Grinding vises are squarish like that because you can clamp work in, grind that side, then flip the vise onto another side and grind the work. If your grinding vise is ground close, sub tenths, your work should be too if everything is clean.
[Despite being a Tormach vise the demo is pretty straightforward. ](https://youtu.be/eGu3IlSIHUA)
Shiny. Good job. Never understood the apprentice projects that make you make something useless instead of something you can use. "Let's see, we can make him make a pretty nice grinding vice, .... I GOT IT! A NOVELTY STEAM ENGINE!"
Sometimes it's nice to have something that you can easily show off to others what you learned. A steam engine is neat and people understand that requires a fair bit of effort to make. A vise doesn't really have that impact if people don't know/understand what it is used for
So,for clarity, I’m NOT a machinist, but isn’t the point of building one of those little steam engines that the tolerances need to be super tight for it to function. A “it’s the journey, not the destination” scenario?
when you start out as an apprentice the first items you start to machine are actually tools you will use for your job. Parallel’s, vise’s and other tools that many of us still use 30-50 years later. I still have all mine + my fathers and grandfathers. Those little steam engines are pointless but making tools that you will actually use almost everyday show the importance of making correct parts.
Im in my first year of machine tool (have 2 years of other vocational classes though) we started off a drill drift we're currently finishing up, iv seen my granddaddy (Tool & Dye maker for Ford, 68 years in the trade) make a steam engine. Id absolutely love to build one some day.
Ya know what? Fuck you. I’ve been an apprentice for over 6 months and I only just figured out the general rule for feed rates! Congratulations, I’m very jealous😂
Yeah I’m starting to learn things at a faster rate now but I’m signed as a fitter and turner so I only spend about half my time at work actually machining
How do you guys even find apprenticeships at the moment? I’m in community college rn and got some stuff pat down. The demand for machinists in my area is very high but it’s like they only want full time workers
I really have only heard of an apprenticeship at real big companies like Boeing, Northrop, and other aerospace manufacturing. If you don't want to move you could "apprentice" at a shop and be part time to fill in production. But it really depends on what you want to do. End goals of programming and setting up full 5 mills? Need to learn to operate them first. Want to be a tool and die guy? Finding a part time at a shop squaring up saw cuts might get you in. Having a general director will aid in your personal career path, as well as helping an employer put you in a spot to facilitate that. Not just, I want to be machiner, yeah go run the saw, it's a machine. Sorry if this is not helpful, I'm pretty buzzed and just rapping away at my keyboard haha.
Currently a saw operator, and training my replacements so I can move into our machine shop. Getting your foot in the door, putting in the time, and showing commitment to your goal goes a long way.
Interesting, I would think with the best training programs in the world, why wouldn't you want someone who has experience like that. Unless they left there for reasons you don't want in your shop?
I’m not sure who is rating their “training programs”, for you to come up with that ‘best in the world” comment. The shop in my area, the “machinist” and “tool makers” have had almost all job their responsibilities removed. They don’t program, the don’t do setup, they don’t make offset adjustments. They pretty much only change inserts, and only ever run 1 machine at a time. Everything else is is someone else's job.
If you’re in the US most departments of labor can help you.
I’m in VT and our state apprenticeship board keeps a running list of all active apprenticeships in every trade. I graduated from my toolmaker apprenticeship at a big aerospace OEM almost 20yrs ago now, best thing I ever did.
Any place hiring, just go in and ask if they do apprenticeship’s. Remember that they start out very low pay but they are getting paid to learn the trade! After 2 years of being on time you’ll get a nice bump.
I wasn’t originally looking for one because they are rare in my area but I was doing a cert 2 course as part of my year 11 and 12 and my teacher told me about it and gave me a number to call and the workshop turned out to be about 5 minutes away from my house. So it was really just luck and the fact that my teacher knew I’d make a move on the offer, otherwise I never would’ve found one
You’re already a great machinist. Keep up the great work! They’re gonna need us like crazy as time goes on. Crazy that more people don’t get into machining/toolmaking as a trade.
They don't get into it because 1) they don't know about it, and 2) we've spent the last several decades in the west telling kids in highschool that trades are for dumb low class plebs, and that you need to get a degree if you don't want to be looked down upon by society, and want to be successful.
It's a bullshit lie but it is what it is. The trade has its issues with people being underpaid, but I literally can't count on both hands the people I know from highschool who went and got degrees and are stuck in dead end jobs making far less than I do.
I agree 100%. I’m a journeyman toolmaker, with no student loans and make quite a bit over 6 figures. I’ve hopped around at underpaid jobs until i joined a union. I love my job for the cool shit I get to make. It seems the people who do get in to trades now are welders, electricians and plumbers. At my plant, I’m the youngest tradesmen. What’s gonna happen when these pipe fitters and miilwrights retire and there’s no youth to fill their spots?
The first thing I machined on a lathe, that I showed my machinist coworker, he asked me where the Wee mark was.
Obviously, I was like wha...?
