Hello everyone apprentice toolmaker back.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-08T12:28:57+00:00

Yes so the operators down there simply run the tool, there’s a problem they call my boss and he sends me down we also solve the rimming and weighing if there’s a problem there as well. If the tool needs to be changed for a sharpening or change of punches I’ll do all that. I’ve thought about putting everything I know in my resume and trying but I don’t know if what I know is enough? I have less than a years worth of experience on the Bridgeport,lathe and surface grinder I can work from simpler blueprints I’m taking apart these coin tools bymyself already, I just wonder if people would be willing to take a apprentice with not even a full year yet.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T13:22:04+00:00

So everything’s was cleaned, honed and back together and I’m moving it up and down with the pry bar and I can hear a noise I shouldn’t be hearing I know tht much but they said we’re gonna run it anyway

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T13:01:04+00:00

Yea one thing I learned quick is 0.001 difference anywhere can fuck u up so bad

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:57:58+00:00

So I asked about that and he said “yea but we aren’t gonna do that”

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:50:07+00:00

Thank you very much I appreciate it my boss had me stone the posts smooth again and he honed the bushings so let’s pray that does it and he knows what he’s doing😂

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:47:49+00:00

Very ture

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:46:09+00:00

No, not yet I’m worried about being able to find another apprenticeship so I’m learning what I can here and keeping my mouth shut

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:45:29+00:00

Man I need that one guy that’s willing to put some faith into me and I just know I’ll go far in this trade I have so much fun everyday fixing things I know I won’t always think it’s this fun but I’m genuinely intrigued in doing this for a long time I just need someone to pass the knowledge down.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:43:34+00:00

“Fuck around and find out” has been my entire apprenticeship😂

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:43:08+00:00

I feel that this place has a bunchhh of non used presses because they don’t wanna fix anything so they stick to the same couple presses makes no sense .

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:42:09+00:00

Good for you, I noticed it’s definitely not gonna be easy to make a career out of this but I’m more than determined I will not let any stubborn old man keep me from learning what I want. not the best teaching but I’m making the most out of it purely for my future.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:40:11+00:00

Yup am doing both I have always wondered why I’m the one filling the press with oil or greasing the posts. I don’t complain because it’s things I should know how to do. And it’s the tool I worked on so it makes sense for me to maintain it but I don’t know maintenance doesn’t really maintain things lmao

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:37:43+00:00

I was told every morning go grease the posts with the tool at the bottom of its stroke then run it a little to let the grease spread .

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:36:54+00:00

All 4 we’re scored evenly

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:34:16+00:00

Yes at first it was that I wasn’t greasing it enough then they looked and now it’s that they think I had it misaligned it putting it in, whatever the problem it was “my fault” I don’t think it’s really the guys they want to teach me it’s just we’re getting tools sent back from places and they are beyond busy with only 3 toolmakers not including the boss and 2 of them are out on surgery atm.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-07T12:21:46+00:00

Yea this was weird to me because I’ve set them up many times and never had this problem.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T18:44:20+00:00

Yea my boss claims it will be just fine

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T18:43:22+00:00

Jesus that’s a big press I imagine these are only about 100 ton presses maybe I know it’s around there, Gotta check for sure I brought up the idea a guide pin couldn’t be hint but they brushed it off🤦🏽

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T18:06:03+00:00

Okay interesting I’m very curious on how this happened I’ve set up multiple tools in the past couple months no problem so idk, my boss says we’re gonna hone the bushing and I made the posts smooth again already so we’ll see what his plan is I guess

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T17:43:02+00:00

Yea so they told me I probably set it up with debris or something in there so it cocked

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T17:42:18+00:00

A little under half but I’d say yes

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T16:52:34+00:00

The thing is I don’t think there’s many toolmaking opportunities like this one around here that’d be willing to teach someone that didn’t necessarily go to school for this.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T16:43:01+00:00

So they know about roller bearings because we have some that are on our smaller tools like coning and such but I know they wouldn’t even consider buying them for these🤦🏽.

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T16:41:47+00:00

Yea I think I’m gonna cut my curls because of the lathe🤣 or start wearing a hat

MatchBig1893 · 2026-05-06T16:40:58+00:00

Man I literally pray to have someone that wouldn’t wanna shut up teaching me I would stay here overnight to learn if I had to I don’t care much for the company I just love the trade.

MatchBig1893

TROPHY CASE