Machinist Apprentice toolbox (long format) 

Takes me back to July 10, 1961 when I started my time. Dad outfitted me with a 6" scale and a mechanical pencil. $2.19 per hour up from $1.97 the year before. I was issued an empty tool box (19" Kennedy) and 35 tool checks. My recollections of that day 55 years ago are still vivid. Good trade. In all that time, I always had work, always had enough money, never had to go hungry. When one shop had to cut back, another shop down the street was eager to hire me. You fellows entering the trade be careful you don't turn into one trick horses. Learning to run a lathe and a mill makes you an operator, not a machinist. You have a load of peripheral stuff to learn as well: trade math and physics. plan reading, mechanical drawing and sketching, welding, grinding, fitting, CNC in all its manifestations, tooling, safety, cleanliness, planning, industrial organization and lots more. These are the mental tools that bring that tool list of Tom's to life and you to working class prosperity.

I watched your whole video because you started with a 6 inch scale. I've eaten chili using it as a spoon, scraped out chips with it, used it as a shim. Hell, sometimes I even measure stuff with it!

Man, you hit the nail on the head. I've been at a gear grinding shop for over 12 years now and am actually taking stuff home I never use. After 40+ years in this business, I'm actually making room in my boxes. The one thing I would add is a quality pair of safety glasses with good optics.

My first day as an apprentice was September 1, 2018 I was told it would take three years to become a grinder hand. With no lath or mill experience, I went all in. Got all the tools I would need to do all the jobs that could possibly come my way. This is my second month in and I am now a grinder hand apprentice, I operate a mill and lath heat treat and take to size. All I can say,” you get what you put in 10 fold.” Have courage and be happy.

Just wanted to come back to this video and say a huge Thank You! I watched this video 8 years ago when I started my apprenticeship and was so overwhelmed. You helped me with what to get starting out, now I'm a Journeyman Toolmaker and a supervisor in my department. My tool box is now full of all the tools you recommended plus a lot more, thank you so much!!

I just aquired this exact box only its really old. full of machinist tools. it was owned by a machinist that was a tool maker for the air force at Martin airforce base in MD. he was there when the B52 bombers were being made. I made a video about the tools I recieved. I'm an electrician by trade but these new tools and this video really make me want to start all over and become a machinist

Tom Great video and I whole heartily agree with you when I first started my apprenticeship my dad gave me a basic set of mechanical tools with the caveat that they were to be replaced by me after one year. I was a little pissed that he didn't give them to me but there was a method to his madness. I worked my but off to replace all of them in six months and from that time on-wades I appreciated having my very own tools and I would try and buy the best that I could afford. To this day which is some fourty five years I still have that same appreciation for my tools I buy the best I can afford and I use them as they were designed to be used and look after them. As a side note to this, it is my opinion that when you have your own tools you will treat other peoples tools with that same respect you have for your own. There will always be exceptions to this but generally that is what I have found. Dave

well done and as you said it depends on the shop that you are working in and the type of work your doing. one rule that I used for myself and for apprentices is that if you have to ask to borrow a tool more than 3 times it is time for you to start looking at getting it for yourself. thanks again.

Tom, this video is right on. May be one of the few that directly address the beginners. Your list seems very similar with Keith Fenner's tool list for his toolbox giveaway which is a good thing! I like your recommendations. I might say get a toolbox that can hold a 24" scale or straight edge and not the 20" toolbox but that is just me. One thing I remember from years ago was I got the cheapest steel toe safety boots. My feet and back suffered terribly until I wore those out. If you have the inclination for a follow-up video, it might be interesting to cover proper clothing that is confortable and practical, safety boots, safety glasses, dust mask, ear protection and whatever else. Daniel

A very thoughtful selection job on an almost impossible task. There were once trade schools, and Alexander Weygers (a blacksmith, suclptor, artist and writer) says that the first year all that was required was rule, scribe, hacksaw and 24 different files (that should warm your heart). He was a marine engineer, and they spent the whole first year cutting and filing. Those times are gone. And maybe a CNC shop might be different from a manual shop. Still, you cannot go wrong with your selection.

