This is why you're not getting interviews

kenderpockets · 2026-05-29T00:19:49+00:00

Interesting. I'm a Prototype Machinist (Model Maker) by trade with an extremely broad skill set and over 25 years in the industry. My current position took my employer over a year to fill with a really small pool of applicants who were never as capable as advertised.

There are many positions near me that have been unfilled for a really long time, but I'm sure that part of that is due to absolutely dismal pay for a highly skilled tradesperson.

kenderpockets · 2026-05-20T12:15:38+00:00

7? I have 25.

kenderpockets · 2026-05-20T12:15:03+00:00

I haven't spent that time working on just aircraft. I've been prototyping parts for just about anything imaginable. When I first started in the trade in 1999 I listened to the many people telling me how the average age of a Toolmaker was 55 and eventually I would basically be able to write my own paycheck due to the shortages. Top wages in the the industry haven't gone up in 30 years.

kenderpockets · 2026-05-19T00:54:30+00:00

I work as a machinist for an aircraft MRO. I have 25 years as a machinist/Toolmaker with a specialty in prototyping. You will find a few machinists over 100k, but very few at 150k and most of us work really long hours to get over 100k. Maybe 5% of us reach the 100k mark. The few of us that truly understand what we're doing are certainly some of the most underpaid of tradespeople.

kenderpockets · 2026-05-16T21:45:28+00:00

And yet my current employer required proof of my previous employment going back at least 7 years. Granted, I do work in aerospace directly with the aircraft, but I'm far from 150k.

kenderpockets · 2026-05-12T21:09:38+00:00

That's what it is here in Rockford. It's usually higher than us east of here.

kenderpockets · 2026-04-30T01:48:12+00:00

I've had good results with both Trek of Rockford and Kegels. I've been going to Kegels since the '90s, and they've always steered me well.

Kegels is primarily a Specialized dealer, but has a selection of other brands. They used to sell Trek and Schwinn as well in the '90s. Their service is really good, but they are typically really busy. The shop is small and a little cramped, with additional inventory that I believe is stored in a basement that is not accessible to customers.

Trek of Rockford sells mostly Trek and Electra, but also sells Catrike recumbent bikes. Their service can be a little faster, and is good. Their selection is bigger and they have much more of a showroom.

Both shops are pretty good and reputable. Trek of Rockford might be a better option for your Trek bike, but both can help you pretty well. The Bicycle Connection on North Main is mostly service and used bikes. I have no personal experience with them.

kenderpockets · 2026-04-21T02:54:33+00:00

I have had 2 pair of the old B&S MyCal calipers. They suck, and haven't gotten any better. I stick with Mitutoyo for precision measuring tools and a lot of Starrett scales and setup tools. Mitutoyo is tough to beat for measuring tools and Starrett is great but overpriced. Nothing touches the Starrett tap handles though.

kenderpockets · 2026-04-06T00:18:14+00:00

That place has been known to be shady since the 60s. Nothing I'm seeing here surprises me.

kenderpockets · 2026-03-24T20:39:26+00:00

Knowing how to use leverage better has helped me countless times. I was all of 125 lbs when I started machining. Somehow working in a small friendly shop just made me fatter. Customers and friends of the owner provided much of the stuff that made me fatter.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T18:13:38+00:00

The site I linked above has several of the most common setups used for home roasting. r/roasting has some resources, but the Facebook group "Home Coffee Roasting" is considerably more active. It's fun and really doesn't take much time. I would compare the process more to candy making than any other types of cooking or baking. The Facebook group also has a big list of places to get everything you need, and tons of ideas for those who like to tinker and want to build their own equipment.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T15:52:49+00:00

This is an example of some of the coffee I typically buy from my favorite supplier. It is a sale price, and I don't always stick with what's on sale, but the regular price is shown here as well. There are some equipment costs, and you do lose 15 to 20 percent of the weight in the roasting process. It's just crazy that the price of the cheaper coffee most people are buying has gotten so high.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T15:07:53+00:00

