How to become a Machinist in today's market

Becoming a machinist will allow you to engage in a career that can be both challenging and lucrative. The key is to get the best training possible in addition to your high school or college degrees.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 12" Square w/center head
• 12" Veneer
• Thread gauges
• Edge finder
• Angle protractor
• Center punches
• Radius guages
• Parallel Clamps
• Eye Loop
• Machinist Tool Box
• Machinery's Handbook (latest addition)

1. Once you have decided to become a machinist, you will want to find a place to put your talents to work. A state certified apprentice program may be available to you. The apprenticeship will allow you to learn about blueprint reading and how to use the various tools of your trade. Learning shop math will be essential also. Check online as well as with local technical colleges and schools for apprenticeship opportunities.

2. I suggest you learn how to read blueprints as the first main step in your quest for a career as a machinist. They will be your guide to how the manufacturing process will be completed, what materials will be used and what tolerances will be allowed. If you are working for an engineering company, they will more than likely supply you with some of the tools you will need.

3. If you are working from customer prepared prints, it is essential that your realize that not all blue prints are alike! For instance, German prints have different views than American standards and they may be drawn to ISO standards or not. There are differences from country to country regarding blue prints.

4. The first four years of your apprenticeship will be the hardest. After that, you will be on your way to a journeyman within the next six years or so. This is a very rewarding time in your career and when you receive your journeyman' s card, you will be happy that you worked so hard and learned your trade with precision and expertise. There is also additional training you can get to learn about automatic manufacturing. You will meet many interesting people over time from different manufacturing disciplines. You may have the opportunity to work world wide, if you so desire. In any case, becoming a machinist is a rewarding and challenging occupation and the rewards, both monetarily and otherwise, can be great.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not have the funds to buy a lot of tools necessary to the trade, check with local employers to see if they supply tools for their machinists and toolmakers.
• Check online for used tools on sites such as e-Bay and Craig's list.
• Make sure you get the current edition of the Machinery' s Handbook which will become your Bible in the trade.
• Remember not to wear loose clothing or jewelry when working in your trade...doing so could cause a bad accident, including the loss of fingers or worse.
• Always put SAFETY first! This is particularly imperative when working with the tools of your trade!

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