The best YouTube channels for machinists, CNC operators, fabricators, and welders — from million-subscriber creators to working machinists sharing real shop floor knowledge.
Whether you want to learn CNC programming, watch a master machinist run a big lathe, or pick up welding and fabrication skills, these channels deliver. We've organized them by category so you can find exactly what you're looking for.
Manual Machining — Lathe & Mill
The heart of the trade. These channels focus on engine lathes, Bridgeport mills, surface grinders, and old-school manual technique.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Abom79 | 565K | Adam Booth — third-generation manual machinist; big lathes, industrial repair, metrology |
| This Old Tony | 1.5M | Machining comedy legend; educational, hilarious, and genuinely skilled manual work |
| mrpete222 (Tubal Cain) | 321K | Lyle Peterson — retired Illinois shop teacher, 50+ years in machining; 1,000+ episode Machine Shop Tips series |
| JAMSI | 770K | Working automotive machine shop in Colorado — engine rebuilds, boring, honing, valve jobs on manual equipment |
| Keith Fenner | 130K | Cape Cod job shop owner; real paying engine lathe work on boats, heavy equipment, and one-off repairs |
| Joe Pieczynski | 128K | Austin TX machinist; unconventional manual lathe techniques, specialty setups, creative problem solving |
| Tom Lipton / Ox Tools | 140K | Metal worker at Lawrence Berkeley Lab; manual lathe, mill, fixture building, and shop-made tooling |
| Stefan Gotteswinter | 234K | German precision machinist; toolmaking, jig boring, meticulous technique on manual machines |
| Robin Renzetti | 131K | Legendary manual machinist and toolmaker; precision grinding, gauge making, surface finishing |
| Blondihacks | 580K | Quinn Dunki — approachable home shop machining; manual lathe tutorials including mistakes and fixes |
| Clickspring | 1.2M | Extraordinary precision — reconstructing the Antikythera Mechanism from raw metal on a manual lathe |
| Inheritance Machining | 138K | Mechanical engineer who inherited grandpa's shop; thorough manual lathe and mill explanations |
| DoubleBoost | 100K | Newcastle, England — manual machining, sand casting, metal casting, TIG welding; 1,800+ videos |
| Halligan142 | 39K | Home shop machinist on a 9" South Bend lathe; practical hobbyist techniques and machine upgrades |
| That Lazy Machinist | 31K | Marc Lecuyer — retired Canadian toolmaker; clear, structured basic machining instruction |
| Shadon HKW | 38K | Surface grinding specialty — tips, technique, wheel dressing; 600+ videos |
| Suburban Tool | 20K | Surface grinding, sine plates, and precision measurement — toolroom essentials |
| Precision Matthews | 15K | Lathe and mill tutorials for PM machine owners; beginner-friendly |
CNC Machining
CNC programming, operation, and shop management — from training academies to working CNC shops.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Titans of CNC | 720K | Titan Gilroy's CNC machining academy; advanced manufacturing, aerospace parts, machinist training |
| Haas Automation | 285K | America's largest CNC machine tool builder; tips, setup guides, and machine demos |
| NYC CNC | 414K | John Saunders — Fusion 360 CAM, CNC fixture plates, workholding, and shop business content |
| Edge Precision | 289K | Real production CNC shop; 5-axis work, Swiss-type turning, aerospace tolerances |
| Cutting Edge Engineering | 444K | Australian job shop — manual and CNC lathe work, line boring, heavy fabrication for mining |
| Tormach | 53K | Compact CNC machines for small shops and schools; PathPilot tutorials and project ideas |
| G-Code Tutor | 73K | CNC programming education — G-code and M-code explained clearly for beginners |
| 6061.com | 50K | Aluminum CNC machining; toolpath optimization, custom fixtures, and production techniques |
| Stuff Made Here | 6.5M | Engineer builds insane automated inventions; heavy CNC and fabrication with engineering explanations |
| Grimsmo Knives | 247K | CNC knife manufacturing; anodizing, precision assembly, and running a product business |
Welding & Fabrication
TIG, MIG, and stick welding plus metal fabrication — from process tutorials to massive build projects.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Welding Tips and Tricks | 1.0M | Jody Collier — TIG welding master; technique videos, pipe welding, and process breakdowns |
| Weld.com | 614K | Comprehensive welding education; beginners to advanced, all processes covered |
| Fireball Tool | 929K | Jason Marcheck — welding fixtures, squares, clamps; practical fabrication with great personality |
| Red Beard's Garage | 443K | Go-kart and mini-bike fabrication; family-friendly but genuinely technical welding |
| Ron Covell | 211K | Legendary metalshaping instructor — English wheel, hammer forming, panel beating since the 1970s |
| The Fab Forums | 275K | Kyle Voss — motorsport TIG, carbon fiber, metal shaping for hot rods and race cars |
| Jimbo's Garage | 263K | Jim Wright — honest real-world welding; torch cutting, MIG, TIG, structural work |
| Brandon Lund | 117K | CNC plasma cutting, MIG and TIG welding, practical metal fabrication projects |
| Lincoln Electric | 120K | World leader in welding — technique videos, certification prep, and process guides |
| Eastwood Company | 392K | Auto body and metal restoration; MIG/TIG welding, metal forming, powder coating |
Makers & Metalworking Crossover
These creators work across multiple disciplines — machining, fabrication, woodworking, and beyond.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Savage's Tested | 6.8M | MythBusters legend builds props, reviews tools, and runs a world-class workshop |
| Alec Steele | 2.9M | High-production blacksmithing, bladesmithing, and metal art from UK/Montana |
| Make it Extreme | 2.8M | Greek team builds extreme machines from raw steel; impressive fabrication skill |
| Essential Craftsman | 1.7M | Scott Wadsworth — 40+ years of trade wisdom; blacksmithing, construction, real-world skills |
| Jimmy DiResta | 1.5M | NYC professional maker — metal, wood, leather; tool restorations and rapid builds |
| Andrew Camarata | 1.5M | Solo contractor who fabricates and repairs everything himself — excavators, buildings, all of it |
| AvE | 1.45M | Irreverent Canadian engineer; tool teardowns, machining commentary, cult following |
| I Like To Make Stuff | 3.3M | Bob Clagett — approachable metal and wood fabrication; great gateway to metalworking |
Tooling & Industry
Brand channels and tooling companies that produce genuinely useful educational content.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| ToolsToday | 1.2M | CNC router bit and tooling education; toolpath strategy and production techniques |
| Sandvik Coromant | 30K | Cutting parameters, insert selection, and CNC process optimization from the global leader |
| Vectric | 67K | CNC routing CAD/CAM software tutorials for wood and aluminum |
Model Engineering & Miniatures
Building working machines at miniature scale requires extraordinary precision.
| Channel | Subscribers | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Myfordboy | 265K | UK model engineer — steam engines, miniature models, precise small-scale machining |
| Keith Rucker | 270K | Vintage machine restoration — metalworking machines, steam engines, antique equipment |
| Trainman4602 | 48K | Miniature steam locomotive building; detailed precision machining of tiny parts |
| Artisan Makes | 25K | Australian hobby machinist building impressive projects on small machines |
| OutsideScrewBall | 12K | 45+ years building miniature steam locomotives; patient, experienced perspective |
Know a machining YouTube channel we missed? Let us know and we'll add it.
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See also: Machinist Forums & Communities | Machinists on Instagram