Shop Truths, Phrases, Tales; and Outright Lies

[Toolmaker51]

Imagine a curtain fronting a presentation, or veil over a statue. This post will be updated 26 August 2017, a very special anniversary.
No spoilers! Maybe OK to peek...

50 years ago:
On August 26, 1967 one of New Zealand’s favorite sons decimated former Land Speed Record for displacements under 1000cc at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA.
68 year old Burt Munro, of Invercargill, astride his 1920 750cc Indian Scout, timed (averaged of two) pass was 183.586 MPH, or 295.453 KPH. Better calculations corrected it later at 184.087, or 296.259 KPH. The unofficial top speed was 205.67 MPH, equaling 330.993 KPH.
His modifications and engineering savvy raised the motorcycle’s advertised top speed nearly 130mph over stock. It is worth noting he bought the Indian new and commenced steady experimentation.

Bystander: [punning on "State of the Art" to describe Burt's 1920 Indian Scout motorbike] Straight out of the Ark.
Burt Munro: Don't be so cheeky.

His feats are documented in “Offerings to the God of Speed” by Roger Donaldson 1971; and theatrically by Donaldson in 2006, starring none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins. Interestingly, Hopkins declares this, “The World’s Fastest Indian”, his favorite of all roles.
I recommend any persons who love “...things that roll and go”, make definite efforts to watch a copy uninterrupted.
Not only for entertainment, but admiration of those singular persons that grasp what many would say is beyond reach.
I’m certain riders among us will watch over and over again.

And the most stunning revelation of all, 50 years later, Munro’s record still stands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Munro

[Frank S]

Curiosity and anticipation building Just like waking one morning to see a new delicately wrapped package under the tree

[Toolmaker51]

...by none other than the imaginative Mr. John Fogerty.
Not to mention greatest perspective and illustration of an age-old issue. Females, but we love them none the less, and owe more than we can ever re-pay. Plus Civilization and Gravity, important too!

"Honey Do"

[Chorus:]
Honey do this
Honey do that
Work all day in The Honey Do Patch
Woman oh woman
What's a-wrong with you
I can't get away from The Honey Do

Well way back in history
About a half million years
Back in the cradle of civilized fear
Saturday morning the cave man's wife
First spoke the words to make a grown man cry

[Chorus]

Well the weekend's here
And it's time to relax
Kick up my feet in the shade out back
But i must-a been thinking
About some other guy
'cause here comes The Warden
With a look in her eye

[Chorus]

Well I dreamed I died
And went up to heaven
No more weedin', mashin' and shovelin'
I'm standing in line at the old Pearly Gates
Up steps the woman
And hands me a rake

[Chorus]

What's that?
Yes dear
Alright honey

[Frank S]

Absolutely, Even as good as mine has been I sometimes think there ought to be a 1 day bounty or a special tag on my hunting license

[Toolmaker51]

In reference to post on decorating living spaces with machine components.
Leave us imagine most of the outlay is by bean-counters, eager for material to BE the Jones'es, not merely keep up with them.
http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/i...os-video-63061

I started buying tooling in the early 70's. Indexers, collets, toolposts and holders, rotary tables...knowing I'll remain in the trade forever. Observed, but did not purchase items that required specific mates; like lathe chucks. While cam pin (D) spindles were already my favorite, cash and space for a lathe was years off; who knew, I might fall for an A mount or long taple spindle. As it turns out, NOT!
Over the years and every shop I worked, naturally became attached to particular tooling through setup and using machines that I fit.
Not a typo, equipment is something you fit, not other way round. And I fit them ALL.
Ran 48" Monarchs. 30' Gray Planers. 30" Shapers. 144" Niles VTL, Lucas HBM, all kinds of K&T/ P&W/ and Cincinnati's, monstrous radial and box column drills, tiny (#1 or 2's) horizontal mills, 6' surface grinders, 60ish Blanchard's...then came demise of US & continental machine tools.
We've all heard the reasoning, excuses, and explanations. NEVER the justification. "We want a service economy; sure we'll retrain you. Trust us."
Disliked Asian imports very soon, well before the general public even barely aware their influx.
I'm not a big guy, but if I can't shift levers, turn handwheels, or avoid general knucklebusting on poorly designed controls, something is wrong. My spread little finger to thumb is just over 8"; elsewhere Frank S pictures his, over 10"!
So despite years of experience it continues. Last employer had mostly Asian machine tools; plus a Leblond and two Clausing lathes. Exclusive to those three, never an issue, even on fast-paced efforts. The Asians? Different story, shift lever tips that contact each other, insufficient clearance for palm or fingers. How is a 5" lever correct when a Monarch is closer to 10"? Maybe cause innards are diminutive too? Chip guards obscuring decent grip angle on carriage wheel, usually too small a diameter for leverage or finite control. Short, small diameter handles on tailstock wheels, unreliable pressed fits that loosen. Casting flash, small corner radii, pointy mill crank handles, everything necessary pared a shade under acceptable, or mere comfort, or undisturbed work pleasure.
Don't know who to throttle first; price point marketing accountants or inconsiderate designers.

