• Spring 2024 meetup in Calgary - tentative date Saturday, April 20/2024. Other regions are also discussing meet ups. If you want one in your area get going on organizing it! discussion
  • We are having email/registration problems again. Diagnosis is underway. New users sorry if you are having trouble getting registered. We are exploring different options to get registered. Contact the forum via another member or on facebook if you're stuck. Update -> we think it is fixed. Let us know if not.
  • Spring meet up in Ontario, April 6/2024. NEW LOCATION See Post #31 Discussion NEW LOCATION

Hello from South Eastern Ontario

Hi Everyone! I am in south eastern Ontario. I currently have a South Bend 9C that i'm selling to buy something more adequate (IE 10 to 12inch lathe with power feeds). I make and repair parts for garden tractors and implements, I am a licensed industrial millwright by day. Teaching myself more and more machine shop and metal working tips and tricks! Hopefully this site will be a great resource to gain further knowledge or ask machinsts, ,welders, and fabricators questions.
 

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
Welcome from Calgary.

What does SE Ontario mean? Are you more south than east?
 

MW/MC

Member
Hello Ryan welcome also I am a journeyman millwright out in Alberta and apprentice machinist and originally from southern Ontario
 

MW/MC

Member
Do you “millwright” guys get practical training on milling/lathe/welding etc?
Hello I can’t speak for anyone else but yes got basic lathe / mill / radial drill training some projects , then for welding got oxy/acc , and smaw (stick )
And then some oxy/ acc torch projects as well , how to make a new flange from scratch etc
How about your self what do ye do for work ? Or retired ? Talk soon
 

Brent H

Ultra Member
Working Marine Engineer - had Lathe, Mill, welding, blueprint reading, drawing etc shop was 1.5 days a week for 3.5 years - including co-op on the ship time. Retiring very soon :). That is all changed now for the new guys - sucks - very little hands on
 

MW/MC

Member
Working Marine Engineer - had Lathe, Mill, welding, blueprint reading, drawing etc shop was 1.5 days a week for 3.5 years - including co-op on the ship time. Retiring very soon :). That is all changed now for the new guys - sucks - very little hands on
 

MW/MC

Member
Ok was the Great Lakes or ocean you work ?
I have worked with a guy was in the Great Lakes ships as a engine room ship Wright or engineer I guess !
no use for a level or theodolite on a ship !!
 

Brent H

Ultra Member
LOL - not much use for a level at all although we have a “clinometer” that shows you a list to port or starboard :). Sailing Great Lakes but I have been all over West Coast, East coast and up to the Arctic and the St Lawrence so not too much missing of the country.
 
Do you “millwright” guys get practical training on milling/lathe/welding etc?
All depends where you work. For me, yes. I work with high speed forming dies with tolerances of .0002". Lots of welding, usually mig or smaw. Not much tig for me. I'm always modding parts and fixtures. I use a VDF 16" lathe, busy bee 12", bridgeport mill, and we have 40s vintage marvel no.8 bandsaw at my work. I'm currently working towards building my own small machine and weld shop.
 

MW/MC

Member
All depends where you work. For me, yes. I work with high speed forming dies with tolerances of .0002". Lots of welding, usually mig or smaw. Not much tig for me. I'm always modding parts and fixtures. I use a VDF 16" lathe, busy bee 12", bridgeport mill, and we have 40s vintage marvel no.8 bandsaw at my work. I'm currently working towards building my own small machine and weld shop.
That’s the cool part about the millwright trade that there’s so much variety !
I swear two retired millwrights could sit down for tea and share there work careers and one would say I did this and that the other guy would say I’ve never heard of that !!!
when I worked in Ontario I worked on the stamping presses for automotive parts , but never high speed dies or near 2/10 of a thou tolerance
Sounds like you got some nice iron in your shop !!
 

MW/MC

Member
LOL - not much use for a level at all although we have a “clinometer” that shows you a list to port or starboard :). Sailing Great Lakes but I have been all over West Coast, East coast and up to the Arctic and the St Lawrence so not too much missing of the country.
You must have had some rough seas at times !!
pretty cool career !!
what kind of boats ? Grain / coal / fuel what ever else ?
All two stroke engines ??
did you ever work on the opposing piston engines ??
 

Brent H

Ultra Member
@MW/MC - I work for the Feds - coast guard so lots of rough seas - most of my time on ice breakers/buoy tenders. Lots of work on the Fairbanks if that’s what you are describing as an opposing piston engine - current engines are 4 stroke Wartsila R22 series 2138 BHP each x 4. Lots of other engines - Paxman, Ruston, Baudoin, Cat, Alco, MAN, no big super long stroke or slow speed engines all medium speed and high speed diesels and the odd gas one.
It has been a pretty fun Career but I will enjoy getting out of the shift work, long times away from home and the ice breaking/crap weather. We overlap quite a bit of millwright work with a dash of HVAC, Electrician, plumber, and on and on - LOL.
 

Swharfin'

Out to pasture Red Seal Millwright
Hi Everyone! I am in south eastern Ontario. I currently have a South Bend 9C that i'm selling to buy something more adequate (IE 10 to 12inch lathe with power feeds). I make and repair parts for garden tractors and implements, I am a licensed industrial millwright by day. Teaching myself more and more machine shop and metal working tips and tricks! Hopefully this site will be a great resource to gain further knowledge or ask machinsts, ,welders, and fabricators questions.
Welcome Ryan
I'm new also. Looking around the site to see what's what, lots of mentors here.
 
Top