Great video ! Buying tools is always overwhelming. I personally hate having a bunch of tools I never use. There is also no better feeling than having the right tool for the job. It's a delicate compromise to find.

A small flashlight is a must.

Enjoyed that, Tom. "Some go to college, some collect tools, some do both." Had to laugh, as I am in the third class. Spent 12 years studying in universities--in a field polar opposite to machining--but since childhood have loved getting my hands dirty (and steel shards in the fingers). It's a sure sign that I'm a tool collector when I'm amused to find I own all but a couple of the items you loaded out in the video. I'm a bit surprised that I chose so much the same inventory. I have all the qualifications of an apprentice machinist except skill and experience...and youth! Hearty thanks to you and the other guys making chips on RU-vid. Through you, guys like me get a chance for a virtual apprenticeship. I'm having a great time learning new skills, instead of just admiring my shop tools.

2021 and I'm at that awful 1 year period where you need all the more spendy tools and you needed them yesterday coz now you finally know how to use em right

Thanks, Tom. Great addition to your video series. I am not an apprentice. I am retired, but having fun learning machining as I attempt to create an 1/8 th scale steam locomotive. I thnank you from the bottom of my heart for the time that you have taken to pass along your expertise in these videos. Larry

The one thing I would add is a multimeter. Voltage, continuity, even temperature is super useful to measure.

I apologize if you mentioned this and I missed it. Make sure if you find yourself borrowing the same inexpensive tool over and over from a coworker that you acquire that tool as soon as possible. It can be very aggravating to have an apprentice borrow the same $30 tool for months on end without showing any interest in buying his own.

Hacksaw is best up to one square inch cross section. Get a supply of blades - 6 each of 14, 24 and 32 tpi. A sharp blade cuts fast. A dull blade frustrates. Best personal tweezer is from A G Russell. I'd like to see a friction-joint hermaphrodite caliper - 6 or 8". Good for scribing to an edge. Definitely scribe your name or initials onto each tool; but also get a colored paint marker. You can see a "flash" from across the shop. Choose your color after seeing what colors are used by other folks in your shop.

After you bought all that, don't forget the engraver to write your name on your new tools ;)

This is great, I just purchased an identical Kennedy toolbox last weekend to start collecting some of my own small machining tools, mostly measuring devices.

Thank you for this. My third week as an intern machinist.

One thing that should be on the first day is a good led flashlight, not all areas of a shop are well illuminated or for just looking in the chip pan for the part that fell in it! Great suggestions for any machinist, so keep up with the suggestions, and thank you for taking the time to do so.

As a weekend hobby machinist I found this useful and interesting.

Very nice list Tom, I cant think of anything I would add for a general box. Thanks for thinking of topics that many who have been doing this a long time tend to forget about.

Hello Tom, I'm currently selling a machinist tool collection from a retired machinist in which he no longer needs. I'm an estate liquidator and your video was extremely educational. Really needed this kind of lesson. Thanks again and God Bless!!

♥️ i got the same tool box ! Its a Kennedy from the 1960s it was my dads . Yours is in great shape , but dads went back and forth from USA to the UK a couple of times .

1962 Starting my tool and die apprenticeship I needed a tool chest. A family friend which refinished antiques knew an antique dealer which sold used machinist tools. Yes from a call he had a used oak Gerstner chest, a little dirty but complete except for the key. I bought it, took it to be refinished. Never having a cover the outside was very dirty, 2 drawers needed new felt, the handle needed replaced and there was a 4" diameter divit burnt into the top from a shop light! We ordered replacement keys and handle from York Machinery and Supplies while he removed the divit by steaming. Refinished, it was time to start filling it with Brown & Sharpe slant line tools. Eventually I brought my first Machinery Handbook but had to keep it under the lid as the extra paged edition wouldn't fit into the narrower center vertical drawer! Each time I replaced an older edition I would offer the old to our newest apprentice.

