News  :  April 2001

Paul’s Perspective

Recently we had the opportunity to host a field trip for an auto cad class from Salem  School. The students designed projects in the classroom and wrote programs for our waterjet-machining center. When they visited our facility, we gave them the chance to

see the parts they had designed and programmed being cut by our waterjet. We have hosted field trips in the past and reactions from the students were always mixed. Some, of course, would be interested while others just considered it a day away from school.  This time, however, was different. Every student seemed to have a genuine interest, they had something invested. It is important to recognize that it is not just the time

or labor invested that kept their interest, but it was because they had their hearts involved. Granted, they had their share of work invested in the project and that made them want to see it come to fruition. Yet, it was having their hearts involved that made them happy.

   I recognized this and commented on it to them. I suggested that they all look for a career that excited them.  Anyone who works with their hands and/or their mind will never become anything more than a laborer. If you learn to work with your hands, your mind, and your heart, you can and will be happy.

Music and Musings from Jim ...

Jim and Doug Graham, may 1960

   If you’ve been following along with our newsletters, you’ve noticed that I contributed with a “musical note." This article provides some insight as to why I chose this topic. 

   Music has been a part of my family as long as I can remember. My father was the manager of the radio station in our hometown of Newport, VT so the radio was on all  the time in our house. His favorite artists included Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Hank Williams.  Sometimes he would bring home 45 r.p.m. records that were either  scratched or no longer popular, my brother and I would go through them, listening for hours. I remember seeing the Beatles play on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time and the excitement it generated.

   My brother Doug and I shared the same interest in music and always had the desire to play it. He was a year older than me and died last February of a heart attack, leaving behind a wife and three sons (ages 15, 8, & 5) as well as a legacy of kindness, laughter and music. I don’t have any childhood memories that didn’t include Doug; we did everything together from piano lessons at an early age to playing in the school band (I played drums and he played saxophone).  In 1974 we formed a rock band called “Zachariah" and performed around our town for the next couple of years. 

   With Doug on bass guitar and myself on the drums, we played music by bands such as ZZ Top, Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones. We both shared our love of music with our families; now our children are following in our footsteps.  My brother paved the way  through life for me, making my whole life easier and better. 

   Doug was my best friend; whenever we got together we would play music, talk and laugh till we had tears in our eyes. I miss him terribly and hope that when I die, his face  is the first I see and that he will lead me down the path just like he had done all my life.

The Flying Bridge  -  One of the most productive and most most used machining tools in the shop.

   Machining is habit forming As machinists we are expected to produce accurately and efficiently. We use every trick in our brown wrinkle finished Kennedy toolboxes to make sure we do not need to cut more material. I know in today's competitive market that fifty percent of a job could be material cost. This leaves me one mistake away from costing the company money, not to mention missing a delivery date. Besides it is just not professional.    

   Machinists cannot afford to be lazy. The moment you can't be bothered to pick up a calculator, get the right tool, or do a test cut will be the beginning of a terrible day. Sometimes the mental can be more exhausting then the physical aspect of our jobs. But it is well worth the energy. The ability to stay ahead requires careful cut-by-cut planning. However I find being lazy requires even more energy than just doing my job. 

   As with all people machinists are creatures of habit. The level of consciousness in a good machinist is quite high. Is the drill tight, how about the retention knob? What is the diameter of the mill? Are my figures correct? Is the vise indicated? Did my part move? Many of these items are determined in the form of habits. We are always checking everything for tightness, measuring just about everything we pick-up, checking everything twice, and we love indicators. Over the years these actions become second nature to us. This allows us to become less consumed with particulars and more aware of the project at hand. By recognizing these important steps and making them part of your mental checklist you reduce your workload without reducing your awareness. Accuracy and efficiency become the beneficiaries.

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Last modified: November 08, 2007