Career Change: Manual Machinist

I’m in a similar situation. I love to work with my hands, files, scrapers, stones, and more. I deem computer aided manufacturing right when you have lots of movements and for irregular curves. The computer did not change anything about taking off material. So, as a machinist on manual equipment it’s essential that you know about chip thickness and energy turnover. Get yourself a book on that. You’ll be able to hog in good time and to make fits.

Never forget that man makes things, not the machines. In these times of deindustrialization it’s not easy to survive as a man. Everybody wants you to be a device.

Mechanola said:

I’m in a similar situation. I love to work with my hands, files, scrapers, stones, and more. I deem computer aided manufacturing right when you have lots of movements and for irregular curves. The computer did not change anything about taking off material. So, as a machinist on manual equipment it’s essential that you know about chip thickness and energy turnover. Get yourself a book on that. You’ll be able to hog in good time and to make fits.

Never forget that man makes things, not the machines. In these times of deindustrialization it’s not easy to survive as a man. Everybody wants you to be a device.

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True that a great analysis. Some men I know are in deep into computing for some time they love getting home and working with their hands and are quite handy. Even the ones who build things that look like the Beverly hillbillies are avid in their enjoyment of it. To me a manual machine is solid and they can move material off well. It scares non manual people half to death watching something like that and they will never know the dedication of burning chips on the body burning while you know you must remain focused to release the heavy cut on a solid engine lathe with good insert tooling. Nothing much should be allowed to be such fun for a machinist. So I relate to the nostalgia of the OP and respect it yet the reality is the hiring company needs to know exactly the whole story to make a decision. The decision must be the right fit and if they are also like me they will be open to the man’s goal if it rings true to him and is confirmed by watching the man and confirming the value of what he transmitted in the interview.

So, Old Alchemy how are you doing. Have you tried another job? Are things going Ok?

Undoubtedly, today you need to be a universal worker: on the one hand to be an expert in manual work, and on the other hand to be able to perform processes and with the help of automated machines