I was a welder for 9 months then I left to be a machinist and I’m a vo tech student and a senior in high school. I’ve been a co op student as a machinist the whole school year and because of the corona virus going on right now I don’t have school. So I took that opportunity to work full time and learn an outstanding amount as a machinist. I’m still the small guy in the shop doing the labor of cleaning machines and moving stuff but I just finished my first job on a Bridgeport milling machine this week. They gave me a wide open tolerance of ten thousandths and I was holding about a thousandth and some was half a thousandth. I’ve done some stuff on the lathes and I’ve gotten more experience on surface grinders too. All my co workers and even my boss look at me like I’m on something when I say despite me having nims certifications in cnc milling, I hate cnc machines and prefer manual. You will never be able to hold a tolerance on a cnc machine like a Bridgeport mill in my opinion. I plan on buying my tool box this week because I doubt I will be going back to school, but I’m very excited to get into this field and learn so much more. Thank you so much for the advice and knowledge!!! Young blood is coming back to this trade and I’m proud to be apart of it!!

I guess I’m late to the game. This video was posted some time ago. However, I have been a heavy equipment mechanic for 30 years and I must say that I have lost my basic machinists skills along my career path. I have been pulled out of the field and put into the shop. I found this video very helpful. I plan to upgrade my tooling and practice skills that have almost become a lost art. I have the highest respect to true machinist and become sad when I think about all the new modern machines that have pushed this craft to the sideline. I hope to have a mill and lathe someday and start making things again. So many mechanics have turned into part changers and tech tuners with the dawn of computers. I truly miss the good old days. Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it very much.

Tom, This is the second time I've watched this video -- great video both times!. The only caution I've got to mention is to be careful and verify the calculator app on your smartphone. A few years ago, I watched as one coworker calculated a basic trig function, but he knew the app was giving him the wrong answer. A second coworker tried the same calculation and got the correct answer. Between the two of them, the second coworker found the problem in the first guy's app. It turned out that whoever wrote the first calculator app forgot to convert from radians to degrees! Always verify your app's results before you depend on them! My 2¢, Bob

Tom it is nice to mention returning tools left out by accident! You and Adam rock. Early in my starting days I had a mentor who if I or anyone left out a scale or something he would capture it and put it in his huge toolbox. He would torture us letting us see them every now and then and only returned the item the first time. This was to be a sadist and to teach us to clean up and take all our tools and put them up. He did make up for his bad behavior by teaching us top notch during the all manual machine days.

Thanks for being real! And also explaining the time you want to have each tool I really appreciate it!!

I started off with the big box. After a few years and jobs you will always need it .

