Talked to a retiring tool and die guy last week and he dropped some truth on me

I was at a shop in Newark getting some end mills resharpened and this old timer who's been running manual machines since the 70's said something that stuck with me. He told me that in 35 years he never once used a browser to look up a feed and speed, he just knew his machine and his material. It hit different because I'm so used to pulling up a video or a chart for every little thing, and here's this guy who just trusted his feel and his ears. Makes me wonder if I'm leaning too hard on the computer and not enough on actually knowing my mill. Anyone else feel like we're losing that sixth sense?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery_jackson1mo ago

Wait, wasn't the guy in your story from Newark and not your dad? @morgan.rose, I think you might be mixing up two different old timers. Either way, the point stands though.

morgan.rose1mo ago

Honestly, your post hit me right in the gut. I was grinding some 4140 last week and I had my phone propped up against a coffee cup watching a YouTube video to double check the feed rate on a 3/8 end mill. Ngl, it's a little embarrassing. My dad worked in a shop his whole life and he could tell if a cut was right just by the sound it made. He'd walk by my mill and say, 'You're rubbing, not cutting, turn up the speed by 200.' And he was always spot on. I feel like I'm missing out on that instinct because I'm too busy looking at a screen.