Machinist - Tools of The Machinist

Tools of The Machinist

The tools that a machinist is expected to be proficient with fall into 6 broad categories:

• Measuring tools: The measuring tools come several basic varieties:
  • Comparison tools such as adjustable parallels and plain calipers,
  • Direct reading tools such as rules, scales, and vernier calipers,
  • Micrometer tools based on screw threads,
  • Indicator tools based on clockwork gear movements,
  • Electronic measuring tools based on tranducers. Many of these are digital versions of their mechanical predecessors, as with a digital caliper.
• Hand tools: The hand tools are the usual complement of tools found in a complete auto mechanic's set except that auto specialty tools would be absent and some outsized tools would likely be present, such as 1 1/2" (38 mm) open end wrench.
• Machine tools: The machine tools have undergone a dramatic shift in the last 20 years. Manual machines have given way to computer numerically controlled machines (CNCs). For clarity's sake a categorization based on the historical groupings will be offered. Each of these groupings has been altered by the advent of CNCs and the CNCs meld some groups and blur the lines between others. In the past, the most common machine tools fall into 4 categories:
  • Drilling machines, bench, floor, radial, and horizontal
  • Milling machines, horizontal, vertical, and boring mills
  • Turning machines, engine lathe, turret lathe, vertical turret lathe, vertical boring mill
  • Grinding machines, surface, cylindrical, centerless, universal
• Workholders: The workholders may include vises, chucks, indexing accessories, pallets, specialty jigs or fixtures, and faceplates
• Toolholders: The toolholders may include chucks, cutter adapters, cutter extension, tool posts, indexable turrets, box tools, quick change adapters, arbors, and collets.
• Cutting tools: Cutting tools include various milling cutters such as face mills, shell mills, endmills, and form cutters; various drills, reamers, taps, countersinks, counterbores, and core drills; various turning tools, form tools, and threading tools; various grinding wheels distinguished by their geometry, bond, grit size, and compound.