Part 1 Day 1 Cutting tool - either a utility knife or pocketknife Tape measure 3m or 10ft- Inch and metric ruled preferred always have on your person Mechanical pencil and sharpie type markers blue and black and red 6in 150mm metal ruler aka scale inch and metric Shirt with pockets so you can always carry markers, pencil, and 6 in metal ruler. 3x5 notebook Your cell phone is a tool. Mechanics gloves - hand protection ppe. Safety glasses Part 2 0 - 3 months Toolbox, Kennedy 520 style as example Always mark your tools!!! Allen wrench sets - inch and metric ball driver tips round holders are preferred top of toolbox 8oz ball pein hammer bottom of toolbox Multi-screwdriver Phillips #2 and flat-blade 6in mill smooth file with handle for deburring Adjustable wrench 6in and 8in extra wide opening preferred 6in calipers $50 price range in second drawer up on toolbox 0 to 1in micrometer $50 price range Part 3 3 - 6 months Three corner scraper for deburring top of box Rotary deburring Noga or Royal brand top of box Tin snips bottom of toolbox Soft face hammer 16-24oz., bottom of toolbox Hacksaw frame with bi-metal blade Center punch square is preferred, no roll 6in needle nose plyers bottom drawer Diagonal cutters 6in in bottom of toolbox 8in file mill smooth file in bottom of toolbox 3 corner file 6in or 8in in bottom of toolbox Tapping guides top of toolbox Tweezers precision splinter type Vice grip locking pliers bottom of toolbox Part 4 6 - 9 months 1/8 parallel set top of toolbox 12in Combination square, good quality. Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, Lufkin, Mitutoyo Edge finder .200 x .500 Thread pitch gauges inch and metric Tap handles small and large and a tapping wrench 0 - #10 ¼” - ½” capacity Drill truck Jacobs is fine 0 to 1/2 in ball bearing type straight shank 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 inch micrometers Multi anvil micrometer 0-1” Depth micrometer small set 0-3 or 0-6 Simple protractor Helios brand is good Telescoping gauge set Part 5 9 - 12 months 1in travel indicator with lug on the back Mighty Mag base Noga brand indicator holder articulated with mag base Carbide tip scriber, retractable. Mill vise stop clamp. Jaw clamp style Mill stock stop, Type that bolts to machine table. Set of picks (dentist picks are great) Set of small c-clamps or Kant twist type clapms. Dry pin punches 1.5mm to 5/8” Scalpel or Exacto knife Small inspection mirror, swivel type is good. Set of 1,2,3 blocks Part 6 12 - 18 months 2 Sets of V blocks in two sizes (4 V-blocks total) two sizes Brown and Sharp 750B and a smaller size Fishtail V block Set of feeler gauges Test indicator Brown and Sharp Best Test indicator is an example 6in hook ruler Flexible ruler 12in or 300mm 600mm or 24in ruler or adjustable square again 24in Machinist square 3” to 6” 6in 150mm dividers Fishtail gauge Jewelers loop Torx set, butterfly style is nice Adjustable parallels 12” Dial/Digital calipers Abrasive stones Norton 1B134 combo bench stone fine and course Easy lap diamond honing stones course and fine Feel free to correct as necessary. all errors are mine. The pdf link is broke so I remade the list from the video. I probably butchered it somewhat but it's a starting point. Tom sent me the pdf so I reconciled his list with my list, his list was more detailed, and that is this list. Feel free to copy and update as you see fit. This list only serves to save Tom some time but I don't think he minds.

When I started my apprenticeship in the late sixties/early seventies, a minimum tool list was provided by my employer. The list had been negotiated with the union (IAM). It encompassed most of what you show here, plus a few other items, as I recall. Other selected things (e.g., machine tools of all types) were available in the tool room, and could be borrowed by leaving one of your identification tags there (bar codes hadn't been invented yet, and we didn't even wear company badges then). The digital caliper also wasn't available, so I had to read a vernier. It wasn't that difficult for my then-young eyes. Now I have to use a magnifying lens. Many thanks. This brought back memories.

Number 1 on the number 1 list for me--- Safety Glasses. Great informative videos, keep them coming. Ed K. Cleve. Oh.

I think this video is a few years old but I still enjoy it. I bought most of what I have new throughout the last 8 years as there's not a lot of shops or machinists in my part of Northern Ontario. Over 90% of our work is for the mining industry

Hopefully the "new guy" will get a list from the employer of what tools will be needed first day to several months. I've worked in several shops that thought I was born with the "silver spoon" and thought I would have a full set by day two. Thanks for making the apprentice aware in your area!

from a novice metal worker/fab guy...this is an aweeesome very informative video...thank you

All great stuff and tips. I have worked all over the world and people a shocked at my tool bag down size everything, throw in some drill bits and box end wrenches.

Thanks for all your awesome videos, as a machinist in training, I appreciate all the knowledge you share!

