New Member from NC, USA

[Tony B]

Hi everybody, My name is Tony B. and I live in Cary NC, USA.
I am retired from a career in metalworking, that started in 1972 and lasted my entire working life.
I spent 2 years in trade school Machine Shop.
I was fortunate enough to apprentice in the Prototype Sheetmetal department at Grumman Aircraft, where I learned how to make one-off parts, as well as Jigs, Fixtures, and Tooling, for production use.
Along the way I was transferred to the Machine Shop where I had an opportunity to train on our very first CNC machines. This was around 1976, when I was just 21. None of the Old Timers wanted anything to do with it, thinking it would make their skills obsolete.
Fast forward to 1985. I opened my own Machine and Fabrication business, and did contract machine work other company’s. In 1998 I invented and patented my own product, and within a year I no longer took in outside work, but devoted full time to my own product. In 2000, I developed another product that required cast aluminum parts, so I built my own foundry and learned how to do it myself.
My wife and I continued this business until 2018, when we retired.
I have a nice workshop at our house, where I am building my 1950 Ford F1 truck.
For equipment, I have a Lathe, Milling Machine, Welders, Bead Roller, Etc and I just acquired an English Wheel. I looking to learn how to improve my metal shaping skills. There is so much to learn!
This year I started my own YouTube channel, Chips and Sparks Garage
It’s mostly about building my old truck, and also modifications to my equipment.
Sorry, for the long post!
Tony B