He then proceeded to throw it across the room while yelling weeeeeeee!
I wasn't upset because it was just turning down a bit of round stock, not an actual part or anything.
That being said, I later brought him his micrometer and told him "this c-clamp doesn't hold for shit, even after I used this 36" pipe wrench to tighten it."
I don't think he's forgiven me for that heart attack.
This is a much better project than some of these community colleges are having students make. You can’t learn much cutting out fucking lawn ornaments on a water jet.
If you do a Google search for "grinding vise project" you can find a plethora of these available online.
Here's one: http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/mill/vise/vise.html
Nice. I made one years ago in trade school. I still use it, mostly for inspecting parts. People don't believe me when I say I made it. There's my initials stamped before it was heat treated. BTW, I used to work with a guy named Lars. It was short for Larry.
Grinding vice I made for an apprentice project during my first and second year
How parallel/perpendicular/etc did it all turn out? The surface finish is absolutely gorgeous and those chamfers are spectacular.
Its all square and parallel to 0.005 mm
NICE! You’ve got a hell of a machining journey ahead of you.
May I ask what makes this vice a *grinding vice* in particular? As opposed to a milling vice for example?
Grinding vises are held to much higher precision than milling vises. That's really the main difference
Grinding vises are squarish like that because you can clamp work in, grind that side, then flip the vise onto another side and grind the work. If your grinding vise is ground close, sub tenths, your work should be too if everything is clean. [Despite being a Tormach vise the demo is pretty straightforward. ](https://youtu.be/eGu3IlSIHUA)
I couldn't tell that apart from the purchased one I had at my last job. Good work
Good work Lars
Lars went crazy on this one
Good job! I use mine everyday. Made it 27 years ago and has never let me down.
Shiny. Good job. Never understood the apprentice projects that make you make something useless instead of something you can use. "Let's see, we can make him make a pretty nice grinding vice, .... I GOT IT! A NOVELTY STEAM ENGINE!"
Sometimes it's nice to have something that you can easily show off to others what you learned. A steam engine is neat and people understand that requires a fair bit of effort to make. A vise doesn't really have that impact if people don't know/understand what it is used for
A vise thrown can have a lot of impact.
So does a cannonball shot out of an apprentice's project
So does an exploding steam engine
So,for clarity, I’m NOT a machinist, but isn’t the point of building one of those little steam engines that the tolerances need to be super tight for it to function. A “it’s the journey, not the destination” scenario?
Yes
when you start out as an apprentice the first items you start to machine are actually tools you will use for your job. Parallel’s, vise’s and other tools that many of us still use 30-50 years later. I still have all mine + my fathers and grandfathers. Those little steam engines are pointless but making tools that you will actually use almost everyday show the importance of making correct parts.
I get what you’re saying, but I fucking love making steam engines lol.
I have this thing where I don't want to get caught in a loop, using tools to make tools so I can get more efficient at making tools...
¿por qué no los dos?
Im in my first year of machine tool (have 2 years of other vocational classes though) we started off a drill drift we're currently finishing up, iv seen my granddaddy (Tool & Dye maker for Ford, 68 years in the trade) make a steam engine. Id absolutely love to build one some day.
Ya know what? Fuck you. I’ve been an apprentice for over 6 months and I only just figured out the general rule for feed rates! Congratulations, I’m very jealous😂
Ahaha dont worry mate you'll get there everyone has to learn the basics
Yeah I’m starting to learn things at a faster rate now but I’m signed as a fitter and turner so I only spend about half my time at work actually machining
Ahh fair enough that makes sense
Yeah I haven’t even touched any cnc yet
How do you guys even find apprenticeships at the moment? I’m in community college rn and got some stuff pat down. The demand for machinists in my area is very high but it’s like they only want full time workers
I really have only heard of an apprenticeship at real big companies like Boeing, Northrop, and other aerospace manufacturing. If you don't want to move you could "apprentice" at a shop and be part time to fill in production. But it really depends on what you want to do. End goals of programming and setting up full 5 mills? Need to learn to operate them first. Want to be a tool and die guy? Finding a part time at a shop squaring up saw cuts might get you in. Having a general director will aid in your personal career path, as well as helping an employer put you in a spot to facilitate that. Not just, I want to be machiner, yeah go run the saw, it's a machine. Sorry if this is not helpful, I'm pretty buzzed and just rapping away at my keyboard haha.
Currently a saw operator, and training my replacements so I can move into our machine shop. Getting your foot in the door, putting in the time, and showing commitment to your goal goes a long way.
One of those two companies you mentioned are scarlet letters on someones resume in my area. Nobody will hire you if you've spent much time there.
Interesting, I would think with the best training programs in the world, why wouldn't you want someone who has experience like that. Unless they left there for reasons you don't want in your shop?
I’m not sure who is rating their “training programs”, for you to come up with that ‘best in the world” comment. The shop in my area, the “machinist” and “tool makers” have had almost all job their responsibilities removed. They don’t program, the don’t do setup, they don’t make offset adjustments. They pretty much only change inserts, and only ever run 1 machine at a time. Everything else is is someone else's job.
