my shop

I had posted question for the group and thought I should explain about my
shop.

I am a member of the Atlas_Craftsman group (since I have Atlas lathe).

I have the following equipment:

6" Atlas Lathe, 6" AA/Craftsman Lathe, 9" South Bend lathe, 12" Grizzly
Lathe, and a 10" Atlas Lathe that I am converting into a CNC Lathe.

Mill Drill bench type that is CNC (with Ball Screws) and a Mill Drill bench
type that is manual.

6"x12" Surface Grinder

Gas and Arc welding equipment.

Two complete sets of tool/die maker measuring instruments. (one set is
certified for quality control)

I started a small home shop business in 1985 for the Atlas lathes. I make
and sell some accessories for them. Milling table, tool post, steady rest,
and etc.

I worked as a mechanical engineer for a facility that made caps for jars for
the food industry. I designed stamping dies and rolling tools for the caps
to be formed. I worked for 25 years there.

In 1992 when the company decided that they did not need an inhouse
engineering, I was let go and expanded my business to full time. I now make
parts for a whoesaler in the plumbing industry.

I have been machining since 1977.

I run my business out of my home. My wife also does some of the machining
work (jig drilling, tapping, packing, and etc). I do most of the machining
manually. She watches the mill when it is running (especially when it is
used as a jig driller) for some of the parts. She also does the more basic
machining on the manual mill.

The CNC mill is used for drilling and 2D contour cutting. In my line of
business, for the hobby, I do not need 3D contouring.

I still design for the 6"/10"/12" Atlas, 9"/10" South Bend, and some
accessories for the shop. These are being done (as time permits) into
casting kits for the home shop machinist.

The CNC mill was purchased as retrofitted, but I am designing and making my
own equipment for the shop as I agree with most, that commercial units are
too expensive for even me as a home machinist.

I am now 54 years old and have a degree for mechanical engineering and 30
years of experience under my belt. Getting to old for too much manual
machining and need to have a retirement plan.:):)

I have been into CAD/CAM since 1978 and have been trained to program (since
the company I worked for bought a wire machine and die sinker) to use Fanuc
software and program in G code.

Sorry to be long winded but thought I would give a little of me for the
group.

Earl Bower, owner
Bower Machine
ebower@...