The Machinist

No they have certs and go thru all kinds of training. But normally the stuff is cut, fit, up, tacked and then put onto the weld side of the shop. It's production but not like you see guys sitting on one stool welding the same thing every day. Every item that comes out the shop is a one of a kind. Each shop over 5-6 guys in size will have a guy who is basically leader of the weld team. He's responsible for making sure stuff is going OK, scheduling and overseeing the testing on welds, reviewing procedures. Guessing most of differences are size of the shop as far as resonsabilities.

My all time favorite was the engineer who had a cube of plate and his weld symbols were for the far side, seal welded. I asked him if he was going to support a midget welder who could get inside and weld from the inside and seal himself in. He didn't think it was all that funny but still didn't udnerstand the issue. Went around him and the customers field guy was just "ignore him". I ever made a little drawing showing a guy in the box and he didn't get it.

Not related to anything. But welding for Exxon in their maintenance shop is the best welding job I've seen. I knew a guy who worked there for 30 years. Boilermaker. This was the refinery in Baton Rouge. Nice pay according to where he lived (His son and I went to school together), nice benefits, and the best of all. Their shop was 2 acres enclosed, heated, and air conditioned. Only fully heated and air conditioned shop I've been in for that kind of work. I guess when you make enough power you sell to the local power company you can afford to cool it.

Edit - sorry just rambling. Been incrediably bored as of let.

Do metal places sell big ass blocks of Aluminum for those machines that carve stuff automagically? Or do you just melt ingotses down into a cube mold or something?

Love this thread just for funsies. I'm secure in my current career and not burnt out. But out of curiosity. How possible is it really to go from 33 with no welding experience to some kind of decent living in it in a reasonable amount of time? (50-60k ish)

Always like to keep in mind possible back ups in case I end up injured in a way or something that ends cop career.

Make your own CNC etch a sketch. On buying billet and such, no idea. Most of the stuff I've dealt with have been small thickness. Only once did I do a 13" thick spacer of steel rolled at the steel plant where it was going to be used for a building that had kind of collapsed there. Suprisingly enough our plate burner cut it with the torch instead of the plasma and it worked just fine. Kinda suprised me being that thick.

Field fitting and welding on some 2" evac.

Not much machining been happening here.
We have moved factories over the christmas break and i'm still setting up the factory.
It was a major rush move and I can't find half the shit i need, it's always nice having "help" from people who have no idea.
All the lathes are now straight and have just started making swarf, they were moved on the 28th of Dec...
It's been a stress because i've had my own jobs on hold until now and i'm flat out catching up with work stuff and my parts.
I really need machines at home.

Big week just gone!!!

I resigned on Wednesday after 18 years at the same place.
Scared, excited and everything inbetween… moving up in position, pay, conditions and closer to home.
Doing R&D design and manufacturing of the prototype, so still hands on which is great.
Not saying where (of course) but you guys with 4x4's will see what I design and build.

So...... 4bee guys, what do you want your accessories to be like?
Light/tough/look cool/other????

20mm auto turret, rads detector. Gas chromat stuff. An electronic warfare package. Retractable heat dump fins. A 300ish mwatt micro fusion power plant. Mini fridge. Oxygen station. Mining laser.

Kharzette said:

20mm auto turret, rads detector. Gas chromat stuff. An electronic warfare package. Retractable heat dump fins. A 300ish mwatt micro fusion power plant. Mini fridge. Oxygen station. Mining laser.

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Is that all Kharzette ??? seems like a short list to me.

Give me a couple of weeks.

So I have a new job, not telling you where but its hardcore offroad accessories.. Been there for 5 weeks and designed and built 3 products you will see in the coming months worldwide. I've lost the use of lathes and mills and it killing me, I need to gear up at home big time.
I miss making swarf ....

Spending my downtime keep current on new tech. Looked thru the AWS weld symbols.

TJT said:

Okay gang Erronius request and thank my Dad TJT Sr. We share the same initials and all.

This is a lathe built in the 19th century that is used today in an auto body shop. The cannon is something the owner recently made with it.
Remember it has been modified with modern shit here and there. But this is what I was told and understand. I'm a tech nerd.

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Wonder what they used for the drive belts way back then? Toured a sawmill that was originally set up with long runs of leather belts from who knows what, cattle or buffalo I guess.

Needed some brackets at home so I busted out the tig..
I love welding aluminum

I bought myself a toy mill/drill for home. Hm-46 ... https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/M124
I don't have access to machines in my new job, just laser cutting, folding and pipe bending, welders etc... I'm on the hunt for a lathe now..
Its be 7 months now since I last made swarf... I don't know if I can keep this up, please forgive me.