Machine shop training around Austin

H

hecksf

Guest
I am thinking about getting a Lathe for turning barrels, chambering and the normal stuff that you guys talk about on this thread.
But I wanted to take a machine shop class before I got a machine so I would have a better Idea of what I wanted.
After looking on line at Austin Community College and as many trade schools as I could find and I was not able to find anyone that offered machine shop training or instruction in the Austin TX area.
Is anyone out there aware of any machine shop or lathe classes in the Austin TX area?
Keep in mind I have a full time job that I won't retire from for several years so being an apprentice in a shop doesn't seem like a good option.

Ted
 
Machine shop classes . .

Hecksf . . . What you may try to find is a Gunsmithing Class, some of the Jr. Colleges have them. They are kind of hard to find, but check into some of them in your area, since TX is a gun frinedly state, they should have some somewhere. As for a General Machine Shop Class, good luck. Most of the machine shop classes today only offer CNC classes, "Machine Operators". What they will teach you is how to load a program and set the tools and get the machine running . . . then sit back and watch it go . . :D The True Machinist is a Dying Breed, and if you look at some of the post on this site, you will see questions that for the most part, us ole timers do just as a matter of fact. We have had to make our own tools, modify tooling, make setups that a lot of people would just sit and stare at. Attached is a picture of a set up I had to do to drill some 45 deg. holes in a ring, when the guy that wanted it done came in while I was doing it, he just gasp at the set up and aks "How did you ever come up with that"? "Necessity" . . .

Phantom496
 

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Trinidad isn't that far from you. It's too late to sign up for a summer NRA course. Next summer might be a good idea.
gunmaker
 
I was also going to mention Trinidad (Murray State College). I took a rifle rebarreling class there several years ago and it is well worth the price and travel. Usually there is a machine shop for gunsmiths class the week prior, and the rifle rebarreling class the week after. $200 for a week of instruction dealing with exactly what you want to learn. Previously I did take two semesters of evening courses at my local tech school and learned the proper use of a lathe and milling machine there along with some basic machine shop principles and had no trouble with the rifle rebarreling class.
 
Murray State College in Tishimingo OK is a bit closer I think. I would really like to go there for some classes.

But I am just not in a position to take a month off of work for training. During the Spring I am getting ready for Hurricane season and during the summer and early fall I am waiting for a hurricane. During the winter I have to go to my professional development training. So I was hoping to find something in or around town I could do in the evening or on weekends.

Thanks for the replies and the support.

Ted
 
Shop class

The local Community College stopped their shop class but UNLV has a one credit class I plan to take.

University of Texas has a Mechanical Engineering course. Sooner or later those students will have to do a shop class.

If you dig around you might find they have a class you could do.

I managed to enrol at UNLV as a non-admitted student so I can do the class.
You may have to prove that you reside in Austin. UNLV looks at all non-admitted students as out of state so you get the out of state prices. :O

The neat thing is the Mechanical guys also do CNC training.

Look in your Longhorn backyard and you might be pleasantly surprised at what's hanging out in a corner of the barn... :)

http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/degree_programs/programs.html#eng
 
I did the NRA short course (basic machine shop) for gunsmithing and NRA accurizing course @ Montgomery Community College in Troy NC, I recommend both to anybody that has interest in guns, shooting or accuracy, it'll really help you understand what it takes to shoot, load, or build a better shooting gun. the instructors John Davis for Machine Shop & James Messier for accurizing make it interesting and fun but its not all fun & games,lots of hard work but well worth the $. and you learn the right way & tools to get the job done safely.

the wind is my friend........

DD
 
Spott3r said:
The local Community College stopped their shop class but UNLV has a one credit class I plan to take.

University of Texas has a Mechanical Engineering course. Sooner or later those students will have to do a shop class.


Look in your Longhorn backyard and you might be pleasantly surprised at what's hanging out in a corner of the barn... :)

http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/degree_programs/programs.html#eng
Click to expand...

Thats a good Idea. I am a longhorn alum, maybe admission will go easier thatn the first time.
PS Odly enough I have been to Troy NC.
 
phantom496 said:
Hecksf . . . What you may try to find is a Gunsmithing Class, some of the Jr. Colleges have them. They are kind of hard to find, but check into some of them in your area, since TX is a gun frinedly state, they should have some somewhere. As for a General Machine Shop Class, good luck. Most of the machine shop classes today only offer CNC classes, "Machine Operators". What they will teach you is how to load a program and set the tools and get the machine running . . . then sit back and watch it go . . :D The True Machinist is a Dying Breed, and if you look at some of the post on this site, you will see questions that for the most part, us ole timers do just as a matter of fact. We have had to make our own tools, modify tooling, make setups that a lot of people would just sit and stare at. Attached is a picture of a set up I had to do to drill some 45 deg. holes in a ring, when the guy that wanted it done came in while I was doing it, he just gasp at the set up and aks "How did you ever come up with that"? "Necessity" . . .

Phantom496
Click to expand...

One of my neighbors is a machinist at a local oil refinery, and has told me some stories that even for a non-machinist (me) are a hoot. They needed a control shaft for a valve, so he turned one out of a bar of steel. When someone asked him where he'd found it he told them it was in a bar of whatever steel alloy he used. :eek:
 
Larry Elliott said:
One of my neighbors is a machinist at a local oil refinery, and has told me some stories that even for a non-machinist (me) are a hoot. They needed a control shaft for a valve, so he turned one out of a bar of steel. When someone asked him where he'd found it he told them it was in a bar of whatever steel alloy he used. :eek:
Click to expand...


Mr. Larry Elliott,,,,,,,,,,,???

Con
 
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