"Machine Shop"

Hi,

This might seem like a daft question, but:

I keep seeing reference to people taking various machine parts to a "machine shop" e.g. to have some welding done, or a bearing pressed on/off, or a shaft trued up, or some boring done.

I have a couple of small jobs like this, in order to fix up my lathe (a PM90). I used google/google maps, and looked in the Chicago area for "machine shop", but I'm not sure from the results what kind of place I should be looking for. There were a lot of industrial suppliers and some auto shops. Is there a different term I should be looking for?

Thanks!

Lee

You're looking for a job shop, not an automotive machinist though they might be able to do what you need as well.

You might try searching Yelp.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cosmopolitan...nc-bensenville

Look for a small “mom & pop” type machine shop. Larger, more sophisticated businesses likely will not be interested. I received several hits by goggling “Chicago-prototype machining”. You’d have to sift through them to find the right fit for what you want to have done. Keep in mind that almost all of them will have a minimum charge. If you’re looking to have work done at a bargain, you will probably be disappointed.

Could also poke around on the forums at Practical Machinist dot com.

Thanks for the pointers :)

Hey Lee .... we use a "Napa" machine in our city, might want to check into that option.

Tim

i asked the car shop where they have their machine work done, i usually have one or two items a year, from screw on weights for multi-axis pieces, tool holders for elbo tool, to having the bearing redone

Change the thread title to "Need a machine shop near Chicago" and you'll probably get people to suggest some.

This is good advice. The sorts of work that woodworkers need done is usually pretty basic, low tolerance stuff that a hobbiest machinist can do. It's analogous to needing a chair fixed or some plywood ripped for shelving.

Just start calling machine shops that come up in your search. Any idiot can come up with a web site. Shoot, I have a nice looking website. Don't go off of that. Start making phone calls. You may be surprised how accommodating the "industrial" suppliers are. I won't mention names, but I knew several "big" aerospace suppliers that were just one guy with a couple of techs, a few CNC machines and great marketing. Oh, they cranked out great product, but they weren't anywhere near the corporate conglomerate you would guess just from their website.

Make calls. The worst they can say is "No", but you may be surprised. These guys have staffs that they need to keep fed. If they can spend 30 minutes on a paying job, even a small one, that's 30 minutes less time that they have to pay out of pocket to keep a machinist employed that is otherwise twiddling his thumbs waiting for something else to finish up.

Id get ahold of Slav Jelesijevich on woodnet. He knows someone that can help you for sure!!!

I'd like to echo what John C. said...call around.

Two years ago, I needed some metal work (cutting and welding done), I check a couple "small shops", and was shocked at the number I got. Called a much bigger steel / fabrication supplier, and they did the job for $60 - and I can only conclude it was because it was because I was a paying customer, and they had people who were idle.

Jim