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Using shop down time ideas ?

Milacron

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 15, 2000
Location
SC, USA
How to be productive when the orders slow ? Optimize the shop processes or test new technology ? Probably hard to do when money get's tight and mood sours....but maybe..
 
Do deferred maintenance, clean up stuff that "just didn't get around to it", reorganize material storage, maybe figure out why one lathe cuts a taper, change ring gear on Marvel 8 saw.
 
Clean and organize. Fill up the dumpster, make piles of stuff to sell someday,
you know the stuff, too good to throw away, but not good enough to keep.

Maybe finish remodeling (just new walls, sink and toilet and some plumbing) the
second bathroom at the shop, and maybe start in on the other one.

And maybe, just maybe I'll have enough time to get my snake proof fence done, its
been 18 months in the making, I've had all the materials for over a year, and all
I've managed to do so far is to weld up a couple of gates, and they aren't even
done yet.

49672776016_88ab0281ab_c.jpg
 
How to be productive when the orders slow ? Optimize the shop processes or test new technology ? Probably hard to do when money get's tight and mood sours....but maybe..

P-A-I-N-T

Rollers or brushes only, no fair using a spray rig. (you want this to take time)
 
I was thinking about building a paper mill to make TP :D

In all seriousness no matter how bad things get there is usually a way to capitalize on the current set of circumstances, you just need to be willing to adapt to the situation at hand.

Everything I own is paid for so I was figuring on finally getting some time to work on fixtures and tooling that I've been wanting to build, but instead it seems that job shop work has picked up due to many parts not being available.

I feel for the shops that will take a hit from this but the fact it will likely not negatively impact me is not an accident. I never put all my eggs in one basket and never buy anything I can't pay cash for. I want my customers to rely on me but always try to limit putting myself in a situation where I rely on my customers.

People have called me paranoid but I'm ready :D
 
How to be productive when the orders slow ? Optimize the shop processes or test new technology ? Probably hard to do when money get's tight and mood sours....but maybe..

Simply doo what millions on WELFARE doo every day....sit around and make plans to steal even more.
 
Do deferred maintenance, clean up stuff that "just didn't get around to it", reorganize material storage, maybe figure out why one lathe cuts a taper, change ring gear on Marvel 8 saw.

Like that turret disassembly I need to do. I have a 12 position one that runs directly off line hydraulic pressure, it doesn't lock in with the same ease at all positions, it clunks and bounces at some and is smooth on others. The pressure also has to be adjusted just right. It is also out of alignment I have shimmed the drill bushing holders. It has slowly been getting worse over the years, but I still have been able to hold +/-.0005 on lengths and diameters all day long easily after it warms up.

In my defense I have two bad shoulders and a bad back so the job won't be a fun one as it requires bending and reaching into the machine. I would guess even with it stripped down the turret weighs north of 100#.
 
We will start assembly of a Butler planer mill we recently acquired at auction . . . 78,000 lbs @ $0.115 / pound

2 inch thick sole plates are leveled, grouted, anchored in to an 8 inch thick reinforced slab. We hadn't planned on a machine this size in this location, but stuff happens.

Here is a photo from back when we first set the plates / not yet grouted.


Wq4Q-ov1sWj49vzrzXFehfGpjWsH4NcFOywzXeMJ3eS5jSPp5EJEkBa4ic_C_NaCCNC09-1eQik5v7JZ0o6_MdeFoWdCCUHcQP7mo6jijaplWZfm40aj5stfNezE08c9yHupjnscY8rDcYQLWrVCJhsa6x16zVg4ylHOTU8uDe22UeeeUtReUSCDbbnainnLNdPpthOPTXYTAFZujRMHgXzQXspbRcptM81QfPc74kEExg2zEl6oFj6EKMGb8ogmRaWh07ElQoNG3lBedM5EH3D-KorOoeWaO6NK7LPIy1KVZZ_zNQ8mD0ugpQPYBOISY2UGacKfoFfR52EkgsecHuEFDeG8K1MagcK8-_PTtunU_qcikP5cG7spGmQ2gW_COAarjPn6NUK7qvldz-zEETWrlhdz_VLrZVj6OHbomvB5AZ19UyC6MV3uL-IgAC6q4SRDf91gGRf8XSy1ruW-DCNGYW5dx-9tWnfjKcWBuwAQJ3xHtcOkoNvYT_y-UL6bdRL7JX6ZqimGACrwkW_1LbV-3w556Uox-8xN_65sOQcVkIGzByhfhkKEGIuDZXlLMSD1Xlk0WxF9rn8uDuJNIXqdiuXSOjp61xNVxxJRYcfjdbZSIKLbvlLMnSS-FIebVzNrntikc4eb7b_Lxps1aZHFmBVHenelJCQsK3qhDrigKv47atO8vA_48_TLXsI19RBTlJBls-rSOv7L4_1jWVZFWpOALXx6j4X0rm_6GdWZCYucut0u31E8=w444-h930-no
 
There is ALWAYS cleaning to be done here, but I have a transfer machine that I need to finish and for a job that is (was?) supposed to start in another month or so, but not sure how that's gunna come about at this point?

I have about a week's worth of maint to doo to one of my lathes.
Need to pull the turret and the sub-spindle both.
Just a leak and stripped bolt holes, no real $, but a lot of work.
Perfect for now!


---------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
Did the shop with an airless once. I couldn't believe how much paint it used !

Next time it's a roller :(
The last time I painted my house I used a HVLP, I used about 40% of the paint I would with an airless.

As for what to do? Get everything on order done then switch to working on the 54 new products I have in the pipeline, same as any other week-month-quarter etc. These are the times it is good to work from home. Since I usually don't leave home for days anyway this self-quarantine won't be noticed much.
 
I'm probably begging for a lynching with this, but we have a couple factories to visit and spring is here, warm weather and it looks like in the next few days titty-ogling season will open, yay !

You guys, keep the faith. It's not as bad as you think if you just hunker down and get through it. Maybe a month. Behave.
 








 
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