New Apprentice--Tips and help please

crb06 · Mar 21, 2017

Hello everyone! My name is Caleb and I am an apprentice at a local Machine Tool shop in my state and am going to school to be a machinist. I just recently bought a Kennedy toolbox from my boss, (the 526 eight drawer and a 295 five drawer) I was wanting to know if anyone has any tips to clean up the Kennedy toolboxes and tips to organize them, maybe also a list of tools I may need? Right now I am mostly using my fellow coworkers tools for now.

Thanks in advanced!

wawoodman · Mar 21, 2017

It's nice of them to lend them to you!

doesn't your apprenticeship program offer such a list? Or, ask your boss or shop forman.

crb06 · Mar 21, 2017

Boss keeps telling me that we will sit down and look at a tool catalog but always gets caught up with office work or other important stuff, dont wanna interrupt

michiganbuck · Mar 21, 2017

{I am mostly using my fellow coworkers tools for now.}
Hard to tell what tools with not knowing what is the work..or machines used.
Best to buy what you borrow. treat borrowed tools with high care. boss or journeyman's advice.
Spend much of pay check on tools if you can.. buy good condition name brand tools. If you can not afford new, Good used may be Ok.
Junk micrometers, even used name brand may zero zero at close and then be off at at mid range. So good to check closed and at mid range with a jo-block

crb06 · Mar 21, 2017

For now I am running CNC Machines (already set up and ready for me to run parts) but back and forth between cutting stock and CNC Machines until they find a good position for me to stay at for the future.

Myrmidon · Mar 21, 2017

Outside of some basic stuff like
12" digital caliper
1" travel .001" indicator
Test indicator
Noga magnetic base
Edge finder

It's highly dependent on what you are machining/working on.

Example: I have an entire roll around filled with wrenches, sockets,Alligning bars, and other stuff from when I worked in repair shops... I use like 1 drawer of that stuff now at my current job.

Describe the type of work you do generally might help point you,in the right direction.

crb06 · Mar 21, 2017

Thank you! Right now we are just finishing up a job that we ran with copper, but work with different materials as well. For the past week I have been using files and a deburring tool after the cycle runs, then measure the part and check for fitment issues.

davehud · Mar 21, 2017

Any tool that you have to borrow go buy as soon as possible not including tools that a shop usually supplies. I bought a lot of used tools and they lasted 40 years.

John Welden · Mar 21, 2017

Dont buy any tools. Your employer should provide everything, period.

It's a frickin scam to expect employees to buy tools to make parts for the employer. Especially machinist tools which are very expensive.

Don't get caught up in the bullshit of having a huge toolbox full of tools. Be proud of the stuff you make, not how many tools you bought.

Many shops now days don't even allow personal tools.

michiganbuck · Mar 21, 2017

John Welden said:
Dont buy any tools. Your employer should provide everything, period.

It's a frickin scam to expect employees to buy tools to make parts for the employer. Especially machinist tools which are very expensive.

Don't get caught up in the bullshit of having a huge toolbox full of tools. Be proud of the stuff you make, not how many tools you bought.

Many shops now days don't even allow personal tools.

and tell that employer you are going down the street to flip burgers for 8 bucks per hour and a free lunch....NOT

plastikdreams · Mar 21, 2017

As been said, buy what you borrow...this should be a good indicator of what you "need". Button pushers usually use company tools, I'd inquire with the boss to get fitted out. Also, as it's been said, your tools should fit the job you do. A 6" caliper and 0-1 mic are must haves, 1k test indicator and mag base is up there as well and I'd get a depth mic as well...the first tools I bought were 6" digital caliper and 0-1, 1-2, and 2-3 digital mics...first get past pushing the green button, then worry about tools.

plastikdreams · Mar 21, 2017

2x post...oops

michiganbuck · Mar 21, 2017

Make yourself a crew sheet for the parameters you change for needed tweaking so you memorize the right ones to change and what they do. Yes if you are required to do that. Pay attention to feel the machine changes as often you can tell a cutter is going bad (Dull.) keep cell phone in pocket for emergency only.

Gordon B. Clarke · Mar 22, 2017

Hi crb06,

Just out of curiosity but would you be out of a job if you didn't have your own tools?

I'm pretty sure that most (in the USA) seem to take better care of their own tools than company supplied but where is the limit on how many "freebies" an employer can expect?

Sick humour maybe but when will the day come that you have to pay your employer for allowing you to work in his shop?

By all means buy your own tools but save them for the day when you start your own shop.

My advice? Learn as much as you can, finish your apprenticeship and then find a place where your boss finds the time to talk to you and doesn't expect that you buy your own tools.

beege · Mar 22, 2017

Caleb,

As far as "clean-up", Kennedy recommends Murphy's Oil Soap (usually for cleaning wood) for the paint...

Georgineer · Mar 22, 2017

camscan said:
My advice would be,
1/if your employer expects you to buy your own tools and you want the job then buy your own tools.
2/When you borrow fellow workers tools ensure you return them asap in a good,clean condition.
3/The words thank you will take you a long way.
4/Eyes and ears open,mouth shut.
5/Enjoy what you do and remember you do not now and never will know it all.

Good advice, though I only half agree with number 4. My first boss told me that the good apprentice makes himself a pain in the neck by asking intelligent questions. Taken in moderation it will serve you well, as it did me.

George

michiganbuck · Mar 22, 2017

Most often one is glad to get an entry level first job in the trade. Getting an apprentice is a huge plus if indeed an apprenticeship. The new guy as a green student is best served to listen, learn and go along with the owners plan of how to run the shop.. Go along with the owners and journeyman’s advice. Walk away if the shop is unsafe by normal shop safety rules. (Yes one can get poor advice from a journeyman so watch out for that guy.)

Try to be the best young man they ever hired by listening carefully and making fewer mistakes. Often a new guy thinks faster is good but it is likely not. A steady work effort that serves good quality is best. Company time is for working and that includes time between loads...you might pick up a programming book to study if having long loads that run long enough to provide slack time.

QT:[using files and a deburring tool after the cycle runs, then measure the part and check for fitment issues.]

*Good to have masters for checking measuring tools and your feel. Perhaps a few checked jo blocks or the like. Even company supplied tools can be knocked off. Good to practice on your own time so you are confident that you can measure a tenth (tenthousandth). *Agree you don't reset company measuring tools but let the proper person do that.

crb06 · Mar 22, 2017

Thank you everyone! I try to listen and learn as much as I can, we have an older guy that I work with that trys to tell me that our paperwork is not important and that I should not do it. Of course I try to take in consideration on what my boss says and do it first (filling out our daily task sheets, how many hours it took, quantity of parts, etc.) I mean no disrespect by not listing to my older co-worker but I do wanna keep my apprenticeship by all means!

Thank you everyone who took the time to reply!

michiganbuck · Mar 22, 2017

QT: [Guy that trys to tell me that our paperwork is not important and that I should not do it. Of course I try to take in consideration on what my boss says and do it first (filling out our daily task sheets.]

listen if you must to keep good relations but do what the owner and boss want done. The old hand might get away with stuff and having attitudes but the new guy has to do the drill.

We had paperwork ( time sheets) at my first job and with that the owner could quote better and find problem jobs and better methods to make a better shop. It was not about comparing one worker to the other.
One time my boss (the owner's son in law) told me if you make a really dumb mistake put the wasted time down as "Clean The Machine" so we don't add that to the job-time averages.

crb06 · Mar 22, 2017

Usually I agree with what he has to say, then at the end of the day when everyone is cleaning up I finish my daily report and turn it in before he can see lol

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