the cash. I havent had a job in my shop since Nov ( not counting my product )

[berettadave]

There's a place in Round Rock called Tech shop. There is a monthly fee. They have classes on how to run some of the equipment.

Dave

[kmitchl]

I was in the same boat 20 years ago. Buy a machine and get started making chips. Bought a used Craftsman lathe off the classifieds for starters. I was fortunate to have a local metal shop club where I could ask questions of more experienced guys and get expert advice. The internet now makes that level of access available everywhere. Over the years I have traded up, always selling what I had and buying a little better. You don't need a $10,000 machine to get started. Right now in Houston there are a lot of shops selling off surplus equipment to pay the bills and keep going.

If you want to chamber rifle barrels the Grizzly gun smithing lathes are well thought of. I've owned a few Chinese machines. Can get the job done just not as well finished as some of the name brand machines. There are as many ways to cut chambers as there are gun smiths but I like chambering through the headstock so look for machines with at least 1-1/2" bore through the headstock and short enough for a barrel to stick out both ends. Can be done with longer spindle lathes but requires a little creativity and fixtures. The lathe/mill combo machines are generally considered to be junk. Whatever you spend on a machine plan to spend a like amount on tooling and measuring tools. Don't be afraid of a 220 three phase machine if you have 220 single phase in your shop. There are a number of ways to run three phase machines from single phase. Jump in and get started. You will remember the lessons from your failures much better than your successes. Contact me if I can help.

[GrapeApe]

kmitchl has a great point! Don't push larger machines off the board, 3phase big voltage machines are often available super cheap or even free if you're willing to move them. A VFD or Rotary Phase Converter can power them easily. I know of several people who have been given perfectly good machines for nothing just because people didn't want to deal with the power issue.

[TxMachinist]

You can always practice on plastic before you go to cutting the real thing. It is fairly common practice. You can use aluminum also. Buy a Machinist Handbook and join Practical Machinist. It's a forum for machinists to help each other. If you can find a class it is well worth it. Good Luck!

[miket]

You can always practice on plastic before you go to cutting the real thing. It is fairly common practice. You can use aluminum also. Buy a Machinist Handbook and join Practical Machinist. It's a forum for machinists to help each other. If you can find a class it is well worth it. Good Luck!

Good advice. I am pgmrmike on PM.

[sir shovelhands]

Never heard of such a thing. Where would a guy go to look for this type of space?

Closest one to you is in Waco. It's called Maker's Edge Makerspace

[txfireguy2003]

Thanks guys. I'm going to look into the Makerspace idea behind I jump into a machine purchase.

I was looking at the Grizzly 4003G which is supposed to be designed for the hobby gunsmith, but then I noticed that they have a lathe mill combo that is advertised as being the 4003G with a milling attachment added to it. I'm sure the mill won't be as good as a stand alone, but I can see how adding it would decrease the usefulness of the lathe, which is supposedly the same machine.

[kmitchl]

The 4003G looks pretty good. You can add a DRO later. The mill attachment may get you in the game but I would not want to be cutting dovetails for a sight with it. Note the min barrel length through the headstock is 23" with the 4 jaw. You can probably reduce that by 2" if you build a spyder chuck for the inboard side of the spindle. IIRC the Grizzly GS lathes usually come with a spyder for the outboard end. One less tool to make.

[txfireguy2003]

The 4003G looks pretty good. You can add a DRO later. The mill attachment may get you in the game but I would not want to be cutting dovetails for a sight with it. Note the min barrel length through the headstock is 23" with the 4 jaw. You can probably reduce that by 2" if you build a spyder chuck for the inboard side of the spindle. IIRC the Grizzly GS lathes usually come with a spyder for the outboard end. One less tool to make.

Yeah, that's one of the main reasons I was looking at it was because of the outboard spider. The 23" minimum isn't a huge deal, as I think the only time I would HAVE to be right up against the headstock would be chambering a new barrel, which would be 27" or so long from the factory. Chamber and install, then if I want to cut it short/thread the muzzle etc, I can do that on a steady rest.

I figure I'll likely have to build or buy a spider for the inboard side at some point anyway though, so I can square up an action. I've seen the fixture that is basically a piece of pipe with 8 brass tipped screws, 4 in each end. You chuck that up in your lathe, then use it to hold the action and adjust it until you have as close to zero TIR at possible. Not sure how it would work on a barrel though.

As far as the mill is concerned, I'm not even sure what I want it for. I don't plan to be milling slides or cutting flutes on barrels or anything. I've just had projects over the years that would have been much easier with a mill. Maybe an 80 percent lower or something.

[GrapeApe]

My first was the griz 0602, I built spiders for it and used the steady. it only had a 1" spindle bore but I managed to make it work for a few rifles.

[txfireguy2003]

So everyone says I'll spend as much on tooling as I will on the machine itself. I can certainly see that with a mill, but not so much with the lathe. On the lathe, I'm thinking I need some turning and facing cutters, 60 degree threading tools, boring bars, reamers for chambering.... Runout gauges and calipers/micrometers, some of which I already have.....what am I missing?

[Graysonhogs]

So everyone says I'll spend as much on tooling as I will on the machine itself. I can certainly see that with a mill, but not so much with the lathe. On the lathe, I'm thinking I need some turning and facing cutters, 60 degree threading tools, boring bars, reamers for chambering.... Runout gauges and calipers/micrometers, some of which I already have.....what am I missing?

Drills, center drills, taps(if you're tapping holes) . Indexable tooling is the way to go, cemented carbide, one goof and it's over to the grinder to redress. Tooling adds up fast. Jacobs or Albrect chucks.

[txfireguy2003]

Drills, center drills, taps(if you're tapping holes) . Indexable tooling is the way to go, cemented carbide, one goof and it's over to the grinder to redress. Tooling adds up fast. Jacobs or Albrect chucks.

Oh yeah, forgot about drills. What about HSS tools?

[Graysonhogs]

Oh yeah, forgot about drills. What about HSS tools?

You can use em. You'll have to sharpen them though. $$

Grinder/wheels.