evan_burns95•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Had a talk with an old machinist at a job fair and it messed with my head

I was at a career fair last Friday for local trades, just walking around by my booth, and this guy in his 70s comes up to talk. He ran a Bridgeport for 40 years, said he never touched a CNC until he was 58 and had to learn cause the shop was closing. He told me I'm wasting time fussing over toolpath optimization when I should be focusing on knowing my materials front to back. Said he could tell a part was going to chatter just by the sound of the stock, no program needed. That hit me because I spend hours clicking around in software but I cant tell you the weight difference between 6061 and 7075 aluminum by lifting a block. He walked away and I just stood there thinking about all the setups Ive rushed through because I didn't understand the metal. Anybody else ever get humbled by an old school guy who made you feel like you skipped the important lessons?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_parker1mo ago

and honestly i probably couldnt tell you the difference between 6061 and a paperweight without a scale so i feel that. its wild how we get caught up in the software side of things and forget the actual feel of the metal under the cutter. my first toolpath probably looked amazing on screen but the part came out looking like a chewed up dog toy.

the_sandra1mo ago

Programs are great at lying to you about what’s actually happening lol. My first real 6061 part had chips welded all over the edge, zero surface finish. The simulation looked like a mirror finish.

alexc9327d ago

6061 actually turns gummy if your speeds aren't high enough.