Machinists general rules of thumb

[stephon0913]

Hey all,
Thought this would be a rather fun and informing post. Me with having less than 5 years in the line of work haven't picked up on a whole lot of "rules of thumb" from machinists. So let's hear em...

 

[ewlsey]

1) Don't believe everything you read on an internet forum.

 

[Dave Cross]

My number one rule of thumb in machining is:

There are no rules of thumb.

I've found there are just too many variables, the machine tool, condition of the machine tool, type of tooling, work holding etc, all throw rules of thumb out the window. Its a complicated trade. Whenever I think I have it all figured out I get my ass handed to me. I've found approaching things without a rule of thumb mentality allows me to not get stuck on ruling things out when trouble shooting problems.

 

[Tom Lg]

Never put a finger into a moving orifice unless you intend to leave it there.

 

[Boris]

Boris' rule #54121 : Do'nt be too quick to grab the difficult work in impossible materials..... because thats all you'll end up doing


Boris

 

[litlerob]

(this one almost like Boris') If you hate doing something, don't be good at it.

Don't touch my f@#$ing toolbox, it's a Gerstner.

The old guy that everyone leaves alone.... leave him alone.

If you make a mess clean it up.

If you borrow one of my tools once, don't ask again.

If I need to assist with a set up, when I get there it better be clean.

Don't submit filthy parts to Q.C., regardless if they are to print or not.

DON'T USE THE COMPUTER IF YOU HAVEN'T WASHED YOUR HANDS, THINK OF THE MICE!!

If you hit something metal with your hammer, and think it's really funny when people jump, I will kill you.

Robert

 

[zero_divide]

Dont be lazy.
Dont be lazy.
Dont be lazy.

Dunno about the others, but Evey time i am too lazy to double check something or go extra mile (or a meter) to make something work perfect. It comes right back and kicks me in the a**.

And i see this happen to people alot.
The other day one of our guys C-Bored holes on the wrong side of the plate(12 of them) because he THOUGHT he remembered and was too lazy to flip the page with the drawing. And a designer gave faulty model to be machined (and it was machined as per design) for the second time in a row because he was too lazy(or busy) to fix it right away.

There must be a Machinist's god who waits for us to screw up.

 

[706jim]

There's no such thing as a "15 minute job".

 

[Philabuster]

Probe the tool immediately after installing a tool in a CNC mill or lathe. No one is allowed to interrupt or talk to me during this 2 minute process. If you forget to probe it and try to member to do it later, you will crash the machine because when you finally get back to the machine (can be several minutes, hours or days later) you thought you probed the tool. I learned this lesson the HARD way.

 

[Krovvax]

measure twice, do it once.

 

[jkruger]

Never, under any circumstances walk up behind someone running a machine and startle them in any way. Make your presence known by other means than speaking right in their ear at full volume to overcome the noise of the machine when they don't know you are trying to get their attention. My current boss does this just to get his kicks seeing us jump.

 

[Putch]

Never hurry! It might piss people off that I look like I do everything slowly, but every movement I make is a deliberate and well-thought-out one. Don't forget every day might be your last day

 

[TXMachinist]

You can drill with a mill but you can't mill with a drill!!!:d

 

[litlerob]

If there is an endmill running close to an angle plate, don't put your hand in between them from the left side.

Some inferior controls (not going to name names) will run balls out if you don't assign a max spindle speed, not so good for the operator.

Don't film your awesome part program until the program has been proven.

Don't even breathe, until the part comes off the machine.

If management thinks they need to talk to you, they are wrong and you can tell them.

If you borrow one of my tools (once) and give it back all covered in grease and coolant, expect that I will never talk to you again.

Put clamps and set up stuff away.

CLEAN THE COLLETS THAT YOU PUT AWAY.

If your not a lathe guy, don't pretend to be.

Robert, this thread is funny.

 

[coyotekid]

General rule of thumb: A large pizza can do what most machinists cannot: feed a family!

 

[ipmmiller]

There's no such thing as a "15 minute job".

sure there is jim...its usually packaged as the "2 minute" job round here

no1..know EVERYTHING thats going to happen after you hit the green button....BEFORE! you hit the green button (i imagine this must be the hardest part of the transition from manual to cnc)

no2.....know where the big red button is ...for when you forget no1

no3....never show your customer his expensive shiny little widgits coming off the machine every 3 minutes.....unless you enjoy explaining the hours of design,writing code etc. etc. it took to make that happen....they always want'em cheaper

 

[John Welden]

This is more of a foundational rule of thumb in the machine shop:

Don't f'ing assume anything.

I assumed the head was trammed in
I assumed the drill bit I picked up was the right size
I assumed the tool height had been set
I assumed my hand was out of the way
I assumed the power was off
I assumed it was square
I assumed it was zeroed out
I assumed it was clean

I've been burned on all those basic things and million others. The less you assume, the less mistakes. It's true of anything, but machining is one that really counts.

 

[kellyblues]

Never, under any circumstances walk up behind someone running a machine and startle them in any way. Make your presence known by other means than speaking right in their ear at full volume to overcome the noise of the machine when they don't know you are trying to get their attention. My current boss does this just to get his kicks seeing us jump.

I was at work checking a conveyor an operator said shocked her. Long time operator, Ive worked with her for years, she says she got shocked I'm looking until I find it. Not that I would approach a new person any different, just trust she knows what shes talking about. Anyway, vibrating conveyor, 480V 3 PH 2HP drive motor. The part she said shocker her is kinda isolated from the rest of the conveyor frame by the flexers so if the conveyor pan shocked her im thinking we have some major current here. Im crouched down touching nothing, wet environment so Im not kneeling. Have on all the proper PPE. One meeter lead on the floor, one on the frame of the conveyor, Im reading 280V. It was at this time a supervisor thought it would be funny to come up behind me and scare me. That person got 90 seconds of me he will NEVER forget. And very lucky he walked away with his teeth, I was irate.

DOING THIS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR CAUSE SOMEONE TO LOOSE THEIR LIFE!!!!

 

[litlerob]

This is more of a foundational rule of thumb in the machine shop:

Don't f'ing assume anything.

I assumed the head was trammed in
I assumed the drill bit I picked up was the right size
I assumed the tool height had been set
I assumed my hand was out of the way
I assumed the power was off
I assumed it was square
I assumed it was zeroed out
I assumed it was clean

I've been burned on all those basic things and million others. The less you assume, the less mistakes. It's true of anything, but machining is one that really counts.

But John, everyone should be on the same page, and know what everyone else is capable of. Plus when you start checking details, you are costing the company money....sheesh. WTF?

 

[litlerob]

This thread really is on top of the Bridge, huh?

Robert