A Bridgeport milling machine, a Tormach CNC mill, two lathes, and assortment of tools to cut, bend and shape metal. (But, before you ask, no welding. Our floors are made of wood!)
If you have questions about the machine shop, you can contact the area manager, Andy Thistle, at machineshop@rocmakers.org.
Upcoming Metalworking Classes (members only)
Introduction to Machine Tools
Maximum Students: 4 Duration: 3 hrs Prerequisites: None
Class description
In this class you will learn the basic principles of machining metal using the tools and equipment in our machine shop. We will cover safety considerations and the material properties of different metals. You will get hands-on experience using a metal lathe and milling machine as a well as a variety of drilling and cutting tools. Proper clean-up and equipment care will also be covered.
Metal Shop Maintenance
Maximum Students: 8 Duration: 2 hrs Prerequisites: Introduction to Machine Tools
Class description
Come out to learn about the details of maintaining and repairing machine tools. This class will cover common procedures for all the major pieces of equipment in the metal shop, including:
-Bandsaw blade and sanding belt replacement
-Sharpening HSS tools on the grinder
-Sharpening drills with the drill doctor
-Changing chucks on the metal lathes
-Tramming the head on the Bridgeport
-Cleaning out the chip trays on the lathe and CNC
-Coolant and lubricant replacement
-Setting up indexable tooling on the lathes
-Cleaning up gummed-up or burnt-up tools
Machining Metal with the Rockwell Lathe
Maximum Students: 3 Duration: 2 hrs Prerequisites: Introduction to Machine Tools
Class description
This course follows the Introduction to Machine Tools class, and you need to have taken that class to enroll. This class focuses on the Rockwell Engine Lathe. The session will emphasize safety considerations, proper treatment of the equipment, and an overview of common lathe procedures. It is suggested that you read the Rockwell Lathe Manual prior to your training and use it as an ongoing reference. In addition to the manual , please view the video on how the machine works: RocMakers Rockwell Lathe Instructional Video.
Introduction to the Tormach Metal CNC Machine
Maximum Students: 4 Duration: 4 hrs Prerequisites: Introduction to Mahchine Tools, experience with the Bridgeport mill, and some CAD/CAM or g-code knowledge
Class description
In this advanced class, you will learn about computer-controlled machining on the Tormach CNC Machine. Using G-Code generated from CAD/CAM software, the Tormach can perform a variety of operations to machine metal parts. We will review safety considerations and the capabilities of the machine, such as RPM and travel limits. Start-up procedures will be covered, including homing the machine and clearing e-stops when necessary. Other topics include basic offsets, and an understanding of machine coordinates, work coordinates and tool length compensation. We will perform some basic metal milling operations using pre-programmed g-code wizards. The prerequisite for this class is Introduction to Machine Tools, and students should have some experience machining metal manually with a Bridgeport Mill or similar equipment. Some prior experience with CNC or CAD software is helpful but not necessary.