Patternmaking courses?

[jmebgo]

Dear all,

Youtube is great but I'm the kind of person who likes instruction in person to learn a skill. I'm sure I know the answer to this already, but is there any patternmaking courses around, anywhere?

Thanks,
Joe

[clear out]

Try TAFE in Melbourne they may still do the trade course.
Ultimo in Sydney shut down over 5 years ago.
For a few years they had a patternmaker visit the 'shops to check on the apprentices but that has now ceased.
Any ( I don't think there are any) apprentices now go to Queensland for block release.
I guess the mining and sugar mills have kept the industry alive in Queensland.
Heavy dirty manufacturing is now mainly gone from Sydney although we are using an iron foundry at Bankstown currently plus a few non ferrous.
A book worth buying is Patternmaking Guide by Ed Hamilton American Foundrymens Society.
On Amazon about $100.
H.

[jmebgo]

Thanks for the reply. It's a shame that these skills are not seemingly being taught anymore. I can understand why they aren't, but I still think it's a shame. I've seen that book being recommended before. I'll have to keep a look out for it.

Joe

[hughie]

Thanks for the reply. It's a shame that these skills are not seemingly being taught anymore. I can understand why they aren't, but I still think it's a shame. I've seen that book being recommended before. I'll have to keep a look out for it.

Joe
Oh well CNC's have much to do with it. I have pattern maker buddy who had to give it up and went fitting, now retired, just no work for them

[Toggy]

Ian Collie from Inglewood is a pattern maker who also has an accommodation business. He has a good workshop and used to give short pattern making courses.

He is president of the Bendigo Model Engineering Club.

Ken

[artful bodger]

I did the Patternmaking trade course at Ultimo from 1980-4. Buggered if I know why, didn't even know what one(patternmaker) was when I got the apprenticeship, was just keen on woodwork. Since my 5 years in that job I've only worked in the trade for 6 months since. In my opinion the trade sucks, as more often than not your working in a heavy industrial setting. Also the pay is pretty lousy compared to the building trades, which can usually land you a job anywhere in the country. It's also an excruciatingly accurate/anal trade.
If the CNC machines are making the trade obsolete.....then YEE HAR! for any unsuspecting unlikely future apprentices. I could go on and on here but will refrain.
Now that that I've got that off my chest.....There is an upside to the trade. You do learn how to make any shape/form out of timber plus you would normally get a bit of experience in epoxy resins,fibreglassing, metal lathes and milling machines to boot. As a teacher at Tech said "The trade is a good stepping stone to something else"
So Joe, if your looking to do the tafe course I cant say I'm envious but that would give you a reasonable idea of what the trade is about. Used to be 3 years 1 day a week while you worked in the trade the other 4 days. In hindsight it was the other 4 days where I learned the most.
Good luck with it.