The crazy stuff you used to do

[Steve@Reliance]

While replying to another post, I had a bit of a flashback. I am not that aged,but some of the things I used to have to do as an apprentice seems like insanity now.I'd like to hear about the backwards way you guys had to do things. Or maybe the things you should'nt have had to do. When I started as an apprentice, the shop I went to work for had been in business about 8 years. We had 3 lathes, 1 Bridgeport, 1 Bench drill press and a J&S 6x18 grinder. Our only saw was a power hacksaw that we always had outside in the gravel parking lot so it would'nt walk all over the shop. There was 4 of us in the shop including the boss. (this was 20 years ago) We had 2 countersinks in the whole shop. When we had to counterbore holes we used end mills or ground flat bottom drills because we didn't have counterbores. The boss didn't belive in them,??? so I bought my own to show them how they would help productivity. We used to do production on the engine lathes (upwards of 1000 part lots)because they could'nt even fathom owning CNC's. After 12 years when I left to start my own shop I was the lead hand and there was 10 guys in the shop plus the office. There was 2 Okuma CNC lathes and 2 Toshiba VMC's with pallet changers The guy who was above me became the owner after Jack retired and has made a nice business out of it. I hope I was able to help. But as I think back and think about the way we used to do things I can't belive they could stay in business.

[tobyaxis]

I used to Hood Surf. In other words, stand on the hood of a car in motion. Flew off once because a dog ran out in front of the car. Lucky me went into the bushes. Duh. Would list more but that one sticks out the most.

Using the wrong tools for a job is normal around here (NY) because employers are cheap and don't understand that it takes more time to do a job with the wrong tools. Like the other guy that posted the thread "How Much I should be Getting Paid?" At his job they buy one tap at a time. How is this place staying in Business? Must be Lucky or something.

One more reason to work for yourself. It might be a hell of a lot more work, but worth every second.