Who else here is in engineering? Not the kind with hard hats and a clipboard, nor the sort where you have a van and go to peoples houses to do shit. No, I'm on about Precision Engineering, with milling machines, lathes, pillar drills and swarf in your shoes.
It may or may not be true, but I got the impression that England, as well as being a nation of seafarers and shopkeepers, were also a bit keen on Engineering, what with our history and all.
I have been in this trade since I left school so know a bit. I currently work at a company who are world renowned for their product in their particular field. Alas, Once you see how this product is made, you wouldn't waste your money.
I'm not saying what I do is a load of codswallop, far from it, I take pride in my work but I'm surrounded by an infrastructure and such a backward attitude, that I can only determine that if they were a subcon firm, they would' have gone to the wall years ago.
This is very frustrating for someone in my position. All our milling machines are Bridgeports, with the newest being a good decade old, and the oldest has to be late '80s, with the tool room in particular being in possession of an Interact Mk1, which I am led to believe was the 1st milling machine to be bought by one of the Directors. Still, why would you still have such a machine being used? From a technical aspect, its slow, not fit for purpose. It doesn't have a coolant pump for starters, so you're cutting metal dry. It can not hold programs in its memory either. Mind you, the bloke who uses it has only just starting learning to program but even on a manual mill, couldn't machine anything to 90 degrees if he tried.
Meanwhile, in the machine shop, our plant list has various issues. One machine can't hold a stable Z. One can't hold more than 7000 lines of program, period. Another leaks slideway oil in to the coolant. Another rapids at about 5 metres a minute, while another one stops mid program because it decides not to read an M99, despite it being a running and proven program. Another machine also likes to delete numbers from lines in a program and add numbers to other lines upon being sent out of the machine.
We use a program transfer system called Seiki Systems, and that isn't without it's problems either, as I'm sure others will attest to.
Upon all our requests to have these things sorted, The company is loyal to one maintenance guy. Yes, ONE. If said guy is on holiday, we wait till he comes back. WTAF? That's if he bothers to fix the problem at all. We get told there's nothing wrong with the machine or to live with it. What kind of attitude is that? Especially one of a multi million pound company with it's own product.
Above all that, they employ idiots and if the rumours are to be believed, they want to have only 1 or 2 skilled men, with the rest being idiots. A colleague and I work with a couple of these less skilled people and I'll tell you for free, they do not produce a quality finished item as most days we end up mopping up after them to get the jobs out the door. One day very soon, I'm just gonna leave their parts to one side and let them know they have to try harder or go through them again,
Payrise. We got a payrise, which I appreciate, because I bet not every other firm was giving out payrises, but I got the same size payrise as another bloke who scraps jobs frequently, the same size as another one who runs less machinery and spends all his time on his phone in the toilet, so one can understand my frustration.
The company loves a yes man, which I am not. They don't want to hear their idea is crap or that it will take longer than they want, they want 3 bags full Sir all the way.
Anyway, I can program in Heidenhain and Fanuc, I have experience using Fusion 360 and Featuremill for 3D milling, Nikken 4th Axis units and Fanuc horizontal mills. I am also a certified Mitutoyo CMM user, with experience in programming and running said CMMs using MiCat. I also have a little experience in using Mitsubishi EDMs. I'm based in the Portsmouth area, y'know, just in case anyone is interested....
Oh yeah, I can do a bit of manual turning too.
Saturday 26 October 2019
Sunday 22 September 2019
It's been a while
So what have I been up to?
Well, Went to a friends wedding in May. Oop North, well, the Midlands, Which to us down here, is almost Scotland. I wasn't best man, but as we've been friends for a quarter of a century, I was asked to do a speech. Great, except it wasn't. I had it all planned out in my head, but the room was so hot, it made me feel quite ill, which made me forget the majority of what I was to say. I got the first bit, then forgot the rest and ended up talking a right load of codswallop, and that's when I thought I would shut my face and sit back down. I think the bride hates me.
Been DIY-ing
I sold my Off Road motorbike. I found out early in the year I have osteoarthritis in my right foot. This made starting the bike quite difficult as it was a kickstart only machine. On the lookout for another with electric start.
Still RC racing and still driving for those top chaps at Answer RC. Mixed bag of results lately.
