Power Plant Machinist

I have an interview with a local power company this week but very little information on what machines are used or what type of work that I will be doing. Is there anyone who works for power plants that could give me some insight what day to day operations are like?

Well if you don't know someone personally there that told you to come interview I would assume you are just there so they can say their picked man was the best of the "available" candidates. That's how it is in all the plants around here, you got to know someone to get in. I hope this isn't your case.

I have never personally work in a plant machine shop but I have several acquaintances at various refineries foundries and power plants and their experience / stories are all pretty similar. It's all manual machining and mostly repair work. They are kept on for when they are needed which means they spend most of their time in the breakroom waiting for an emergency and when there is one they are expected to stay on it until it is complete be it 5pm or 2am. Most of the plants around outside of the sugar grinding industry have very well equipped shops. The local dow plant has the largest nicest Monarch lathe I have ever seen in person, it's been over 10 years since I've been in there but it had to have had at least a 60" swing and a 20ft bed.

Let us know how it goes

They have been looking for machinists all year, I had to go to a local college and do an online test a few weeks ago, now this week I have to go to a different college to take another hands on test. If I pass then visit the plant the following day and meet the supervisor. I’ve been told nothing of what will be on the hands on test. Just a “ you will either know what you are doing or not”.

We have a member, Joe Michaels, who's done a lot of power plant work, and would be a great resource for you. You could try pming him with a polite request for some Q&A: https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/members/joe-michaels.67059/

From reading his messages I believe he was more an engineer than a machinist, but he's seen it/done it in that area.

I have no first hand experience with a power plant so I’m going to speak to what you may see during the machining test.

I am assuming you will be making a part on a Bridgeport and a turned part on a lathe. Back in high school I went the VICA contests that would be held at tech schools so I’m thinking your test will be similar to what we did. I spent weeks practicing so I was prepared.
The mill test was an Al block with a bunch of features milled into a block with a 1/2” endmill. There was a slot, pocket, and a bunch of steps on the part. There may be an inspection test with a vernier height gauge, so practice reading one.

The lathe part started off as a 6” long 2.5dia piece with a bunch of turned diameters and a tapped hole in each end.

The grading system only gave points for finished features that were in tolerance. The drawings were well done with dimensions where you needed them. Don’t worry about finishing the part, do what you can correctly. The parts are typically not designed to be finished in the allotted time. Machine the easy features first that you know you can nail.

Ask to get your hands on the machines before the test. Run the lathe, change feeds and speeds so you get used to the machine. They may have the readout turned off on the mill so prepare and practice with the zero setting dials. Practice turning multiple shoulders to a certain length to +\- .003 with just the compound set to 90 deg. Get used to counting turns as it’s easy to skip one and lose that feature.
Bring a calculator as you will have to do a bunch of math on the fly. Also ask for a spray bottle of coolant so you can really hog material on the mill.

Good luck, sounds like a fun job.

What kind of plant or vintage of plant? In my experience, modern combined-cycle plants have very limited on-site shops, typically consisting of little more than a moderate-size engine lathe, a big drill press, a Roll-in type bandsaw, and maybe a Bridgeport or clone. Older plants have a lot more on-site capability, typically consisting of big old American iron.

Don't forget your safety glasses.
Dave

Might be for a Qld Govt one.......genset blew up in March,taking the whole building with it,week ago a water cooling tower collapsed...(Callide C)

I've interviewed for (3) power plant jobs in the last 6 years.

Unless you know someone you're pretty much a pawn in the process.

So I did all the tests, they are looking for a mechanic as well as a machinist. So have to very hands on with tools and mechanical know how.

I had to go to a local college and do a 100 question online test before I could move on to a practical test.

Practical test consisted of using a rigid pipe threader and cutting a piece and threading one end. Second practical test was taking apart a steam valve and repacking it and reassembling it. Third test was to disassemble and pump and electric motor assembly, completely disassemble the pump and put it back together.

Second day was a practical test at the plant which was a turned lathe part with OD and ID threads, tapered milled sides and keyways. All manual machining. I passed all the tests and they were very happy to see someone that can actually machine a part to a print. Said people see the print and just leave and say forget it lmao.

Job has to go to inside the union first then opens to the public after 28 days.

Moldy_machinist said:

So I did all the tests, they are looking for a mechanic as well as a machinist. So have to very hands on with tools and mechanical know how.

I had to go to a local college and do a 100 question online test before I could move on to a practical test.

Practical test consisted of using a rigid pipe threader and cutting a piece and threading one end. Second practical test was taking apart a steam valve and repacking it and reassembling it. Third test was to disassemble and pump and electric motor assembly, completely disassemble the pump and put it back together.

Second day was a practical test at the plant which was a turned lathe part with OD and ID threads, tapered milled sides and keyways. All manual machining. I passed all the tests and they were very happy to see someone that can actually machine a part to a print. Said people see the print and just leave and say forget it lmao.

Job has to go to inside the union first then opens to the public after 28 days.

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Nice work, ask the employer how many other people did as well on the test.
If the answer is zero ask for more money.
That may be null and void due to union rules, but you never know.

Have you researched the plant on Google yet? What fuels the plant, is it coal? If so be careful! If you are laid off in 3yrs will that be an issue? Many of the coal plants have closing dates already assigned, Google will tell you. Many are in areas that don't have an abundance of other jobs but that may not apply to you or be seen as an issue in your circumstances.

Biden doesn't really like coal plants much if you can't tell. His preference appears to be shut down the coal plant, outsource the heavy industry they support to China and let them burn the coal there! I started my career back in 2008 and today most of the plants I once worked at are gone and those that survive are going fast.

If the plant's not Coal is it Gas/oil? What's the age of the plant? A lot of the old gas/oil plants were built as conventional boiler units, those are the ones that require the most labor and maintenance but are also least efficient last to operate and first to retire.

Combined cycle plants tend to be the most modern, efficient and likely to stay around the longest, while I never worked at them I think they need the least amount of staff and go thru phases where they'll outsource and send out all their maintenance work to companies that charge a lot of money but come in from all over the country to do repairs as needed.

Don't mean to be too much of a downer but the power plant industry is changing quite a bit and many of these changes are not good for the employees. Don't know what your job horizons are but I suspect that the days of one family securing 3 generations of employment at the local plant are a thing of the past. Whether this plant has enough life in it to meet your career needs maybe a question worth considering.

On the plus side I do think that there will be a lot of future job opportunities for machinists making and repairing the machines that make solar panels in China. Emmanuel Goldstein who posts a lot on this site can probably give you good pointers on how to pursue getting a job in one of those plants if you want !

winger said:

Don't forget your safety glasses.
Dave

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And your steel-toe boots.