Machine Shop Project Ideas - Get Creative!

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A user is seeking project ideas for a machine shop class, expressing a lack of creativity and dissatisfaction with previous simple ideas like a spring-loaded guitar capo. They are interested in more complex projects, such as a chaotic motion generator or tuning forks. Another participant shares their experience from a machine shop class where the assigned project was to create a small machine vise, which required a range of machining skills, including squaring stock, drilling, and threading. However, they note that they no longer have the plans for the vise and suggest that the original poster would need to design their own project.
G01
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Hi Guys,

I'm taking a machine shop class this summer, and need a project for the next month.

Unfortunately, I've been horribly uncreative this summer and am out of ideas. (All of my ideas are too easy or too small. Ex. Spring loaded guitar capo, some parts for the lab...)

Anyone have any cool ideas or anything you've built with a mill or a lathe?
 
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Some chaotic motion generator, like a double pendulum or something a little more complicated.
 
Make a set of tuning forks! That would probably be more difficult than you would think.
 
G01 said:
Hi Guys,

I'm taking a machine shop class this summer, and need a project for the next month.

Unfortunately, I've been horribly uncreative this summer and am out of ideas. (All of my ideas are too easy or too small. Ex. Spring loaded guitar capo, some parts for the lab...)

Anyone have any cool ideas or anything you've built with a mill or a lathe?
When I took machine shop our project was assigned and the same for everyone. We had to make a little machine vise. On the mill the vice required the ability to square up stock, accurately locate and drill holes, and accurately machine an angle. On the lathe it required the skills of turning stock to diameter with a good finish, and, also the ability to cut a screw thread. In other words, it was a demonstration of all the basic machining skills.

Unfortunately, I no longer have the plans, and I don't see any online. You'd have to design it yourself.
 
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