TN technology center @ Nashville

[Guest GunTroll]

Anyone go there? Know anyone who did? What do you think about the place.

Specifically the machine tool tech program. But any opinion of the school in general is welcomed.

[Caster]

I went to school for machine shop there. It was 18 month course. It took me three months to figure out all they could teach me was what NOT to do. Basically, don't stick your finger in a fly cutter, be sure the magnetic chuck is on before you touch off with a surface grinder. That sort of thing. I got a job offer from a local shop (Skyline manufacturing) and learned more in the first week there than three months of school.

To be fair, I think that had much to do with the teacher. He was a goober. Also jumping into the workforce today isn't as possible as was in mid nineties.

[Guest GunTroll]

I'm really more interested in CNC operations with the intent to further my path in firearms manufacturing. Not saying I couldn't learn new tricks however about more basic machining. But I run a lathe and a mill all the time ( I own both and use them daily). Been in a machine shop myself for more than a few years (started out in high school running production work in a small shop 18 years ago) and I don't need to learn what you call numbers below the decimal. That's my fear I guess. That the first few classes would be....a yawner. I'm seeking more advanced machinery knowledge but as I said, I'm sure I could learn new basic stuff...again if I must. More than one way to skin a cat sort of stuff is always cool to learn. I don't know if they allow skipping certain classes but I don't need to know what a caliper is.

I hope to speak to someone there soon.

[gregintenn]

Talk to some people who run machine shops in your area. One of them might be interested in showing you how to run one after hours in excahnge for a bit of free labor, or maybe for pay. Most of the state voc-tech programs are quite basic.