That's about right for first 1-2 years...In addition to the regular heavy tools, I also had 0-6, 0-8 Dial Veneer Calipers, 0-1,1-2,and 2-3 Micrometer set, 0-1 Depth Mic, complete 0-6 removable anvil Depth Mic set, 0-1 Pin Mic, 0-1 Thread Mic, Screw Pitch set, Telescoping Gauge Set, Radius set, Squares, Combo, Standard Dial Indicator with mount and linkages, Co-Ax Indicator, 2 Edge Finders, a Parallel set, and a complete set of Jo Blocks...Total invested after 2 years (new and used) - about $3,200...By my fourth year with the same company, I was on a roll-around with additional "goodies"...We were a small shop (CNC and Manual machining and turning), and made a very diversified line of parts, so i wound up needing all that...

Great job, Tom! IIRC, my box looked remarkably similar after the first year of my 4 year tool & die maker's apprenticeship (1971-75). Retired now and truly miss the shop life. Treetop

Looks like a good start to me. It's similar in my trade, that beginners need a basic kit that they add to bit by bit. What amazes me is the number of young people I've met that thought they wanted to be mechanics until they're told 'you need to have a weekly tool budget' . Even if it's $10 a week. Then they ask to borrow my tools, not likely. My answer is usually along the lines of 'Go buy a toolbox, even a piece of junk from a yard sale and put $100 worth of tools in it, even if they're from Princess Auto (similar to Harbor Freight). Then I'll start lending you some of mine". I have now seen all the Ox Tools videos that appear in the videos tab, starting at 3 years ago and look forward to seeing what's next.

If you're just starting out and haven't found an apprenticeship yet don't stop looking. The skills learned are invaluable when your employer decides to be an offshore importer, or decides to chase butterflies for the rest of his days.

love this video. helps me a lot, I just got a job starting on the 6th as a machinist apprentice

not only a great list, but a great service from an inspiring veteran of the trade.

Great. I sure needed this almost 55 years ago. ex. Home hobbiest. Would have saved lots of purchases until a more proper time. Round two suggestion - tool box specific to first lathe, then first mill. World class videos just keep coming from OxTool. No Ox BS at all.

Long time lurker, enjoyed this one as a beginner!

I was taught to only put precision tools in your tool & die makers tool box. Rough tools like wrench's, files, drill bits, counter bores, counter sinks, screw drivers, hammers, etc.. went in a separate box.

Nice video Ox. Being a small shop owner, A 7/8 wrench and a 3/4 , I prefer they don't have adjustable wrenches. And most important... A cart/rollaround...ya better have your tools next to the machine your using cause I don't want to see ya walking back and forth to your box on a bench that you cant turn around and grab!

I want to commend you on your great videos. You are a real treasure. You and all the others who give their time & effort to educate all of us on RU-vid. I'm a little too old (68) to begin a machinist career but I find your videos on what & how you do things absolutely fascinating. I wish the RU-vid resource had been available when I was in school. Things would have been a whole lot easier and infinitely more enjoyable. Keep up the great work. There are thousands of us that look forward to visiting you on RU-vid!!!!!!

I was a tool and cutter grinder for 31 years had the same tool box for a long time had those tools when I started , never forget that time of my life am retired now

hey Tom I am a pool builder from Niagara Falls,Canada. I love your videos. I am a lover of all tools. Since watching your videos I have fallen in love with machinist tools. I like you shop at all my local flea markets and I now have maybe a second year set of tools. I love all things Starrett. I even buy parts that I am not sure what they are for as long as they say Starrett or they look similar to the tool parts I know are Starrett. I also have a great number of hammers such as you but maybe not quite. last count was 53. I don't have a rack like yours yet... I just want to say thank you for your knowledge of the craft and I hope one day to know a few machines for my retirement days. I love to learn new things and your are an awesome mentor, I hope to learn more about how things work and what the tools I have purchased are used for!!! Thanks, Charles..