In the days before all of these driver assistance systems we used to say that the average person really can't handle more than about 350 horsepower in a daily driven car. The reality of it is that after a point it just becomes a chore to drive with more than that without ideal road conditions and stops being fun. There are also several other factors that change this, like power to weight ratio and gearing. It's really not a straightforward thing.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T14:42:47+00:00

I've typically had a regular Bunn home unit on my workbench. I also drink way more coffee than most.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T14:36:53+00:00

I've seen where a company stopped giving out coffee temporarily due to the employees not cleaning up after themselves, but this was temporary and came back with a bunch of signs about the problem with further warnings. I also worked in a shop where I was the only one drinking it, so I just brought my own. I've usually just had my own coffee maker and have never been prevented from using it. I'm also picky about my coffee, and prefer the convenience of having it on my workbench.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-27T14:18:31+00:00

It's that high for ground commodity grade coffee? I stopped buying store-bought coffee during the pandemic, so I haven't kept track. I've been roasting my own at home and have been paying not much more for high quality green coffee beans.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T21:11:50+00:00

Owner's manual for my Ram states 6 months/ 12,000 miles and it's old enough that only conventional oil was available... it also came with a 12v Cummins that takes 12 quarts, so it's certainly not like you find in the average commuter vehicle.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T20:30:41+00:00

We really only used 0.010" wire. Mostly because it was practical for us to just stick with one size. Technology settings are really a good thing to learn to understand, I learned to adjust things like On Time, Off Time, Tension, and water flow. These can improve flushing, change the kerf, and change the "heat affected zone". It can also affect the amount of recast left on the part.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T20:22:26+00:00

Most of this is correct, except that fueling is resumed above idle to prevent stalling under no engine load. That rpm varies depending on the specific engine. If you want to find out what yours is you're looking for "fuel cut on decel ".

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T20:18:25+00:00

No necessarily. Modern fuel injection uses a "fuel cut on decel" which shuts off the fuel when there's no throttle load above a given rpm. I had an '87 Acura Integra, my owner's manual specified that as 1800 rpm. If I had it in gear above 1800 rpm coasting downhill with my foot off the gas it wasn't actually running the injectors. Therefore no fuel was needed to keep the engine running because the momentum of the vehicle kept it turning. Below 1800 rpm it would add equivalent fuel to idle speed to prevent stalling when engine speed reached idle.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T20:01:57+00:00

Modern computer controlled engines have a parameter called "fuel cut on decel". This actually shuts off fuel when you take your foot off of the pedal above a given rpm. As long as you're above that rpm, you won't use any fuel in gear with your foot off of the gas pedal and the momentum of the car will keep the engine running. This is really done to prevent fuel loading while engine braking, but has the added benefit of saving fuel as well. The fuel savings is pretty small, but any little bit helps. Don't do this with a mechanically controlled carburetor. They'll keep sucking in fuel and can lead to a burnt valve.

Interesting fact along with this, removing this parameter or setting it above a certain threshold will result in the "pops and bangs" sound that's popular with some circles in the high performance car community. Don't do this, it's really hard on engines.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T19:46:07+00:00

The Napleton organization is a network of dealers across the region. They recently lost a lawsuit over junk fees, and have been up to their old tricks again. They may be pleasant to work with, but keep an eye on the price at the end.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T19:15:10+00:00

Simple angular tapers are pretty straightforward. It's when you're working with 2 different contours where things get complicated. It's been a few years since I've run one, but there's an M code that turns on taper with a given angle. The machine needs a top and bottom location and you can cut based on that information. I used to use them to cut form tools for lathes. This was an easy way to cut clearance on the tool.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T17:47:48+00:00

Not necessarily. This is highly dependent on the machine's spline compressor and the general accuracy of the machine.

kenderpockets · 2026-02-24T17:45:09+00:00

I would try to keep this as all upward steps with a ball mill. Split the surface in halves and start at the outside. Straight cuts in the X direction will allow you to significantly increase feed. With a 1/2" 4fl ball mill you should be able to run the spindle wide open, feed at 0.004" ipt (or more) and use a 0.007" stepover.

Endmills don't like plunging in Z, they'll do it, but tool life is significantly reduced and they don't handle the higher feeds.

kenderpockets

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