Prop Shaft

[SnoC653]

Sorry Sno, I can't agree with this 100%.
But a good machinist know a whole hell of a lot more than just the machine.

It takes a lot more old equipment to do what one modern machine can do today, but the basic shaping of metal hasn't changed. You can still only remove material in so many ways. Yes there are new tools to use and a lot more precise tools to use. Yes there are new designs that the old machines don't have the dexterity to accomplish, but it wasn't needed back in the day or else some engineer would have figured out how to do it with what they had back then.

And don't think I'm against the new machines. I think the advances in machine work is fantastic. I think the loss of so many great machinists and their replacements with operators is a tragic shame. I love talking to old machinists and hearing the passion for what they do in their voices.