You should mention that the black gloves are MaxiFlex made by ATG. These are excellent gloves!

good words, i had a lot of the same things early on. one word of advice when you are starting out and a lot of guys will disagree, is buy the cheapest tools you can find. its way more important to be able to do a wide variety of work when starting rather than limiting yourself to certain tasks or having to borrow tools. you can find some killer deals by using craigslist, facebook, ebay, and most importantly, pawn shops, especially for young guys it will teach them the art of bargaining. other things that are great to have, get some air tools, important, is like a 90 die grinder, a 1/2 air drill, and if you want, an random orbital sander and a 4.5 electric grinder.

Tom, thanks for taking the time and showing us your opinion on what us noobs should have to be prepared and professional!

I've just started at a machine shop 2 months ago. one week in I took my butt down to the harbor freight and picked up a bunch of stuff. Last week I went out and order a roll cab.

On July 2, I will reach my one year as a Machinist Apprentice. I been investing in tools for my job and my education that begins this fall. This video is helpful, there are some tools here that I never considered buying.

I just got hired at a shop and am most likely going to be machining dies in the shop (have to wait for big boss to come back from VAC). Anyways, I appreciate your video because they're wanting me to get my own box of tools. I walked in with my calipers and mic, but will have to get a few more things like knife, sharpie, scales, edge finder, bastardized fine, deburring hook, parallels (maybe later), mallet, etc.. The company is going to provide all the cutters, drills etc, so all I really need is the precision measuring and marking tools. For all you haters who can't possibly understand why a company would make an apprentice buy their tools - its a waste of time for both people when I'd have to walk across the shop and ask for somebody's square, nobody wants their tools to get ruined so let's just have our own and be responsible for them, and plus when I get more experience I might move on to somewhere else and won't be empty handed. It's just the way the world works. P.S. - this company will buy them for me and take $ out of the paycheck each week. Fair enough. Nice helpful video.

I know this is an older video but just found it and started as an agricultural engineer a few weeks ago. My experience so far is that yes you definitely need equipment but as a colleague said to me "tools take time". You aren't expected to have every piece of equipment the day you start. These people have been doing it for years and built their boxes over a long time. Something my farther told me and I think Is important is that if you borrow a tool always put it back in its place and give it a quick clean before you do. Take care of others tools and they will most likely lend you tools in the future while your learning.

Thank you SOOOO MUCH for this video!! I'm going though machining classes myself right now and I am to happy to see that the stuff I am buying is exactly the same as on your list. Im laughing that I already have a good majority of what you are listing and I've been taking classes for about a year now. The machinery's handbook is an amazing resource that my wife laughs at me as I flip though it when I get off work at night. I went the route of buying an older copy on eBay (22 addition) and spent $25 with shipping for it. I always learn so much from all of you. Thanks again!!

I forgive you because you're the bomb but as a beginning machinist I was looking at the scale or in my head, "the little metal bar" waiting to hear its use and you skipped over it kinda, thank you Tom, giving back is what makes some people saints and you sir are a saintly saint.

I just re-watched your machinist apprentice toolbox video. I loved it when it was new but it's got new meaning for me. I just registered for the manual machining at my local community college, and i'm stoked to get started. I've already got most of the tools up to 6 months. I'll be looking for a mic and good calipers. Thank you for clear helpful videos!

Starting my tool and die apprenticeship Monday at a brand new factory with my god father! I bought a Kennedy and a new mitutoyo caliper and mic for $200 (the caliper and mic fell off a truck and the box is used) I already have specialty tools sitting on the bench waiting for me and I gathered all of my other misc tools that I need and am ready to start my career as this shop that just opened.

That was a great list and a great video. I also carry a small bottle of liquid bandage and some antiseptic--but I'm clumsier than most people :)

Your 100% right on keeping tape, scale,pen and marker on you at all time

Thank you Tom! As you stated there is no 1 stop shop for tooling it depends where you work and what's required. Great Video and thanks again.

