The Complete Guide to Becoming A Forging Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic

I was genuinely on the fence about applying to a local forge shop, and this book settled it. The chapter on what the job actually involves was exactly what I needed — the day-in-the-life narrative, the tool names, the noise, the heat. It's not romanticized at all, and that's why I trusted it. The self-assessment checklist made me realize my mechanical hobby actually translates well here. Good buy.

Decent guide, but I wished it had more detail on the 'tender' part of the job — that seems to be the entry point for most people, and I still feel a little fuzzy on it. The pay numbers are solid and the author clearly knows the field. For the price it's worth it, but don't expect a textbook-level dive into every machine type.

I'm a career changer at 34, spent the last decade in retail management, and I needed someone to tell me the truth about a trade job. This book gave me that. The section on what you'll earn at different levels was the reality check I wanted — I can actually support my family on this if I stick it out a few years. The chapter on breaking in had a checklist I followed step by step, and I have an interview next week.

What I appreciated most is that this doesn't read like a recruitment pamphlet. It openly admits the job is loud, hot, and sometimes boring as hell. But it also shows how to move up, what to learn on your own time, and where the work is. I felt like I had a career counselor sitting with me. Definitely gave me confidence to pursue this over a generic business degree.

The blurb said this would tell me the hard parts, and it did. I liked that it talked about the body fatigue and the shift schedules — that's real honesty. I also liked the career growth chapter; it showed that 'operator' doesn't have to be a dead end. A bit short, but I got what I needed to decide that this path is worth a try.

This is the book I wish I had before I sat in my college intro-to-business lecture. It gave me a crystal-clear picture of the job: what the sets and dies are, why the setup takes a good hour, what a hot metal forge smells like, what the money actually is. I read it in one sitting and immediately updated my resume. I start a trial shift at a local plant next Monday. Highly recommend for anyone weighing trade school versus a four-year degree.

I found it useful, but I think the author could have spent more time on the 'is this for you' chapter. The checklist was fine, but I was hoping for more stories from real workers about why they stayed or left. The pay comparison table is worth the price alone, though. If you're still on the fence, this will push you one way or the other — that's a good thing.

Honest, concise, and surprisingly motivating. I picked it up because a friend works as a setter and loves it. The book helped me see why — there's a craft to it, and the guide explains the skill progression so well. I didn't fully realize how much thinking goes into a job that's labeled 'operator.' It's not for everyone, but this book helped me see I have the mechanical patience for it.