My dad was a professional machinist for many many years. Started in the US Navy as an aircraft mechanic, and got into machining. Worked in industrial machine shops building replacement dies and parts for production machines until it was outsourced. Then into hydraulic machining (prototyping). He has all the tools, except for the lathes and mills.
I asked him one day to explain every tools use and application, because someday all this will be mine and would be nice to know what it is. Little did I know that would open a 3 day lesson in machining. I agree that machining, and especially hand machining is becoming a lost art, with so much being outsourced or going to CAM for efficient reproduction, but sometimes, you just need to remake 1 part. Dying breed. I am forever on the quest for a decently priced bridgeport mill that "someday" I can use all the stuff from my pops. For now, I'm thankful that he has every kind of caliper, mic, and gauge one could imagine needing. Most times, I like to be close, but when it needs to be perfect, I know where to find the tools to ensure that it is!
