Few Questions are dumb.

[Boucher]

Newbies often start a thread this is probably a dumb question but …… The only dumb questions are those ask with the intent to show off what one knows or impress the class. Those seeking assistance even on an elementary level are not dumb. The fear of appearing dumb may be restraining others from asking the same question. There is some tendency to fault askers for not using the search functions or not thinking things through. The search functions do not work real well for the newbie because of the vocabulary of terms. Thinking things through also comes with experience. I recently cut my handle of prematurely on a lathe project. That caused all sorts of grief. I was seriously considering starting over. That sort of mistake teaches you to think further ahead. I have had a small stroke this last year. That has caused problems with memory and thinking processes. This group has been very helpful and I really appreciate the quality of help and experience available here.

[Evan]

YOU CUT YOUR HANDLE OFF?

Forgive what may be a dumb question but exactly what handle was that?

[Carld]

You have a valid point but. The thing I like to see is someone trying to work out a problem. If they post a method and ask, "will this work" it's much better than just asking an answer to a very simple thing. I do understand that many have not been taught to think in schools or in life.

When I worked in a job shop, before I asked how to do something I would try to work a process out then ask if it would work or for a better way. When you ask a fellow machinist at work how to do something many times you will get a stare and asked how do you think it could be done. After I gained a lot of experience I understood the wisdom of their ways. They wanted to get me to be creative in my work and thought process.

I was an instructor at one point in my career and found it's better to make people think than just supply an answer. If I just told them how to do something that's all they knew. If I started them thinking it often opened doors they never saw before. The mind is like a huge book and if you don't flip the pages all the time they get stuck together and you loose everything.

A creative mind has to be developed and trained, it is not something everyone has from the getgo. A lot of people go through life never thinking how, why, what about anything in their life. What a droll existance that is. From the time I could talk I asked why, how and what about everything I saw. I took apart everything I could get my hands on much to the dismay of my parents. My grandfather supplied me with tools and I don't know if he meant me knowledge or torment for my parents. It worked though and my life has been spent searching and thinking and working.

[Evan]

From the time I could talk I asked why, how and what about everything I saw. I took apart everything I could get my hands on much to the dismay of my parents. My grandfather supplied me with tools and I don't know if he meant me knowledge or torment for my parents. It worked though and my life has been spent searching and thinking and working.

Exactly my story too. My grandfather was a civil engineer and when my grandmother complained about me digging up her rose garden to channel water all around when I was maybe 6 he shushed her up with "Leave him be, he's learning hydraulic engineering"

[Spin Doctor]

IN truth there are no dumb questions. But there are plenty of dumb answers

[Lew Hartswick]

I was an instructor at one point in my career and found it's better to make people think than just supply an answer. If I just told them how to do something that's all they knew. If I started them thinking it often opened doors they never saw before. The mind is like a huge book and if you don't flip the pages all the time they get stuck together and you loose everything..

Have you workerd with any high school kids in the last 10 or 20 years?
:-)
...lew...

[Liger Zero]

Lew:

That's almost impossible. I say almost... if you can get them to put the cellphone down...

[Carld]

No Lew, I taught full time diesel mechanics in the 1980's when I worked for a Cummins distributor in Mo. I probably would have pulled my hair out teaching mechanics or machining at the high school level.

I was a Boy Scout leader and didn't have much trouble teaching and encouraging them but they wanted to be there.

[airsmith282]

i find my self in the place where anything i try i do very well in and iam able to think inside and outside the box as well iam very creative, i also like a good challange cause usally people tell me it cant be done or i cant do it and i have abd habbit of proving them wronge, i hav eonly once failed at a challange set before me to do and it has really made me think alot , but someof the faiuler was lack of proper design that was given and also what had to be done to achive the build and lack of some tools needed but in all i look at it as a lesson and learning experience to and it proves to me that not everything can be done some things are just not going to happen atleast not in the way it had to be done but enough of that , recently i took a 400 dollar end mill that uses replacable carbid cutters in fact was yesterday now this mod is noting new to me my mill s MT2 and this end mill had a 5/8 shaft well its now 1/2 on the nose.
I have done this same thing to other end mills i have moded to make use of them .any how suscess again and the run out is not even noticable the thing cuts beautuiful .. not bragging here but making a good point if you have a end mill in this case that you got your hands on and you need it but you cant afford to order in a shank size to fit then you can mod it to work and i will work great ,, if a factory already makes them with in this case a 1/2 shank wiht 5/8 cutter then why do people say it wont work or its not safe, i think some just dont want to do the job and would rater buy it already done and thats ok by me i dont care. but i needed this cutter and gota hell of a deal on it and dont have 400 bucks to go out and buy one with a reduced shank and i know how to soften the metal and re harden it right so its worth a few hours of my time and 50 cents of mapp fule to save 400.00..

anyhow sorry went on a but if a rant there
no such thing as a dumb question just a wronge answer ..
no such thing as bad student just a bad teacher ,
i teach music amonge other things i do and any that stick it out do well.
using the brain god gave us often yeilds the answeres for us if we think somthing threw and also use some logic and some not , and also use comon sence as well..

[tattoomike68]

IN truth there are no dumb questions. But there are plenty of dumb answers

To a point, "Can I use your welder to fix a gas tank leak?

I guess my point is that if you have to ask, you best let a pro do the job anyway. the pro is better off doing the job and sending the noob down the road then babysitting or letting the noob blow himself up.

When you work as a job shop machinist you do get dumb questions, some fool might bring in pipe for a chain link fence post and want a driveline made. I will try to talk them out of it but if thats what they want I tell them there is no guarantee and do it for cash. Also tell them "see you in a day or two." he is saving money you know....