Manual Machinist

About the role

Air-Lake Machine & Manufacturing is a precision custom job shop in Lakeville, serving industrial customers across the Upper Midwest. We do the work that requires real skill—complex repairs, custom builds, and close-tolerance machining in steel, stainless, and aluminum. Manual machining isn't a backup here; it's a valued part of how we deliver for our customers.

Responsibilities

• Run a wide range of manual equipment on varied work, including manual lathes with chucks up to 32" and capacity up to 19 feet between centers, Bridgeport-style vertical mills and a bore mill, horizontal mill, and a 100-ton hydraulic press for assembly, disassembly, and straightening.
• Supporting CNC operations with secondary manual work as needed.
• Perform mechanical repair work, such as disassembling gearboxes and other industrial assemblies, identifying worn or damaged components, machining replacement parts, and reassembling to spec.
• Straighten shafts and structural parts, and use the hydraulic press to fit and remove bearings, bushings, and press-fit assemblies.
• Read and interpret mechanical drawings and set up and operate independently with minimal supervision.

Requirements

• 3+ years of manual machining experience—lathe and mill.
• Strong mechanical aptitude—comfortable disassembling, diagnosing, and reassembling industrial equipment and assemblies.
• Ability to set up and operate independently with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable reading mechanical drawings and tolerances.
• Experience with large-capacity turning (big bore, long bed) is a significant plus.
• Experience with hydraulic press work, shaft straightening, or industrial repair is a plus.

Qualifications

• Your own tools.
• Reliable, team-oriented, and takes pride in the work.

Skills

• Manual machining skills (lathe and mill).
• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings.
• Experience with large-capacity turning.
• Experience with hydraulic press work, shaft straightening, or industrial repair.

Benefits

• Quarterly bonus program.
• Health and dental insurance.
• 401(k).

Pay

$35–$45/hr depending on experience.

Schedule

4.5-day work week, every week. Monday–Thursday, 6:00 am–3:30 pm. Friday, 6:00 am–10:00 am. Long weekends every single week.

Benefits

• Air-conditioned shop.
• Family atmosphere in a growing company.