That's right be jealous
- Thread starter mo841
- Start date
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
Nope, not jealous. You won't like it when you snap a drawbar or round out the head and have to tear it all apart. Keep up on the maintenance and it shouldn't be an issue. We had gorillas that didn't know what lube was in my last shop.
I miss having access to a mill and lathe.
I miss having access to a mill and lathe.
420God
Well-Known Member
Machinists make damn good money. Most that I've worked with make as much if not more than anyone with a college degree.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
Why? For a $50,000 investment, a used cnc mill and lathe and some cad software, you could make $100g/yr just by yourself, in you're home garage. I knew a guy who subcontracted for bigger shops. Had a CNC lathe in his garage running 24/7 making custom nuts for a company, $65g/yr and all he had to do was load bar stock in the morning and check the machines every other hour.
If you're going to work for someone else.. yeah good luck.
mo841
Well-Known Member
Yea I maintain my mill pretty good since they sent the head out and had it rebuilt. I think I'm the only one in the shop that believes in spindle oil lol.
They have an old guy that comes in and works on all of our stuff so if it breaks I just move to another mill until its fixed.
It is pretty handy to have everything available that a machine shop has. Anything I need to make I can make while getting paid to make it. My shop is pretty laid back since we build assembly lines for american axle instead of machining piece work. No big time crunch to get things done.
They have an old guy that comes in and works on all of our stuff so if it breaks I just move to another mill until its fixed.
It is pretty handy to have everything available that a machine shop has. Anything I need to make I can make while getting paid to make it. My shop is pretty laid back since we build assembly lines for american axle instead of machining piece work. No big time crunch to get things done.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
I think it's regional. The market around here has tanked. I'm lucky to get mid teens for the same position I was getting $22+ for only 5 years ago. There's very few true machinist positions available, most are machine operators... button pushers.
Machinists make damn good money. Most that I've worked with make as much if not more than anyone with a college degree.
Because of my background in prototype and high end machining, I'm "over qualified" for many positions... whatever the fuck that means.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
As in AAM? Like 14 bolts and newer Dodge axles?
mo841
Well-Known Member
I make decent enough money as it is, almost a grand a week take home to work in a non production shop isn't to bad and due to life choices long term college was out of the question although I did get a bachelors in social work but I makeI more spinning handles.
mo841
Well-Known Member
Yea we build all the assembly lines for their shops all over the world.
mo841
Well-Known Member
The auto industry kind of fucked them self when they moved everything over seas and tons of ppl retired or got out of the industry during the recession. Now companies are having a very hard time finding anyone that is worth a shit and have to pay when they do.
Most the guys I see in shops are near retirement age. In 10 or so years these shops are going to have big problems since most kids these days are not working in shops anymore and by far not enough to replace all of the retired guys.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
That's my hope. The fact I CAN turn handles and do manual work, not that I really want to, to make me more relevant in the future.
Walterwhiter
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind that a huge % of college grads live at home and don't use there degree. 100,000s of dollars in debt and no real life skills....custom machine work can fetch high $$$ and it is a Very Skilled line of work....
#someonehastofixtherobots
mo841
Well-Known Member
We're also building lines for dana too. Just got that contract with in the last year. We have been doing tire changing machines too recently for ford. That's a pretty neat machine. Throw the rim and tire on and it mounts it to the rim and inflates it ready to go at the end.
We just got bought by a big company and upgraded to a bigger shop so we can do more.
My brother worked for the company that made the f150 frame assembly lines and installed them. He took me on a tour one day where they were installed. That's pretty bad ass to see a big ass frames picked up by robots like its nothing to move it from cell to cell.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
I need one of those, LOL. I have a frame for my dodge I'm rebuilding I keep having to move around the yard, it's a PITA without the axles in it. Hopefully only another month or so.. I've been saying for 6 months.
vostok
Well-Known Member
Recently a threaded bolt blew outta my water pump on my range rover
a special new bolt is required
the machine shop said $75.00 for the custom job please
other shops were about the same price
UK mail order was $21.00
the exact same nut from Japan $8.00
from China $3.00 (obvious fake perhaps aluminium?)
I ordered a box and intend selling the rest on the rover forum
Perhaps this is what you leader is referring too
when he says jobs for 'mericans
so you can continue to make $100k pa making nuts and bolts in your garage ..?
Good Luck
mo841
Well-Known Member
Trust me I thought about it, at one pt there were complete axles all over the shop. Would have been so easy just to park by the side door and load a couple up. Didn't have a truck at that time. In the new shop it would be almost impossible to grab one.