[Frank S]

I think that a lot of the early Asian machines were patterned after Eastern European machines excepting of course that some were from US manufactures who moved their operations off shore. One of the reasons for compactness, smaller handles was an emerging market place in far Eastern Asian countries where the average operator may not be much over 5 ft 2" in height with very small hands and diminished reach many not over 4' 10" in height. Machines such as a Warner & Swasey, Bullard, and Cincinnati all had controls positioned out of their reach or had such a long throw they could not comfortably preposition them.
One of my peeves is a lathe with 2 3 or even 4 separate functions all rotating a round a single axis, it becomes like trying to set the volume speaker balance and tune in a radio station from a single large knob with a smaller knob in the middle while having a 3rd butterfly shaped one behind the large one.
Western Europe machines can be blamed for small controls as well . I had a 19 by 60" Greomematic 'spelling' that only had short little 3 inch levers also 2 on the same axis 2 of these were even located in the basement of the machine very easy to be kicked out of position .
Of al the lathes I have ever operated I have to say my old W&S #5 turret fit the best. with it's 10 and 18" levers and twin 20" ships wheels for rotating the turrets

[Toolmaker51]

It's struck me before, but your answer confirms it.
Copies, even perfect, in no way indicate functional comprehension. Such as what appear insignificant details, like positive detents.
And after running any of the bigger turret lathes all damn day long, wasn't really any tougher than equal time putzing some little Bridgeport.
But one had a chip bed to prove real accomplishment. IYKWIM.

[Toolmaker51]

Sometimes Mom is right, sometimes no one is...

[Toolmaker51]

Thanks to the web, job applicants are rarely appraised on how they present themselves physically, as in a sit-down interview.
You now are subject first to one or more invisible screenings, often conducted by a third party. It may establish contact to begin pursuit of you as a candidate, subject to more screenings. Point is, a lot of cost is involved before you even know they are looking your way...It would be interesting for a knowledgeable party to document how, in a widespread digital environment, less time is available, but more is spent to accomplish quite a simple evolution.

A professionally formatted resume might impact decisions as to who get short-listed in white collar positions.
I can tell you the same does not hold for work in the trades. Thursday afternoon, a new email proclaims (as become virtually a practice) "We subscribe to so & so job posting site. We found your resume and feel you are a perfect candidate for a position in our organization and wish to discuss...blah, blah, blah."
Underlined below are terms filtered by their match programing that correspond with my resume. An exact copy/ paste, opening sentence is on job duties. They want a hot-stamp operator, and urge I forward this to qualified associates too!
Job Purpose and Duties:
- Perform a complete set-up of press in an efficient manner, which may include: identifying and loading correct stock, setting correct paper path and stretch, mounting plates, die set registration, making appropriate adjustments to the ink and water levels, assuring accurate single-color register and setting up any attribute functions, e.g. perforations, number, file holes, thermo unit, etc.
I phoned desk of Ms. K, feinting serious interest in the position. I let her perform usual spiel, noting especially repeated emphasis on the word "machines", she went on a good 6-7 minutes. Then I took over.
"Where in MY resume does the word 'operator' appear, Ms. K.? Tell me how you've mangled an interpretation of Toolmaker with 45 years experience, links to your hot stamp operator? I've a better idea, let me tell you". I proceeded, by directing the underlined terms to context of the resume, which could not be more divergent; mounting they equated with tryout presses, die set with die-maker, register with a program to conduct inventory work, and file(s) appears here and there referencing PC's, the inventory project and a serialization data improvement. "Hot stamp operator, indeed". "You mean sir, you AREN"T interested in the position?"
"Now, I'd like to speak with your manager". For an hour I quizzed her now (a Ms. C.) "how a company exists misdirecting opportunities for clients with positions that need filling?"
"What costs do you absorb when a high percentage of those opportunities are ignored by persons who wouldn't consider a position?" "How many levels of supervision exist at _________ Int'l recruiting?"
She related there are "many". "Are they paid?". She laughed, "well, certainly!"
"And not one is aware this practice defeats an unknown percentage of work ___________Int'l performs each day?" "Seems inadequacy is a running trait at ___________Int'l., can I apply?"
Also asked why I or anyone would forward their lame intrusions. If they can't filter qualifications on their own, it's our job to compensate for the lack of penetration? I'd start with an all new team of IT people.
By now, she is a little dumbfounded, an outsider detects their money is going down the drain, literally. It's no surprise to me, or anyone else in manufacturing, services figured out how to make as much watching paint dry as they do selling it.
Supervisor finally admitted this conflict of efficiency and service was unknown to her. Surprisingly, she felt 'empowered' to shake up the next Monday staff meeting, that the CEO attends. Love to be a fly on that wall.

To credit both ladies; they were polite and attentive, the first a mere pawn shuffling piles of contact info a program shoves her way. The supervisor, couldn't get her to describe exactly what she did, need or function of so many administrative layers. Aside from maintaining a vacation calendar and handing out memos, WTH it's a call center. Can't imagine what manner of hype fills their mission statement.

[Frank S]

Yep pretty much sums it up