Aluminum is a soft and ductile metal used in a wide range of applications. Should be easier to machine than harder materials, right? Not so fast, my machinist friend. Because of aluminum’s high thermal conductivity and low melt point, you need to manage several tricky issues when machining this popular material to avoid tool damage […]

A lathe and a milling machine are the two most important workhorses of any complete machine shop. With either one, you can perform many of your fundamental machining techniques. Each is great at cutting away metal. But there’s an essential difference between these machines. And that difference means that each one is best suited to […]

Do you love making things with metal? Do you thrive amid the sights, sounds, and smells of a modern-day machine shop? Maybe it’s time to transform your passion into a business. Assuming you have some solid experience in machining, setting up your own machine shop can be a great adventure. It’s a chance to showcase […]

Precise. Powerful. Versatile. A CNC mill is one of the most exciting pieces of equipment you can work with. Sure, it’s not a cheap machine, and learning to use CNC (computer numerical control) takes time. But if you have access to a CNC mill and a willingness to fail forward, you can make lots of […]

Few activities connect us with our ancient ancestors as well as working with wood. The craft of woodworking has been around for thousands of years. And while the tools have gotten a lot more sophisticated, the basic sights, sounds, and smells are the same. To those in the know, creating objects with wood just feels […]

We’ve talked about ideal beginner woodworking projects. We’ve given you some ideas for advanced woodworkers, too. Now it’s time to meet in the middle with some wood project suggestions at a medium level of difficulty. Grab your tools and some wood, put them on your workbench, and get ready to make some cool stuff while […]

One of the best things about getting into machining as a beginner is all the new tools and resources you get to tinker with. In addition to your lathes, milling machines, and other machining equipment, many different tools will help you advance your skills in common machining techniques. But let’s not get too carried away […]

Ever look at a metal part and wonder how that thing got made? Whether it’s a practical part like a gear or crankshaft, or an aesthetic piece of metal art, you can bet it was made with the help of machining. Maybe you’re familiar with the basic techniques from our intro to machining. But the […]

A metal lathe is one seriously versatile machine, and turning is considered one of the 3 core machining operations. The lathe spins your workpiece at high speed, and you can bring a wide variety of tools against the material to cut and shape metal in lots of different ways, including facing, threading, boring and creating […]

Machining is the precise process of removing metal or other materials to make a wide variety of useful tools and parts. Machinists in machine shops use mills, lathes, and other equipment to cut away and shape workpieces to precise specifications. Read on to explore the basics of this key manufacturing discipline. Think of an object […]