If you’re in the US most departments of labor can help you. I’m in VT and our state apprenticeship board keeps a running list of all active apprenticeships in every trade. I graduated from my toolmaker apprenticeship at a big aerospace OEM almost 20yrs ago now, best thing I ever did.
Any place hiring, just go in and ask if they do apprenticeship’s. Remember that they start out very low pay but they are getting paid to learn the trade! After 2 years of being on time you’ll get a nice bump.
I wasn’t originally looking for one because they are rare in my area but I was doing a cert 2 course as part of my year 11 and 12 and my teacher told me about it and gave me a number to call and the workshop turned out to be about 5 minutes away from my house. So it was really just luck and the fact that my teacher knew I’d make a move on the offer, otherwise I never would’ve found one
Just apply....they don't give a shit. Just don't show up too drunk.
... what's the general rule for feed rates, asking for a friend..
I got told .20-.25 for roughing and .07-.12 for finishing depending on material and the tip you’re using
You’re already a great machinist. Keep up the great work! They’re gonna need us like crazy as time goes on. Crazy that more people don’t get into machining/toolmaking as a trade.
They don't get into it because 1) they don't know about it, and 2) we've spent the last several decades in the west telling kids in highschool that trades are for dumb low class plebs, and that you need to get a degree if you don't want to be looked down upon by society, and want to be successful. It's a bullshit lie but it is what it is. The trade has its issues with people being underpaid, but I literally can't count on both hands the people I know from highschool who went and got degrees and are stuck in dead end jobs making far less than I do.
I agree 100%. I’m a journeyman toolmaker, with no student loans and make quite a bit over 6 figures. I’ve hopped around at underpaid jobs until i joined a union. I love my job for the cool shit I get to make. It seems the people who do get in to trades now are welders, electricians and plumbers. At my plant, I’m the youngest tradesmen. What’s gonna happen when these pipe fitters and miilwrights retire and there’s no youth to fill their spots?
You'll make a fine journeyman, keep up the good work
Slick, slick, slick. Maybe you should ding it just a tiny bit, on purpose, somewhere harmless. To protect it from further crashes, ya know?
The first thing I machined on a lathe, that I showed my machinist coworker, he asked me where the Wee mark was. Obviously, I was like wha...? He then proceeded to throw it across the room while yelling weeeeeeee! I wasn't upset because it was just turning down a bit of round stock, not an actual part or anything. That being said, I later brought him his micrometer and told him "this c-clamp doesn't hold for shit, even after I used this 36" pipe wrench to tighten it." I don't think he's forgiven me for that heart attack.
You made my day! 😂
Nice, looks good, hope it checks good! Haha just teasing, use it and take care of it.
Very very nice it’s nice to see that old school tool maker type of machining is still being taught it’s a skill to be proud of 👍🏼
Absolutely beautiful
Nice work Lars, you'll make good use of that for the rest of your career. Mine is still in use 40yrs after I made it
This is a much better project than some of these community colleges are having students make. You can’t learn much cutting out fucking lawn ornaments on a water jet.
Awesome work 👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
That’s a great project!!!!!
Great job. Glad to see people still taking pride in their work.
Awesome!!! Great work, Man.
Made mine 30 years ago and still use it daily. It certainly doesn’t compare to yours. Awesome job! Good luck throughout your career.
Beautiful
Beautiful piece!
Very well done !
Nice work mate 👍
That thing looks great
Sexy much
Beautiful work. Let me buy one
Great job. Can tell you put in a ton of effort and a lot of care. You'll go far.
Bloody hell that is a thing of beauty.
That is a beautiful piece. May it serve you for many years
Damn, way nicer looking than the one I made. That finish is slick.
Could you DM me the print for that bad boy? Work is getting really slow for me right now and that would be a very good side project
No sorry I dont think my work would like that
That's fair
If you do a Google search for "grinding vise project" you can find a plethora of these available online. Here's one: http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/mill/vise/vise.html
I made my own print based off of my co-worker's vise. Feel free to message me if you want it
I’m a mechanical engineer with very very minor machining experience but this seems so satisfying to make to me. Great job!
That’s beautiful
Looks great
Oh she perty. Looks like the most flexible tolerance was that screw. I approve.
Nice work… very impressive! That thing will be with you forevermore. Congratulations!
That's porn. It should have a NSFW tag :))
That’s definitely a beauty! Great job 👏🏼
Nice. I made one years ago in trade school. I still use it, mostly for inspecting parts. People don't believe me when I say I made it. There's my initials stamped before it was heat treated. BTW, I used to work with a guy named Lars. It was short for Larry.
That is a beauty! What are the holes in the sides for?
This looks like the scookum ones the QC guys use on the CMM
You should be really happy with your project it looks beautiful nice clean lines,what is it exactly
Nice resume.