Sometimes centralization is great – I’ve got all my tools in one gigantic rolling cabinet so I always know where they are. Except when I leave one laying out where I used it last because I got distracted or forgot about it.

When working with metal, we’re exposed to a variety of raw materials and alloys. While every metal has its perks, we’re quite fond of steel for a number of reasons.

Aluminum is often the first metal that new machinists experience, and rightfully so. Its versatile, economical, and forgiving when it comes to feeds and speeds. But all those pluses come with a few compromises as well.  So, here’s our list of four things everybody hates about aluminum.

Matt Pyle runs his small business, Arttech Casting Company, with his PCNC 1100 mill and 15L Slant-PRO lathe, but he’s also the captain of the Buffalo State Mini Baja Team for the SAE International Baja Competitions. According to Pyle, “Having the Tormach machines has caused me to look at things differently. I have some mildly complex parts that if all I had were manual machines (that's all I ever had professional training on), I would say it can't be made. I have used other CNC machine tools, the setup takes half the day alone to cut one part.