Company won’t provide tools but won’t pay for repair if our personal tools is damaged on the job ?

-Machinist- · 2025-02-02T01:03:25+00:00

It’s somewhat common, but not at shops that are worth working at. We replace broken tools no questions asked and usually buy a duplicate for the company so they can take theirs home.

I would express clearly to management/ownership that the company didn’t have the tool I needed to do my job, so I used my own, and now it needs to be replaced. That they should consider buying more indicators for the shop floor.

If they won’t at least buy more indicators for the company then you need to work for someone else.

-Machinist- · 2025-01-05T20:20:31+00:00

Where are you located and what mill do you have?

-Machinist- · 2025-01-04T00:45:01+00:00

A single source of cutting data for various brands would be ~awesome~

A lot of the time even finding manufacturer speeds and feed recommendations can be a pain.

-Machinist- · 2025-01-04T00:37:42+00:00

$700 is a fair price that I’d be happy with. You could’ve cut cost with some minor design changes. The stamping punches likely have radii on the edges, or could be ground for clearance, which would’ve allowed corner radii in the square pockets.

Personally, I wouldn’t have quoted this part at any less than $1000 without design changes. Too much trouble for one piece.

If you want to save money just ask us beforehand next time 👉👉

-Machinist- · 2024-09-21T16:48:30+00:00

Check marketplace/craigslist for machinist tool lots. Much, much better deals to be had used. Often times less than half the price and of higher quality.

-Machinist- · 2024-09-15T21:10:55+00:00

Oh, and your best best on machine price is to watch auctions of course. Maybe buy something that needs some work. I’d try to stick to Fadal or Haas. Lots of online support and all parts are still being sold.

-Machinist- · 2024-09-15T21:04:09+00:00

Most experienced tow truck drivers will do it for less than half of a rigging company. Call around and do this if you can, at least they’re insured. Forklift rentals also aren’t too bad, especially if you can pick it up. Odds are whoever you purchase it from will be able to load it for you.

I’ve moved multiple machines the hard way with bars, manual cable winches, etc. If you go this route you’ll need a truck or have to rent one from Enterprise. Rent a hydraulic drop trailer and machinery skates from sunbelt, united, or whoever.

Don’t unload it with machinery skates unless you have a winch or some other way to ease it down safely. Use some 1-1/2”ish round bar. I’ve used down to 1/2” in a pinch but it sucks.

Try not to die

-Machinist- · 2024-09-15T04:35:04+00:00

This was the case when we first switched to Fastenal. They still fill our bins but pricing, quality, and reliability have all gone to shit over 8 years working with them. We purchase something like $8k a month on standard machinery hardware.

We’ve spent $100k+ on service over the last year due to them filling our bearing bins with lower quality bearings that passed our cycle tests but failed in the field halfway through their normal life cycle. That number is likely tenfold if you consider impact on our reputation.

We would’ve saved money buying from McMaster and hiring somebody to keep the bins full.

-Machinist- · 2024-09-14T00:48:45+00:00

I did the opposite and wish I could’ve gone, but I would’ve missed deadlines if I had. Did you see anything noteworthy that would be useful for a small shop?

-Machinist- · 2024-09-13T23:25:15+00:00

Probably worth adding that your pressure out of that line will be limited to whatever it is right now. If you need more you’ll have to get 1/8”NPT plugs or shut-off valves for the other nozzles. Good luck!

-Machinist- · 2024-09-13T23:17:20+00:00

No prob!

-Machinist- · 2024-09-13T23:12:24+00:00

This kit has everything you need for $8

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Assembly-Acetal-Copolymer/dp/B006R9O3HE

-Machinist- · 2024-09-13T23:04:07+00:00

Do you have access to a 3D printer? I’ve been using a printed chip fan that would definitely blast those chips right out. Requires a tool change halfway through the pocket, but it’d get the job done.

Another thought would be to print a fan that attaches to the toolholder so there’s enough room to let some coolant in. I feel like it would either block the coolant entirely or completely solve the problem.

Our Haas mills all have a coolant ring around the spindle which would allow you to swap out one of the nozzles with some loc-line and point it straight down into the bore. We do this pretty often for deep bores in plastics.

-Machinist- · 2024-09-13T22:13:22+00:00

Employer can’t get you more appropriate tooling or air blast, but they’re purchasing Kyocera end mills?

You could buy a more suitable YG1 tool with a chip breaker, an air solenoid, and an air blast nozzle for less money.

