Any sherdoggers that work with metals?

[Luger]

Welders, lathe workers, milling - CNC or not...

I see a thread, every now and then, about some posters interested in working in that field.
I don't recall any follow up on how they liked the job.
Are there any veterans out there?
I started out specifically as a welder and now I'm focusing on the lathe work. It is a pretty fascinating world, in my mind.

 

[Luger]

Not one person in this forum that is working with metals?
Somewhat funny.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Not one person in this forum that is working with metals?
Somewhat funny.

What would you like to know? I'm more in the design side of this type of stuff and have Die Making experience.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Big dollars in the welding side of things depending on how far and where you go with it. I'd suggest getting enough knowledge to move out of a shop and into an office designing tho. Learn some Auto Cad, Solid Works and maybe even Vizi (3D programming) if you can.

What type of Lathe, how many axis and so on..

 

[ralphc1]

I worked with metals for 50 years and still do occasionally. It was mainly maintaining and repairing equipment and often involved improving equipment that was designed poorly. Everything from machining to welding and cutting.

 

[These Two Hands]

I used to work for the railways, and later as an independent contractor, doing glued insulated joints and thermite welding if that counts. Best part was the perks of the job; every pallet of thermite was insured so whenever there were ruptured bags we (the workers) were allowed to take them away and do with them as we pleased so long as it didn't come back on the company later lol. Imagine a bunch of men in their early twenties, drinking and partying with thermite. Ah, good times.

 

[sen2two]

I worked on Manual Mills, Lathes, Surface Grinders, ect. for a precision machine shop. I can run conversational CNCs, and basic set up of full CNC. I also welded (TIG mostly) for a while as well. Mainly aluminum pipe for ski towers and center console fishing boats. But a lot of other stuff too.

I now am on the design side using SolidWorks but still do all my own fabrication at home on my own equipment.

 

[Volund]

I work with wire and ram edm machines.

Its alright.

 

[Clippy]

I think there's some metal in the computer I use for work.

 

[CoolB]

Close but I only work with mentals.

 

[RawHawg]

I remember in the 1980s, there were stores in malls that were entirely dedicated to pewter figurines, most of them fantasy related - dragons, etc....

I heard pewter is a very easy metal to work with and I sometimes think I would like to try it.

 

[HunterIII]

I don't, but my dad has been a blacksmith for the last 15 years.

 

[jefferz]

I dabble. I have a Bridgeport milling machine and a 6ftish bed South Bend lathe. I bought a horizontal mill, but I've never used the thing.
My favorite thing to do on a lathe is to cut threads, why I have no clue. This winter I want to try some spring winding.

 

[RawHawg]

A lathe is serious business, you don't mess with them.

Youtube is full of people taking them lightly, one example:

 

[INeedARemedy]

Got experience with it. Yellow gold is nice, white gold is tougher, silver is a pain in the ass

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I have soldiered copper pipes together, and attached large iron pipes using rubber couplings. Does that count? I have also hooked electrical wires. Those are metal.

 

[Luger]

A lathe is serious business, you don't mess with them.

Youtube is full of people taking them lightly, one example:

Pretty crazy.
The horsepower behind most old lathes is something to respect.

 

[RawHawg]

Pretty crazy.
The horsepower behind most old lathes is something to respect.

You got it. There was a video online years back but I couldn't find it now, that showed a guy who got caught an in old lathe goofing around, and it spun him around 3x and broke his leg!

 

[Cheese]

Got experience with it. Yellow gold is nice, white gold is tougher, silver is a pain in the ass

Why do you say silver is a Pain. I was thinking about putting together a small cuciable to melt some poured silver bars.

 

[INeedARemedy]

Why do you say silver is a Pain. I was thinking about putting together a small cuciable to melt some poured silver bars.

Ohh melting it is fine. Melts and pours easy

It's just a pain when you're working with it. Like, repairing jewelry and what-not

Get some melting glasses as well. Your eyes will thank you