Technical hot rod machinist!

Good for you kid. A valuable and rewarding trade. In no particular order
Quick change (currently under construction)
Column mounted horn bracket
Engine turned dash panel/ oil pressure gauge holder
Hallock windshield

 

If you don't make it as a machinist, you might be qualified to be an engineer. They have half the brains of a machinist.

 

I have a son who is a ME-Nuke Eng. and can say there is no lack of brains there. D-1 baseball player, and if you fly, drive a Cat or fight for this country his name is more than likely on the machine you use. As for youngsters trying to get the knowledge find out what the local colleges teach but also what local shops use for software. Often there is a vast difference often between these two, hi end programs all do require a whole lot of math and common knowledge - experience. His tech's do not get hired for training but to run really hi end cnc machines. Later

 

We had a pretty good industrial arts program when I was in high school (1984), so I took wood shop, auto shop, and metal shop. Also took drafting; back then it was done with T-squares, but it's a good skill to have. Did TIG welding, sheet metal, and machining in the military, and just kept building on those skills over the years. Ended up going to Southern Maine Community College and graduated with a degree in Integrated Manufacturing Technology, which included two semesters of machining, two semesters of welding, lots of math, CAD, and all that fun stuff. I really got into Solidworks to the point where I am pursuing another degree in Architecture and Engineering Design at York County Community College so I can get into the drafting and design side of things.

I also learned a lot from the books that were sold by Lindsay Technical Publications; Lindsay retired and sold his publishing business to http://www.youroldtimebookstore.com/ where most of his catalog is still available. Lots of old reprints of how they used to do metal working back in the day. Best books he sold were by Davy Gingery, whose "Shop From Scrap" series showed you how to build a foundry to cast aluminum, then each books shows you how to use them to build a lathe, a milling machine, a drill press, a shaper, and numerous machining accessories...building the lathe was a blast! Not too many people can say they built their own lathe!

 

That garden tractor & flathead intake are over the top cool !

 

Last thing I did before I retired. 392 Hemi 4 bolt main caps. The engine came with aluminum ones from the 60's. I replicated them in 1020 steel leaving .003 in the bore for line boring/honing. I now have a manual mill and lathe in the garage for car stuff done the old school way. Have to admit that 20 years of CNC has spoiled me, but I now have the time to do things manually again.

 

if you eventually do work off a solid model I can help.... here is a cad drawing I began for an injector throttle body.

 

I still have access to the machine shop I was in charge of if need be with everything up to a 5 axis machining center. Thanks for the offer !

 

The fuel injection was also of my design. The heads and injection worked great, Won races, DID learn one big $$$ lesson, NO MATTER what the cost, BUY racing Cylinder heads. by wicarnut posted Jan 20, 2014 at 5:00 PM

140 Komppa VW My shop, Komppa Tool & Die Co.,Inc. dseigned and built liquid cooled cylinder heads for the VW Midget engine, for my own use , never went into production. by wicarnut posted Jan 20, 2014 at 5:00 PM

This project was designed and built 1982/1983 before we got involved in Cad/Cam and CNC mamachining. I got into Tool & Die Trade right out of High School and also worked in a pattern shop which gave me a great background to start off on my own, in business 1976/2010. Kept some equipment for a hobby shop until my time expires for my car projects, still do some work for friends. My advice to you and any young person is, find something you like/love, work hard at it and you'll never work a day in your life. Good Luck to you and remember, You are in charge of Your life, Make it what You want it to be !

 

DAMN,,,I'm sure glad to be retired, No worries,just when to take a nice afternoon nap..

 

Got that right!
Spent 30 years bent over machines, probably why I need another neck operation.