A friend of mine used to spin metal for a living. He quit because he said he all the blood wasn't worth the money. Almost everyone in the shop got stitches on a regular basis.
It was prolly a shitty shop with no training, but still...
I learned to do this in high school shop class and used it later in an R&D lab making automotive actuator housings. Got a refresher course from a guy that made nose cones for missiles and other aircraft. Dangerous and demanding but very rewarding.
Spin forming makes a much stronger product than machining, and its definitely a lost art, but by today's standards, just not cost effective. The shop I used to run did away with it because it simply didn't produce the necessary fiscal returns to continue.
That looked cool! "Spin forming" eh? I'm going to have to look in to that. Not sure it's something I could replicate on my small lathe, but it would be neat to try. I wonder if something similar could be done with plastics...
A friend of mine used to spin metal for a living. He quit because he said he all the blood wasn't worth the money. Almost everyone in the shop got stitches on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteIt was prolly a shitty shop with no training, but still...
Paul Revere would have done it with more panache.
ReplyDeleteWorked a wood lath in the early 70"s. I appreciate the skill.
ReplyDeleteI learned to do this in high school shop class and used it later in an R&D lab making automotive actuator housings. Got a refresher course from a guy that made nose cones for missiles and other aircraft. Dangerous and demanding but very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many rejections it took to get that down? And, why is he harnessed to the lathe?
ReplyDeleteNo Initials? geez
ReplyDeleteDe Oppresso Liber
Spin forming makes a much stronger product than machining, and its definitely a lost art, but by today's standards, just not cost effective. The shop I used to run did away with it because it simply didn't produce the necessary fiscal returns to continue.
ReplyDeleteThat looked cool! "Spin forming" eh? I'm going to have to look in to that. Not sure it's something I could replicate on my small lathe, but it would be neat to try. I wonder if something similar could be done with plastics...
ReplyDelete