My old foreman told me my coolant mix looked like weak tea and it was killing my tools

He walked over to my machine in the middle of a run, pointed at the sump, and said 'That's not coolant, that's dishwater.' I was mixing it at about 5% because I thought it saved money. After a string of premature insert failures, I bumped it up to the proper 8% concentration he insisted on. The next batch of parts came out with a way better finish and my inserts lasted twice as long. What's the one piece of simple advice that made a huge difference in your shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnh822mo ago

What did your foreman say when he saw the better finish on those parts?

henryreed2mo ago

He just grunted and walked off. Did your guy actually admit it was better, or did he try to find something wrong with it? Mine never gives a straight compliment.

jake_martin1614d ago

Saw an interview with some old school machinist who said the best compliment you can get from a foreman is just a grunt and a nod. Sounds like yours is cut from that same cloth. Some guys just don't have the words for praise, even when it's earned.