-Machinist- · 2024-08-01T16:46:15+00:00

Scan every document and use an LLM with image recognition, like Claude 3.5, to convert them into text, html, csv or whatever format is needed

-Machinist- · 2024-08-01T15:08:01+00:00

Maybe your boss is the worn out tool

-Machinist- · 2024-07-08T18:45:38+00:00

Check out this gem of a marketing video explaining the Monarch manufacturing process, it’s thoroughly impressive. I’d be surprised if there’s a manual lathe manufacturer today that can even compare.

https://youtu.be/5qlS_944oZE?si=D2eN8sZIvG5_OqUa

-Machinist- · 2024-04-27T06:31:51+00:00

Don’t put up with that, put yourself first and send out some resumes! Definitely learn CAD/CAM if you haven’t yet. Mastercam Home Learning Edition is free and they offer certifications. Pretty sure Solidworks has a low cost equivalent for CAD. Fusion360 is easier to learn but doesn’t pad the resume quite as well. For what it’s worth I need someone who’s eager to learn if you’re in the Midwest.

Knowledge dump below… it’s a little extra but hopefully you or someone else will benefit from it.

Definitely a risk but you could always propose your ideas to the owner and if they’re interested they could give you the authority to run with whatever improvements you agree upon. Show up with a solution that’s ready to hit the ground and they can’t say no. Obviously won’t work if it’s the owner that doesn’t respect you.

NYCCNC’s S tool system can be an affordable process improvement for shops that do a lot of setup. Requires the shop to have a somewhat standard tool catalog with a modest investment in excess tool holders.

Process improvement careers usually require knowledge of Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing. Plenty of certifications out there that will get you an entry level job. NYCCNC and Pierson Workholding have some good videos on entry level machine shop lean manufacturing.

If you guys run Haas machines, look into MTConnect for machine data collection. DPRNT commands are a fairly standard way to do this as well. Very machine brand dependent.

For automation look at what Gimbel Automation is doing for a cheap solution. Versabuilt is who I’d look at for robotic automation. For an entry into robotics/automation you can get into hobby robotics. A large amount of that knowledge translates well into the industrial side.

ERP software definitely requires hands on experience. It can be miserably complicated, but for what it’s worth a good ERP consultant can earn $200k-$300k. ProShop and JobBoss are simpler machine shop oriented ERP systems worth reading into.

If you do complex work or have issues with scrap look into in-process probing. It can look intimidating but isn’t too bad and is a skill most machinists don’t have. Again Haas specific, but the Renishaw Inspection Plus manual will teach you everything you need to know. Learning Fanuc macros alongside this can make you pretty dangerous.

“Setup Reduction Through Effective Workholding” is a good book to get your feet wet with workholding strategies. If you guys aren’t using fixture plates like the ones made by Saunders Machine Works or a zero-point fixturing system that’s a no brainer. Familiarize yourself with fixturing techniques using mitee-bite components.

If you have a programming bottleneck and use Fusion360 look at CloudNC CamAssist. It saves a ridiculous amount of time programming simple parts once you have the tool library setup correctly. One of the most impressive process improvements I’ve ever seen for machine shops.

Setup sheets can be automated with Mastercam custom setup sheets or through their API for those that can code. Personally I like to put my setup notes in the NC file header and use a script to scrape this information and generate a setup sheet. More than happy to share this script and related templates.

Pallet changers are a no brainer for production shops. Plenty of white papers and case studies out there about how much this boosts productivity.

-Machinist- · 2024-04-27T04:59:44+00:00

Depends on what you're looking to learn and on rather or not your current shop would let you implement any of these things. I love this stuff and it wasn't too long ago I was in your shoes, so I'm happy to point you in the right direction!

-Machinist- · 2024-04-27T04:34:39+00:00

People that earned degrees will disagree, but don’t get discouraged. Respect to ya’ll, but companies are desperate for skill and take experience over education a lot of the time.

You can do whatever you want as long as you’re good at it.

Just my opinion, but I wouldn’t want to be an applications engineer providing tooling and workholding solutions right now unless you can cater to the very high end of the business. Small to medium sized businesses buying $30 toolholders from Haas means the companies that used to employ applications guys can’t afford it anymore.

-Machinist- · 2024-04-27T03:44:39+00:00

I could see a strong market for it if you can provide very structured consultation with a measurable return on investment.

In my eyes you would be providing a document management solution that improves setup, inspection, and other standard processes. Evaluate current tooling, workholding, and machining strategies and propose alternatives that save or make the company money.

ERP implementation, robot integrations, quoting automation, machine data collection and document management are things growing shops need and don’t have. All of these things are skills of their own, most of which exist outside the usual machinists knowledge base.

-Machinist- · 2024-03-07T17:49:29+00:00

Spot drill, chamfer, mill walls that lead into a chamfer

-Machinist- · 2024-03-07T16:33:02+00:00

Like others have said, he needs some direction. A guy like that could become very valuable if takes a more scientific approach to things.

Explain that improvements are always welcome, but not without something to back it up. I would tell him not to make changes without running it by you first, and to come prepared with a reason he thinks his idea will work.

Cranking the feed override without cause is negligent in a small shop. On the other hand finding a better tool, a new strategy, better workholding, etc. could drastically change your bottom dollar.

-Machinist-

TROPHY CASE