banker in the machine shop

[kennyd]

The boss had a banker touring thru the place today.  Most of these suit and tie guys don't like oil, smoke, and noise.  He looked at one of the larger parts we were making and asked if we start with a tube.  Actually, we start with a solid bar, rough drill it on an old turret lathe, then start roughing on a CNC.  Very few of them are interested in seeing a 3 or 4 axis machine do it's thing.  At least this guy didn't comment on how we can drill a hole without turning the drill--(drill stands still, but the part is going around like crazy in a lathe).


Most of thse guys can see pretty, but can't see function.  There are a lot of people who can't see the part in the solid block or casting and don't have a clue about how to fixture and run a piece; that includes other machinists and engineers.  I am a long way from a toolmaker, but have been making things for 45 years and can figure how to do a lots of parts without much fixturing, or how to make what I need to make things repeatable

[Old Syko]

Kenny you're right of course but most suits see bright and clean as pretty but even then have no idea of the beauty of the operations that lead to the final product.  Had a suit one time ask me why I started with such a large piece of steel to make a small gear.      The piece I started with was only .031" larger than the finished piece in any direction.      He had no clue.  As with many other things in life, the beauty is in the journey.  Knowing how to make the journey is where pride comes from.   

[CannonKrazy]

Sounds like a couple of shops I worked in. We had engineers come out on the production floor to ask what would be the best way to design a part or could I do make the part they designed. A good machinist can figure out how to machine any configuration of parts with the right set up and tooling.

[williamlayton]

On the other hand---having been on both sides of this fence---ya'll can't see the beauty of observing function outside of labor.
Blessings

[Old Syko]

On the other hand---having been on both sides of this fence---ya'll can't see the beauty of observing function outside of labor.
Blessings

Maybe that's because without the labor there is no function, there is only theory.  I too have been on both sides of the fence, so to speak.

[fatercat]

i made a rabbit box once. et the rabbit. does that qualify me to post here?

[Shu]

The suits don't really understand what takes place on the manufacturing floor and probably never will. What seems simple and easy on the manufacturing floor are works of art to the hands making it and a complete mystery to those suits.
 
The manufacturing floor can't believe how dumb the suits are. Unfortunately those suits have the money to keep the manufacturing floor producing those works of art.
 
Got to have the artisian and got to have the suit. neither world will understand the other. How many suits does it take to screw in a light bulb? Well with continual meetings and slideshows etc it would be much simpler to ask the seceratary to call someone.

[SHOOTALL]

It often takes a tradesman to see and understand the beauty in even a simple job. As a master in 3 trades I often pass jobs completed years ago and feel a little pride in knowing I was part of it. I also wonder what a guy who makes nothing with his labor /hands feels . I mean deals come and go buildings stand longer than we who build them live. Oh well I guess some are satisfyed with papers posted on the wall .

[turk762]

Does this mean you know everything about his job???
Every job has thing people dont understand or care about.
If your house is drywalled, do you guys know if it was hung with 8, 12, 14 or 16 footers. do you know the square footage in each or the total length in inches in each? How many screws did they use in the field?
 Did they fill gaps with durabond or mud? If Durabond, how many minute?  Papertape or mesh? What brand mud?
 
Every job has a diffrent function and some are intrested, some not so much. Your not going to know every function of every job.
 
Not bustin your chops guys, just trying to puut things into perspective. We dont know every job function of every job the effect us. It is refreshing when  someone such as him is intrested in the job.
 
I'm

[SHOOTALL]

I didn't mention but my maj. in college was Bus. so I do understand the banker/bean counter side and most don't care about anything but the bottom line . I can assure there are more eng. in construction that have little if any respect for how things get installed but then they draw a 30 inch pipe and a 1/2 inch pipe with the same pencil so how could they understand how each relates to the space aval.
I will admit in 40 years in the trades the few eng. that did have a clue and could offer insight were a real plreasure to work with.
as for bankers , when in 2007 things slowed they were quick to cut lines of credit. Now as things star to recover they are even slower to exten those lines of credit so we can grow .

[PowPow]

If I worked there, I would be more concerned with why the banker was there to begin with.
Courtesy call? I doubt it.
Owner looking for credit to grow the business? Might be an opportunity.
Owner looking for credit to salvage the business? Might be a different kind of opportunity.

[SHOOTALL]

ours comes by once a year

[williamlayton]

Good business to inspect your investment.
Blessings

[mcbammer]

The  banker   was  figuring   how   to  move   the   shop   to  Mexico .

[Conan The Librarian]

Good investors tend to be very curious people, so I expect to hear good questions.

[Victor3]

 Few years back I was in a training session with managers from other divisions of our company. A new guy asked me how much my facility ships per month. I told him ~$5M.
 
 Kind of proudly, he said "Our facility ships about the same, and we only have 40 employees."
 
 I replied, "Yes, I know. We're the machine shop that makes the parts you ship. You just repackage and send them out to distributors."
 
 He said, "Oh. I guess there's a little more labor involved on your end."
 
 "Yeah, just a tad." 

[williamlayton]

No one is the most important cog in the wheel.
The owner is certainly the one that benefits the most.
I think, speaking from experience, that many have a grudge against anyone who is above them. I don't think--again from experience--that most folks in a company think poorly about any employee.
Now if you are in a position where you feel this way--quit and go somewhere else to work--sell your skills to the highest bidder.
That is the American way.
I have worked on every level of labor that there is, from digging ditches to manageing departments. I never felt better than anyone or lower than anyone. I did the best I could and managed my skills as best I could.
All you can do is the best you can do and feel good about your production.
Want more money--start your own company.
Blessings