Organised a Vintage RC meet at TORCH back in August. Actual meeting went well, and we had a damn good day. Only disappointment was the attendance. Turns out a lot of racers are all mouth and no trousers.
Been DIY-ing, still.
Got a letter from the council. Turns out my elderly neighbours don't like me playing music too loud. Knock on my door first and ask me turn it down? don't be silly. So I've had to tiptoe around that bastard for a couple of months so far till the fuss dies down. I'm gonna mount speakers brackets on acoustic board and change walls, just to keep the peace, if you pardon the pun.
Work sucks. Feeling unappreciated. Mine is a trade that requires years of knowledge, without it, parts look shit or end up wrong. Those in charge think we're all just button nuggets, but whenever there's a prototype to be made, muggins here ends up doing it with not a single "well done" at the end.
Still DIY-ing.
Lei and I went to Torture Garden back in August, or July. I put pics up on my Instagram, lost 5 followers overnight. HA.
That is all.
Watch out for my new book out soon, and I'm doing a documentary for Discovery Channel about transdimensional gateways and stargates which is out next year. I'll also be on the Graham Norton Show bangin on about my book and talking shit, that will be just before christmas.
tatty bye
Well, Went to a friends wedding in May. Oop North, well, the Midlands, Which to us down here, is almost Scotland. I wasn't best man, but as we've been friends for a quarter of a century, I was asked to do a speech. Great, except it wasn't. I had it all planned out in my head, but the room was so hot, it made me feel quite ill, which made me forget the majority of what I was to say. I got the first bit, then forgot the rest and ended up talking a right load of codswallop, and that's when I thought I would shut my face and sit back down. I think the bride hates me.
Been DIY-ing
I sold my Off Road motorbike. I found out early in the year I have osteoarthritis in my right foot. This made starting the bike quite difficult as it was a kickstart only machine. On the lookout for another with electric start.
Still RC racing and still driving for those top chaps at Answer RC. Mixed bag of results lately.
Organised a Vintage RC meet at TORCH back in August. Actual meeting went well, and we had a damn good day. Only disappointment was the attendance. Turns out a lot of racers are all mouth and no trousers.
Been DIY-ing, still.
Got a letter from the council. Turns out my elderly neighbours don't like me playing music too loud. Knock on my door first and ask me turn it down? don't be silly. So I've had to tiptoe around that bastard for a couple of months so far till the fuss dies down. I'm gonna mount speakers brackets on acoustic board and change walls, just to keep the peace, if you pardon the pun.
Work sucks. Feeling unappreciated. Mine is a trade that requires years of knowledge, without it, parts look shit or end up wrong. Those in charge think we're all just button nuggets, but whenever there's a prototype to be made, muggins here ends up doing it with not a single "well done" at the end.
Still DIY-ing.
Lei and I went to Torture Garden back in August, or July. I put pics up on my Instagram, lost 5 followers overnight. HA.
That is all.
Watch out for my new book out soon, and I'm doing a documentary for Discovery Channel about transdimensional gateways and stargates which is out next year. I'll also be on the Graham Norton Show bangin on about my book and talking shit, that will be just before christmas.
tatty bye
Monday 4 March 2019
Bump ups, batteries, and bad news
It's been a while since my last racing blog. Mostly as it's been a while since I was in "the zone" for racing.
Anyway, with my engine shatting its conrod at Slough SRS last year and the subsequent purchase of a new engine, which admittedly sat in its box for a while as I took time to do stuff, which I can't think for the life of me what, I thought it best to get the thing ran in and turning wheels.
The last weekend of February saw me attend the penultimate round of South Coast RCs Winter Fandango series, wearing shorts. yes, that weekend.
So, still pedaling the SWorkz Evo 2 while I wait for new hardware. It's now Orion Crf/HB powered and ready to be tweaked as the day goes on.
With only 19 or so in attendance, I found myself in Heat 1, so off I go. With my engine still running quite rich, I fail to finish the 1st two rounds of qualifying as I ran out of fuel about 20 seconds before the end. However, rather safe than sorry, at least I know it's getting a fighting chance of being ran in with a little bit of finesse instead the touch of Fred West.
