What You Can Expect to Find in a Machine Shop

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For anyone interested in engineering, metalwork or building things by hand, a machine shop can be a magical place. This term does not refer to a place where machines are built but rather where machining is done. That can include making and repairing parts for machines.

One of the more fascinating aspects of this magical place is what kind of equipment is used in a machine shop.

Here’s a look at what different machines may be found in a machine shop and what they’re used for.

What kind of equipment is used in a machine shop?

There are many different types of machines that are in a machine shop. Some of the common machines include:

  • Lathe: A lathe is a very useful tool in a machine shop. It rotates the workpiece at very high speeds to perform a wide variety of tasks. This includes cutting, sanding, drilling, boring, turning, threading and more. These tools are one of the oldest types of machines and are found in machine shops that deal with everything from small parts to heavy duty machines.
  • Grinder: A grinding machine consists of a wheel with an abrasive surface that spins at high speeds. This machine can be used to sand down surfaces to smooth them out or to shape and flatten a component as needed. It can also be used to remove rust or paint from other parts for refurbishing.
  • Drill: A drill is one of the most useful tools in a machine shop. There are many different types of drills, but a standing drill (or drill press) is one commonly found in a machine shop. This is a large, heavy vertical drill that is controlled by a lever pulled by a technician to drill a hole on a piece that is laid flat on the drill’s work surface.
  • Saw: There are many different types of saws, and each has its own different uses. A band saw is a blade that runs like a belt and is used for cutting long pieces into the desired length and can do so in large quantities. A circular saw uses a round blade to cut through a variety of materials and can be found in a table-mounted or handheld style. A hacksaw uses a straight blade with many small teeth to cut through a variety of metals.
  • Shearer: When it comes to cutting sheet metal, a shearing machine is tough to beat. These do not leave chips or residual material, which reduces debris on the cutting floor as well as in the air in the machine shop.

This is but a small sample of the different machines that are in machine shops. When you need parts made or repaired, it’s likely that the job will require more than one of these tools. When you need professional machining done, reach out to the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today. We have a full-service machine shop and an experienced team that’s ready to help complete your next project.