Wow great job on such a difficult subject. But you forgot.....(lol) for me I would add starrett pin vise set, just today I had a minor diameter of an m4x.7 internal thread just a tenth or two small. So I put a .128" reamer in my pin vise and opened it by hand. And, 3 wire-measure set is great to have. Cheap and most people don't have them. It can seem like you know what your doing if the other guys borrow yours and you show them how to use it. Super easy.

The BOOK was one of the first things that I thought of - but hearing your take on the new way of information, I can seewhere the internet is a much faster way. It's just that I grew-up with the BOOK thanks for sharing b

The thumbnail instantly caught my eye as I have that exact same toolbox rammed full of random (mostly imperial) taps dies, reamers, helicoil tools etc. that my father collected over the years.

I just finished my first year of apprenticeship in the tool and die, mold repair field. I love your videos and I have a lot of what you mentioned here with a good tool allowance lol. But thx!!! What an amazing trade! I deal bad for people that wake up and go to work everyday because what we do most of the time I don't deal like im at work!

"m'kay" lol you sound like my high school shop teacher love it! keep up the great videos!

When I started as an Electronics Tech back in the 70's these Kennedy Toolboxes were the standard "load out" as well as a given set of tools inside and a Weller Soldering Station. You then customized as you needed and your job required

The adjustable spanners are a no brainer. It's exactly what I did & realised straight away. 1 big one and 1 mid sized smaller one. The big one for the nut on top of the bridgeport & anything else that needed leverage & the smaller one for clamps on the table or machine setting adjustments on learning other areas in the company. I would say they need a set of drills, taps & dies & tapping drills. I used those a lot & only certain ones were given to use by the company, like a one off thread size & I didn't like borrowing, they're easily broken. A scriber can be made out of an broken hss drill bit shank in an emergency. If it's a long bit & shank can even grind off the flute. The blue marker pen we used as a substitute for marking out blue on material. It was quick & done the job, being permanent suds never washed it off either when milling. .

It's a bit different in the motor trade, the tool we give apprentices on the first day is a broom, and if they can handle that they graduate to a mop day 2

Excellent show, sir! One of these days I'd like it if you'd document, for lack of a better term, how your work and education came together. For example, "In 1981 I worked days it XYZ machine shop and went to ABC college at night" and so on.

I wish this had been around when I started in the trade a couple years ago! I asked everyone for a tool list and no one had any real insight. Great video as always, sir!

Surprisingly informative for an old guy starting out as a machining hobbyist - helped a lot with my list of requirements = thanks

Looking at the Travel indicator - THOUGHT: take an old Bic pen - take out the center that is the 'pen'. The shell can be drilled and fitted to fit over the end of your indicators. The end is best for dust. The centers are ok and can be filled with a slug of epoxy or glue... Just a plug. Simple and can save the movement! Gives a plastic maching job. The sharp scaples - use a short length of tubing (fluid) [Poly ] and find the size to fit over - to protect the point and edge and your fingers when reaching for it.

Had a rule while working as a wastewater plant operator- if you didn't write it down, it didn't happen. That meant you needed to keep accurate records of jobs done, procedures finished, or started. Times, materials, chemicals, tools used, etc. Also great for prompting memory at end of shift, or the week. Whenever you filled out time sheets. Phones can be used if they have a memo function. I didn't, because I had a bad habit of dropping my phone in places where I couldn't recover it.(Large sewage processing tanks). We also were required to fill out operator and plant logs. Originally done in long hand with a PEN, never a pencil. (Logs are considered legal documents). By the time I retired, we used computers with a daily log locking system. So nobody could come back later and change the records. Also had a complete set of layout tools for setting and leveling motors and pumps. I carried a good tape measure, pencil, pen, soapstone or metal markers. The list is longer, but that gives you an idea of what I carried or worked with on a regular basis.