Come Finals time and I'm 4th in the C. Not exactly the best I know, but it's a new engine and I hadn't nitro'd since the Steve and Bernie Memorial race. With Mark Harding doing me the honour of pitting for me, and an increasingly tense battle with a bloke called Pete I believe. It all comes down to the last lap or two, and after lots of passing and passing back, Petes chances of making a return pass in the dying seconds fall short as he runs out of fuel, leaving me to breath easy and take the win, and thus, the bump up.
Last (7th) on the grid for the B and pitting for me now is, erm, wossis name, y'know, Future World Models shop guy. Sorry if I've forgotten your name, anyway, him.
The flag goes up and I make a blinder of a start, and 2 or 3 laps in I'm 2nd. Then, the announcement for everyone to go back to pitlane. The timing computer has spazzed out so a restart is on order.
With the restart underway after a fashion, I get a clean start but get whacked on the way down and left for dead after the triple, 1 corner in. So dead last again after that fiasco. I make my way up to 3rd by the end of the 15 minutes. I was quite pleased with that. Not sure how much better it could've gone, but it could've gone the other way.
A week later, the 3rd of March and I have a stinking cold and it's pissing down with rain. I'm track bound again, this time the SWorkz S12-m gets a go. From 1/8th nitro to 1/10th 2wd. The destination is the last round of TORCH' indoor winter jest fest, held at Swanmore Sports College.
I take one look at the track and wonder how the hell I'm going to drive that. Looks can be deceiving and I instantly found my feet. The track was the best of the series, with lots of little details to keep one occupied, including the 4 fingers, the radius jumps and the lino. I was once again in heat one during qualifying, which I appeared to dominate, with 3 wins out of 4. The last of which was taken by a returning Christian Minter, driving hard.
I'm on pole for the less than glamourous D Final. Mustn't grumble though, someone has to be. With messyrs Minter and Mallard behind me, I predict a challenge coming my way. Christian gives me a run for my money for a few laps but he gives me some breathing space when he makes an error, I check out, lap back markers and take leg 1 win.
Leg 2 is a carbon copy of leg 1 but leg 3 is where it fell apart, folding like a cheap hooker bending down for a twenty. After a false start where Christian and I were already at the four fingers when the tone went, we lined up for a restart. Mr Minter wanted this one and on the restart, my car got hit and spun round till I was dead last, and anyone who has ever done RC knows that once that happens in a 5 minute race, it's hard to make that up.
I gave chase and began to make up ground, but I couldn't quite find the rhythm I felt with the rest of the day making errors shortly after making a pass or getting whacked by back markers. It was mostly all there toward the end though as I had made it to 2nd place and in the dying laps, I made a move on Christian over the double, but the car went up at an angle I wasn't planning on and it hit the track marking head on with a thud and Christian fucked off into the distance to take the leg 3 win.
I took the over all win though which was nice. Julian Mallard later cursed me for losing the last leg, as if I had beaten Christian again, he would have got 2nd, instead of the over all 3rd.
I was there with the stepson, and he was also racing, unfortunately, the wheel spring on his radio broke meaning he had no steering centre so he missed out on his Finals.
We were very appreciative though when International and National racing Legend Lee Martin and his fellow Nemo Racing mate, gave us half dozen sets of wheels and tyres, presumably having only done one run each. Muchos Gracias guys.
So that was that.
Except on the Monday after South Coast, I got the news first hand that a good friend of ours had died suddenly. Dianne Noble, other half of Bigz. Had fallen foul of a horrible chain of events beginning with a cold and ending in multiple heart attacks. We spent lots of time with Dianne and Bigz, Weekends at Brands Hatch, breakfast runs, and runs out on bikes, having known them both since 2002. She was a lovely person and I'll always remember the lardy cakes she brought over for me when my Mum died. RIP Dianne, you will be missed.
Anyway, with my engine shatting its conrod at Slough SRS last year and the subsequent purchase of a new engine, which admittedly sat in its box for a while as I took time to do stuff, which I can't think for the life of me what, I thought it best to get the thing ran in and turning wheels.
The last weekend of February saw me attend the penultimate round of South Coast RCs Winter Fandango series, wearing shorts. yes, that weekend.
So, still pedaling the SWorkz Evo 2 while I wait for new hardware. It's now Orion Crf/HB powered and ready to be tweaked as the day goes on.
