CATALOG SIX-PACK  I know catalogs are online, but most of us would rather use paper catalogs.  So, hang on to those old catalogs, because some companies are not printing them anymore. Our solution is to use beer boxes to file them.  They are available for free at any...

TRACKING WORK ORDERS Because we have a stack of work orders, about an inch thick, we have a system that helps us match a customer with their job, when they call. The work orders are kept in numerical order on a clipboard. The customer is assigned a work order number,...

BEHIND CURTAIN #1    Everyone hates cleaning the flywheel grinder. Chipping or scraping takes time and is not very productive. We found that lining the inside of the machine with a cut up shower curtain or plastic sheet and using spring clips to secure it at the top...

MEASURE ONCE, CUT TWICE Yes, we’ve all made that mistake, measure once and you better hope you cut it long, so the second cut will be on spec. Otherwise you’ve ruined the work.  The proper phrase, measure twice… seems to apply to many things we do around the shop. ...

THE SIX “P’s” Before machining remember, " Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance " and Murphy's Law will have less of a chance to get you. There is nothing worse for the bottom line than finding a crack or that the cam bearings do not fit correctly when the...

EXPANDING YOUR OFFERING When doing engine build proposals for customers, be sure to add the option of all critical machining procedures, even if you do not do them in house. You will need a high-quality vendor that you can outsource these procedures to, all the while...