# Great shop, small price



## LCT (Jul 23, 2008)

I have an idea for a shop I wanted to share with you guys...

I met an engineer (rocket scientest actually) on the internet that helped me with an unrelated project. He told me that he enrolled in his local community college in their machine shop class every year. I teased him about not being smart enough to pass the class, and he told me he never did the homework. He just wanted to use their equipment. I thought it was brilliant! He could set in any any class that was teaching something he didn't understand, and had an understanding with the instructer that allowed him to use the equipment during times when he didn't need the lesson.

Just a thought for you guys that wanna use the latest and best equipment on a budget.


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## Mcgyver (Jul 23, 2008)

hehe. government subsidized hobby shop. Boards of ed often do the same thing with high school shops, its really just a free for all for guys who want access to some of the bigger machines


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## bentprop (Jul 23, 2008)

That's a very good way to get started,and learn the basics.
Unfortunately,most schools seem to be closing their metalworking/woodworking shops through lack of interest.Too many of the young 'uns don't want to get their hands dirty.
Valuable skills are being lost there,and there's little being done to stop it.
That's why it 's so refreshing to see a youngster like Rangerssteam with a thought other than playing on a computer."Tinkerers" like this young fellow will always have something to occupy themselves,and all the best of luck to him.


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## BobWarfield (Jul 23, 2008)

Yep, the one nearest us closed. There is still an excellent welding program 10 minutes away. However, they are wise to this trick. They only let you take the course once, over and out. I asked the instructor why and he said the tuition is subsidized with an additional $400 per student per semester and they can't afford to let you take it over and over. 

It was a real nice program. We did gas and Tig welding on that semester. I took a blacksmithing course to learn Mig and that was fun too.

Cheers,

BW


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## tmuir (Jul 24, 2008)

Don't know of any classes here that would let me use a metalwork lathe but that is what I did before I bought my wood working tools. It was a great way to use all the tools available and work out whch ones to get first.


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## rake60 (Jul 26, 2008)

I attended an area Vocational/Technical school myself.
Not in the machining area, but in Electronics.

Here they offer evening adult training classes.
This thread had me wondering what they were currently offering.
Nothing the machine shop field at the moment but this one looks
interesting: *Basic Welding Metallurgy*

If you have a vocational school near you, it would be well worth a web search 
of phone call to see if they offer night classes.
Same idea, but a lot less expensive! 

Rick


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