With only 19 or so in attendance, I found myself in Heat 1, so off I go. With my engine still running quite rich, I fail to finish the 1st two rounds of qualifying as I ran out of fuel about 20 seconds before the end. However, rather safe than sorry, at least I know it's getting a fighting chance of being ran in with a little bit of finesse instead the touch of Fred West.
Come Finals time and I'm 4th in the C. Not exactly the best I know, but it's a new engine and I hadn't nitro'd since the Steve and Bernie Memorial race. With Mark Harding doing me the honour of pitting for me, and an increasingly tense battle with a bloke called Pete I believe. It all comes down to the last lap or two, and after lots of passing and passing back, Petes chances of making a return pass in the dying seconds fall short as he runs out of fuel, leaving me to breath easy and take the win, and thus, the bump up.
Last (7th) on the grid for the B and pitting for me now is, erm, wossis name, y'know, Future World Models shop guy. Sorry if I've forgotten your name, anyway, him.
The flag goes up and I make a blinder of a start, and 2 or 3 laps in I'm 2nd. Then, the announcement for everyone to go back to pitlane. The timing computer has spazzed out so a restart is on order.
With the restart underway after a fashion, I get a clean start but get whacked on the way down and left for dead after the triple, 1 corner in. So dead last again after that fiasco. I make my way up to 3rd by the end of the 15 minutes. I was quite pleased with that. Not sure how much better it could've gone, but it could've gone the other way.
A week later, the 3rd of March and I have a stinking cold and it's pissing down with rain. I'm track bound again, this time the SWorkz S12-m gets a go. From 1/8th nitro to 1/10th 2wd. The destination is the last round of TORCH' indoor winter jest fest, held at Swanmore Sports College.
I take one look at the track and wonder how the hell I'm going to drive that. Looks can be deceiving and I instantly found my feet. The track was the best of the series, with lots of little details to keep one occupied, including the 4 fingers, the radius jumps and the lino. I was once again in heat one during qualifying, which I appeared to dominate, with 3 wins out of 4. The last of which was taken by a returning Christian Minter, driving hard.
I'm on pole for the less than glamourous D Final. Mustn't grumble though, someone has to be. With messyrs Minter and Mallard behind me, I predict a challenge coming my way. Christian gives me a run for my money for a few laps but he gives me some breathing space when he makes an error, I check out, lap back markers and take leg 1 win.
Leg 2 is a carbon copy of leg 1 but leg 3 is where it fell apart, folding like a cheap hooker bending down for a twenty. After a false start where Christian and I were already at the four fingers when the tone went, we lined up for a restart. Mr Minter wanted this one and on the restart, my car got hit and spun round till I was dead last, and anyone who has ever done RC knows that once that happens in a 5 minute race, it's hard to make that up.
I gave chase and began to make up ground, but I couldn't quite find the rhythm I felt with the rest of the day making errors shortly after making a pass or getting whacked by back markers. It was mostly all there toward the end though as I had made it to 2nd place and in the dying laps, I made a move on Christian over the double, but the car went up at an angle I wasn't planning on and it hit the track marking head on with a thud and Christian fucked off into the distance to take the leg 3 win.
I took the over all win though which was nice. Julian Mallard later cursed me for losing the last leg, as if I had beaten Christian again, he would have got 2nd, instead of the over all 3rd.
I was there with the stepson, and he was also racing, unfortunately, the wheel spring on his radio broke meaning he had no steering centre so he missed out on his Finals.
We were very appreciative though when International and National racing Legend Lee Martin and his fellow Nemo Racing mate, gave us half dozen sets of wheels and tyres, presumably having only done one run each. Muchos Gracias guys.
So that was that.
Except on the Monday after South Coast, I got the news first hand that a good friend of ours had died suddenly. Dianne Noble, other half of Bigz. Had fallen foul of a horrible chain of events beginning with a cold and ending in multiple heart attacks. We spent lots of time with Dianne and Bigz, Weekends at Brands Hatch, breakfast runs, and runs out on bikes, having known them both since 2002. She was a lovely person and I'll always remember the lardy cakes she brought over for me when my Mum died. RIP Dianne, you will be missed.
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