I never had any of that easy poncing about at the beginning that my friends had unfortunately, that worked for other companies (big companies some of them), like you said here. Opening boxes & stuff. They said they watched, took notes, worked on college work jobs in work etc, stood around smoking & eating chocolate bars out the machine & got paid for it. I was, as the toolroom guys I worked with said 'thrown in at the deep end', making gauges/slip gauges & hardening them in my 1st week 🙈. Then again, I already did an GNVQ2 course the year before, so they probably thought me capable. After a kind of induction day, I was handed a piece of paper with a tech drawing along with "I want 3 of those off by about dinner time please", by a guy called Barry. & my college day release day was from about 9 am - 7.30pm. 9pm maybe later get home from neighbouring town. So 7.30am - 9.00pm on Tues & come back with a load of work to complete through the week on the night, after working all day. & they want /trying to pay £8/9 per hour now in the UK for machinists & toolmakers. You can earn that pressing a button on a spring making machine. Or working in a warehouse. Maybe even working in a wacky warehouse 😂

Your videos are very useful and much more helpful than other ppl making maching videos on you tube, so thank you

Wait - Did Tom just say he could go either way? Glad you pointed out the fact that the handbook forces you to see things you need to know but weren't looking for. It also isn't a bad thing that it's not instantaneous information like the web has created for our younger generations.... If I can't get it right away, I'm not going to work at it.Great video as always Tom!

Great job, big help! I have gone back to school at 48 working toward my AAS's in machine tool and Drafting and Design and have so many tools wasn't sure where to start building my dedicated Machinist box without going wild over board. Thanks again see ya on the next one.

What a great vid. I'm just a hobbyist machinist, but served my apprenticeship in the piano trade as a builder and tuner and as you say ,my master always told me to buy a tool every week which I did, Now many years ago, (oh dear) yeah great vid brought back fond memories, need more nostalgia, Thanks . Mike from Cornwall, UK

I like that maxim "The faintest line on paper is better than the best memory any day." Field Notes brand memo book has a good one too; "I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now."

Excellent, well presented and useful info for a guy starting out with home lathe.

Kind of a slower form of content but in a way also more personal. Liked this one as a one of.

this video is also nice as benchmark as what you have and what you should have ! thanks

Great tour of the apprentice tool box. OK so I am almost equipped to be an apprentice. I come up short on the 1-2-3 blocks and the gauge blocks. I guess it is good that I am not looking for an apprentice job. Thanks for the video.

I'm no machinist but i do some lathe and mill work both at a part time job and in my home shop. I also , weld and fabricate both places as well. In my limited experience i would like to submit a couple things to add to the list... 1st day, safety glasses, ear plugs. Two things i use everyday. I will say for the 6 month kit. Small rare earth magnets. Great for removing metal from eyes, holding scales to your the inside of your tool box lid, holding papers to machines, etc, etc... Great list though Tom!

Hi, And thank you for a superb list of for the first two, - 3/6 months, - basic tools and a wonderful tool box. We know someone called Randy who makes a ‘mean folding Scribe’! I Had two Engineer boxes and both were pretty full when they were stolen. There is some sick people out there who would steel anything for drugs. Tat as it turned out was what happened to my tools. Take care mrbuenun

an excellent metal sliver remover is your Vern. it'll grab shards .0001 as long as they are good and have no daylight between the jaws when closed

Excellent video! Learned a lot, despite me not being a machinist or looking to get into it. Quite a few “uhh”s here and there 😅 but it’s fine. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

Very useful content! A lot of things that a beginner, like me, would not think of. Thank you for the videos!

this is a great video. my company supplies all the tools needed, but I have my own. this way I can always find the tool when I need it. I hate searching for an Allen wrench. I like to see employees investing in their future also.

good job i wish i'd seen that twenty years ago very helpful thank you.

Thank you. I am just starting. Your information makes me feel a lot better about buying tools and my skills with them.

I think a quality indicator should be day one. It's one tool that you use constantly, and needs to be cared for. It's a tool most toolmakers won't loan out. Don't go cheap it's worth the cost to get the best.