PlasmaCAM trainers wanted

Let me know and Angela and I can sit through a class.
Just let me know the dates. Angela is one of those women who does not shy away from hard work and getting dirty. 6 years in the Army helped make her strong.

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Thank you for your interest.
This works the other way.
Pick a day with a class. Contact the instructor and let them know you would like to teach, and ask if they can accommodate your sitting in on that class. Assuming you have already been approved to use the machine, weā€™ll likely make a way for you to sit in.
Then, feel free to ask any of the existing instructors to wingman your first mission (or not, but itā€™s really nice to have a steady, experienced hand onboard).
We look forward to having more trained instructors to assist with meeting the need!

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[ Edit: I started this before I saw the reply above. We may duplicate info but at least we donā€™t contradict! ]

Iā€™m the newbie instructor so I should clarify my comment and ask @zmetzing and others to check for completeness. First steps are to register and attend a class. Become familiar with using the machine on your on. Message an instructor that you want to become an instructor and sit through a class on specific date. Request a class for a specific date and have an instructor sit through your first class as your wing man. Iā€™m generally available.

There is no real procedure for coordinating dates but it would be well for active instructors to communicate preferences and avoid too many classes within a few days. @jast and I have been running a class a week since I started in early July. Works well and classes fill in two to four days. (We will miss next week since we are separately heading north for the big eclipse.)

We have been using the Purple class room and limiting registration to six. I would be comfortable with a couple of future instructors sitting in but more than that gets really crowded.

When an instructor requests a class with honorarium it is reviewed for 72 hours before posting. Donā€™t know about @jast class but mine should hit the calendar late Friday.

What happens if you get hit with a question you cannot answer? Post it on Talk after class. Monday night I had no idea how to handle very small pieces of stock and never would guessed duct tape was part of the answer.

I have been a bit surprised and very happy with the number of women in my PlasmaCAM classes including one in the metalworking industry. Several folks have commented about increase of women in the industry.

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We should be approved to take the class.
We have taken it once before.

Thanks for the update. I will contact a teacher and request an audit of a class.
We will be like church mice, though my new church is Makerspace.

I am, Iā€™d do the Day Maker classes

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I have attended a class and so has Angela.
We are not comfortable yet with using the machine.

Whom might I get to possibly run me through it with a small project?
I know you are out of town and I am pretty much booked up till after Labor Day.
No emergency on my part. I just think we all need to help out when we can as teachers.

Jeff Whitcomb
2100 Bowling Green
Denton, TX 76201
800-969-9368
cell-903-203-9463
ā€œThe only good sense is one of humor, without it all the others are worthless.ā€ JCW
[email protected]

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The best way is to use it. When you start using it, you feel a lot more comfortable with it.

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Its best not to put contact info on Talk. Google crawls it often. You can edit and delete the info.

Contact me by Message at @bpamplin when your schedule opens up.

I donā€™t want church mice in class. Everyone in the room should ask questions on anything that is not clear.

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I agree with the using it part. I am a hands on person.
A couple of times and my brain fixates on the best way to do it.

Is there someone I could contact who could help me create something on it?
I could compensate them as I donā€™t like to be a burden on anyone.

I keep forgetting to delete the info on this email.
I need to get used to messaging. Old dog, new tricksā€¦
Thanks for reminding me.

Jeff Whitcomb

ā€œThe only good sense is one of humor, without it all the others are worthless.ā€ JCW
[email protected]

Good too ask for help and perhaps you will find someone that can help out if yaā€™all are at the space at the same time. But I wouldnā€™t wait. Just take the bull by the horns and create a dxf and cut it if you have already taken the course. You can go on to YouTube and find instruction on anything you want to do.

So if you are chomping on the bit to get started, I wouldnā€™t wait for help and just dive in. If you need a dxf, you can buy one online and then cut it out to practice.

Thanks for the attaman. I am extremely careful with machinery and worry that I might break it. Not that it cannot be fixed but that others may not have the opportunity to utilize it in the interim. I am software deficient but machine savvy.
I probably just need to go there and keep the manual handy.

Some classes because of their size do not lend themselves to me learning in an efficient and inclusive manner. It might be I am just getting old and my hearing or attention span has changed. LOL. Have me do it once and twice and I never forget.

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Iā€™ve played with speeds and different thicknesses and have found out little to no issues. I did see someone crash the head on Z and jump the carriage tracks.

So the big issue to look for is flatness of material and the the Z distance along your complete cut path. You can set your Z and then run the cut path without the torch on to see if you have height issues.

Scratch all this. I was looking at it wrong.
I am not finding a ā€œJeff Whitcombā€ among those approved on this machine.
Perhaps itā€™s been lost in the lurch? Sometimes that happens.

Also, donā€™t know "Angela"s name to check.
First, youā€™d want to get that ironed out.
If youā€™ve already been through the class, you should have had to make at least 1 cut and control the table at least once.
Also, typically, if we can spare the space, you are welcome to sit through another (but at least in mine, I only allow the 6 registered or stand-bys to actually cut, since this MUST be done before you can be ā€œapprovedā€).

I concur. The database must show you are authorized. Work with @Team_Infrastructure and your previous instructor to be sure it is up to date. You donā€™t have to be an expert but you need to be real comfortable with using the commands for the class. We only go through very few operations in the shop but its a bit crazy moving everyone through the two positions. I only allow six to do the cut. I have had a real workout by the time the shop portion is over.

Jeff and Angela - Work out the database, practice if you need to and Iā€™ll look forward to you sitting in my Sep 11 class. You should each be prepared to guide a student through a cut. Hint: It can be harder when you are not at the console and wrong options are chosen.

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Thanks. I am good at watching. I am a woodworker with all his fingers. LOL

Iā€™m signed up to take the basics class later this month, but once I get a handle on it I would be totally willing to teach it. I have group training and presentation skills, just no plasma cam skills, lol. willing to work with anybody willing to bring me up to speed, let me know, thanks!

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Iā€™ll reiterate that the best course of action is for you to pick a class to shadow and message the instructor to make arrangements. Thank you for volunteering!

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Angela is Rinaldi.
When will you be having a class?
My internet has been down all week.

Jeff Whitcomb
2100 Bowling Green
Denton, TX 76201
800-969-9368
cell-903-203-9463
ā€œThe only good sense is one of humor, without it all the others are worthless.ā€ JCW
[email protected]