old style shops

[Cass]

The Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan has a lot of old machinery in beautiful condition and the Greenfield Village next to it has a working machine shop with machines driven by line shafts and belts. My daughter got to run a turret lathe and make a small brass candle stick there. Great place. (IN THE SUMMER!!!)

As for as manual versus CNC and very careful but very slow tool makers: The good but slow hit the road as for as I am concerned. "Good" does not mean "slow" and "fast" does not mean "wrong". It is impossible for manual methods to compete with competent people using CNC machines on quantity production in either quantity or quality. One of a kind work is where manual methods can compete but the newer "smart" manual machines kill the straight manual machines on even one of a kind jobs. You have to be very, very good to make money on one of a kind jobs. One mistake and there goes your profit. Of course with difficult one of a kind jobs you have to know your business area much better than average to find and develop the trust of customers. There is absolutely never a free lunch.

[shoprat]

thanks you guys for the info and the words of encouragement,although i live in minnesota if i ever get out east i will sure try to track down those shops.i am gled to here there are still some left.although i like to look at the antique machines i realize trying to make a living with them could have some drawbacks.what interests me the most is to open a shop that has regular hand controled machines and to do some one of a kind and repair type work and very little production work,and a little slower pace.i have spent the last 22yrs.driving truck in the twin-cities and would sure like to stay in my shop all day and work at my own pace !!oh well enough crabbin..think ill have a beer and calm down! p.s. i like the pictures of the old machines still amazes me how they built em back then jeff

[x39]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cass:
You have to be very, very good to make money on one of a kind jobs. One mistake and there goes your profit. Of course with difficult one of a kind jobs you have to know your business area much better than average to find and develop the trust of customers. There is absolutely never a free lunch. </font>

Cass, truer words have never been written. Anyone who is starting out in their own business in this field should heed your words.

[Dave Burnett]

The difference between a slow man and a fast man is it takes a slow man longer to screw it up. Now days you better be fast and good. A friend of mine does not like to work with me as he says I am a perfectionist but my answer is for the last 40 yrs. in a shop I had to sell everything I made. So I always ask him if he would pay good money for junk. But the funny part is He is a perfectionist when he buys something. It has to be just right or no deal.

[Thrud]

Dave

Most workers fail to understand that "faux pas", "Snafu's", or screw ups cost the boss money. This affects profits and directly affects any extra funds available for salaries and bonuses.

If more people worked liked it was their money at stake they would be more productive and less wastefull.

Most morkers steal with abandon from their employers - this is sad.

[Del]

My father was an auto mechanic who always insisted on working on commision instead of a straight salary.He said that if he wasn't making money, neither was the boss. When I went to work for a large company on salary, he told me at the end of the day I should ask myself if I was making money for the company. If I wasn't, I was costing them money. He is 90 years old now and is still my hero.