Shop space Question

Okay, so I'm late and catching up, but " snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com" wrote on 29 Jan 2006 08:51:24 -0800 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

I used to know of such places, but that was before the plague of lawyers drove the insurance companies to ban anyone not certified from using the machines. Power tools are dangerous, and can maim you before you can say "that's gonna hurt."

All said, the only place I know of which would let you do your own projects, and learn a bit, are the tech schools. Talk to the instructor, get their input/permission, and sign up for the night classes Just accept the fact that what you make is going to be "way" expensive. I've two sets of 1-2-3 blocks. One set was $25 plus tax, the other closer to $400. The difference is I bought the first set in a pawnshop, the second set I made in class. Milled, heat treated and ground to size. They are "mostly" flat, and square.

Good luck.

pyotr

Okay, so I'm late and catching up, but "Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote on Sun, 29 Jan 2006 11:12:26 -0800 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

I'd be a little leery about allowing seasoned mechanists near the machines. They can make mistakes which are much more intricate and costly. Co-worker managed to get things a little messed up, shut down a good 40% of the production. Seems he tried something clever (that only a clever person would know about) and wound up with the machine thinking that it had Pallet A in hand, which it wants to swap with the one in ... station ... A. Yes, it 'wants' to put this pallet 'back' where there already is a pallet, but the interlocks have prevented this crash (yeah team) but in the mean time ... nothing can be done. It's unlocked, and nothing seems to work. Even the unplug and replug option doesn't clear things. Ooops.

I asked him what he did, and he rightly answered it was something I wouldn't understand. Like I said, clever people make for better idiots, they don't make simple mistakes. They make complex, complicated, "intere$ting" mistakes.

Try a community college.

Woodworking, metalworking, welding etc. can be had for just the price of a course. I'm amazed that they can still have these courses available due to insurance and injuries.

I took TIG welding a year ago and in one of the stick welding classes a lady cut her fingers off on on hand with the iron worker. Was pushing a piece of steel in there to cut just an inch off it. All of us got some "special education" on the use of the steel worker and additional guards were added. I always used a pusher piece of scrap cuz I had alot of respect for a shear that can cut 1/2" steel plate.

I can't imagine how the issue was settled and I don't even want to imagine being in the shop when it happened.

UGH!

And you want to do this at a private company?

Bart D. Hull snipped-for-privacy@inficad.com Tempe, Arizona

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Jim Newell wrote:

OK----that settles it. NO ONE touches my machines. A good friend let a somewhat experienced "machinist" (mail delivery person full time, part time machinist) on his 17" More-Seiki and was rewarded with a carriage rammed into the chuck while threading. Cost him the lead screw and other minor damage.

I the past, I've gone on and on extolling the differences between machinists and people who make chips. They're not the same thing. It takes years of machine time to get proficient, and it can be damned costly along the way. I can't tell you the number of killer expensive magnesium castings I scrapped in the process of learning to run a mill. Sigh! Luckily, I don't recall ever damaging a machine. Maybe I was lucky. Sure had some close calls, though.

Harold

Okay, so I'm late and catching up, but "Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote on Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:35:35 -0800 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

I hope the friend offered to at the least help to defray the costs of repairs.

That is why the company starts people on the Robomills, making the "cheap" parts, before putting them on something more expensive.

I haven't damaged a machine, permanently, but I have had to dial one (or two) back in after crashing it. I hate it when that happens.

I am posting to my own question rather than thank each of you who provided input on my posting. I appreciated all of your comments. To clarify, I am in Minnesota and am interested in starting such a business here. The insuruance issue is obviously a big one, but the others issues raised also pose interesting questions some of which may kill the idea before it goes to far.

--The bottom line: yes they do exist, but the scary downside is some newbie that goes for it, makes a bloody mess then sues every one in sight. IMO the best way to have a go at something co-op is to make pals with the shop foreman at the local adult ed facility. If there isn't one start lobbying to get one going. --I didn't get your location; where are you? Maybe someone on the list can suggest stuff in your neck of the woods?

I don't recall how it all ended, but I do recall that a new lead screw was well over $1,000. My buddy ended up buying some Acme all thread and making a new one instead of buying one from the factory. A questionable solution as far as I'm concerned, but he apparently got by well enough with the repair. Due to a health condition, he has since sold his business and is in sales. I recall that he wasn't a happy camper having let the novice run his lathe.

Harold

There is another way. I found a need for a volunteer at a local highschool that teaches metal shop and filled it. 4 bridgports

8 Clausing Metosas an old surface grinder a horizontal bandsaw and 2 verticals couple of large drill presses an ironworker, etc.etc. I help with the students on the lathes and mills and then build things for myself or for the school the rest of the time. Aint retirement great. :-) ...lew...

And risk damage to a 140K+ machine. Ain't going to happen.

Wes S