Training on the VHS metal lathe is open to VHS members only (as is everything in the machine shop/Danger Zone) and covers the safe use of the machine, basic metal-working knowledge, and the essential operations involved in machining something on the lathe. Attendance of the training class does not guarantee that you will be allowed to use the lathe if you demonstrate unsafe behaviour, carelessness, or a lack of respect for the machine. There is no prerequisite knowledge; all members are welcome and encouraged to attend, regardless of prior experience (the vast majority who’ve been trained so far have never done any metal-working before).
The lathe training is not intended to be a standalone course that you will leave being able to make something practical on the lathe, and as such it is up to you to continue to learn and practice. Once trained on the lathe, you are encouraged to continue to practice during the Manic Machine Monday weekly open nights that I run. This way you’re guaranteed that there is at least one night a week where you can come down to practice and progress your skills on the various machine-shop tools when there’s someone around to ask questions of, and look over your shoulder when necessary.
Lathe training classes are 3-5 hours long (depending on the size of the class, as there is a 1-on-1 practical component) and as such are only run on weekend afternoons (generally Sundays). The cost is $50 per person.
While I’ve been actively running classes as frequently as I can, there is still quite the backlog to be trained. Fingers crossed I’ll be getting some assistance soon to help cut through the list faster, but in the meantime please be patient - I am very busy, and this is a brutal class to run both on my schedule and voice.
Feel free to add comment below if you’d like to be trained, but please be aware that currently classes are running with very little notice (hopefully this’ll improve, but no guarantees for the immediate future), so I am not processing the backlog in any specific order beyond whoever is available for the class at the time.
Here’s the current list who have requested training. This is off the top of my head (I’ll update it as we go), some may or may not be eligible, and some may be incorrectly listed when they haven’t expressed interest… oops if so. Sorry for those I’ve missed, I’m certain that there are plenty who have asked me in person that I’ve forgotten to list here.
- @Logan_Buchy
- @Gibbtall
- @wander
- @iMakeRobots
- @Daniel_DeGagne
- @hectorh
- @PHRESHA_art
- @Shane
- @Paiz0r and coworker
- @packetbob
- @konobi
- @TomKeddie
- @davidcarne
- @Rob_MacKenzie
- @hsi912
- @asoloman
- @Blair
- @oxidizer
- @kewima
- @kubov
- @interlock
- @newton.jason
I will be contacting people directly when there are spots available.