[ben1mac2]

Hi,

I am an engineering student starting a work term where it will be very helpful if I could fabricate some metal parts. I will have access to a CNC mill and lathe but the facility where I am working currently has no machinist to teach me the basics. I've signed up for this forum hoping some of you might be willing to share any general advice or references you think might be helpful for a relative beginner.

I have completed a week-long course on the use of manual machine tools but that was a couple years ago and I haven't had very much practice since then. I am familiar with some of the basics of drilling, milling and turning but that's about it.

Cheers,

Ben

[UUU]

Download a copy of Mach3 and play with it. Since you're not connecting to any machine, you don't need to address any of the issues about parallel port, or 32/64 bit, laptops or anything. Watch the tutorial videos and read the manual. All of this will be free.

Since you already know some manual machining, you should be able to get a good feel for how g-code works, and how the machine is controlled - referencing systems, quite a lot.

Your machines at work may have different systems than mach-3, but you'll hopefully be in a better postition, knowing what to expect and looking for it, than not knowing at all.

[Fastest1]

Dont forget Youtube has plenty of videos on techniques and processes. Good Luck and be patient.

[doorknob]

For example, you might want to look at the MIT machine shop videos:

MIT TechTV – Videos

[fizzissist]

Hi,

I am an engineering student starting a work term where it will be very helpful if I could fabricate some metal parts. I will have access to a CNC mill and lathe but the facility where I am working currently has no machinist to teach me the basics. I've signed up for this forum hoping some of you might be willing to share any general advice or references you think might be helpful for a relative beginner.

I have completed a week-long course on the use of manual machine tools but that was a couple years ago and I haven't had very much practice since then. I am familiar with some of the basics of drilling, milling and turning but that's about it.

Cheers,

Ben

SAFETY FIRST!!!!!!!!!!

I know that sounds trite, BUT.....newbies is where the accidents happen, and really BAD accidents. Not to the very beginner, because they're still being careful, but those that have a little bit of confidence from weeks of experience. So, when in doubt....don't.

Not chucking stuff properly in a lathe, poor clamping in a mill, pulling chips with your hands, drilling sheet metal in the drill press....stupid simple stuff, and the next thing you know, you're missing a nut.

....some helpful links....

Stanford University Product Realization Lab

When ya get good.....you can do this:

General Tech Kirkham Motorsports University machining a 427 FE block from

Just remember...The 2 most dangerous words in CNC machining?
Watch This.

[Bob Adams]

Hi,

I am an engineering student starting a work term where it will be very helpful if I could fabricate some metal parts. I will have access to a CNC mill and lathe but the facility where I am working currently has no machinist to teach me the basics. I've signed up for this forum hoping some of you might be willing to share any general advice or references you think might be helpful for a relative beginner.

I have completed a week-long course on the use of manual machine tools but that was a couple years ago and I haven't had very much practice since then. I am familiar with some of the basics of drilling, milling and turning but that's about it.

Cheers,

Ben

Ben, you can see some Mill and Lathe setups at my site.
Also learn about using CAD and CAM.
Think CNC and wear your safety glasses.
CNC Projects
Bob A
CNC Programming Software Tools

[mopar]

enroll in a tech school in machinest coures at night ..you will be worth alot more to a company if you can make your parts manualy and with cad/cam
and need no setup man