Random Thought Thread

^ Yup, that Lady Jo is certainly on the ball and there's no messing around when it comes to Jo's swift diligence. Also, I don't blame you for wishing to revise your pre-order, as much as PITA it may be to administer changes, since you've seen photos of HDFKs in the wild tricking through.
 
Casinostocks said:
^ Yup, that Lady Jo is certainly on the ball and there's no messing around when it comes to Jo's swift diligence. Also, I don't blame you for wishing to revise your pre-order, as much as PITA it may be to administer changes, since you've seen photos of HDFKs in the wild tricking through.
Click to expand...
And that's exactly what happened. I originally ordered the TeroTuf scales and teklok sheath, with an extra dangler sheath. After seeing how the TekLok would ride, I know that it would be a bit too high on my belt line so I opted for the dangler only.

Also after seeing how awesome they look, I had to add some beautiful Antique Micarta scales and a set Buffed Black Micarta scales (to match my other CPKs).

I'm really looking forward to getting it! :D:thumbsup:
 
Another :thumbsup: for Jo...she's helped me add to my order a number of times now...latest add-on >>>>> a set of antique black linered HDFK handles, thanks to 91bravo 91bravo :D and his AMAZING set!

They'll ship with my pre-order...btw Casinostocks Casinostocks ... what's the over/under on me getting my pre-order before Halloween?:cool:

I got punkins that need some carvin
 
Last edited:
Just some random thoughts...


So the primary vibratory finisher (tumbler) broke. We figured the belt was slipping but when Mark and I took it apart we saw the motor wouldn't develop enough torque to start it. I figured it was a bad start capacitor and took one off a spare air compressor and that sort of worked while we got a capacitor on order. Then the other big tumbler broke (terrible timing) with a belt failure. You would not believe the amount of disassembly required to change the belt on that unit. A grease line and the motor come off (the motor mount bolts are barely accessible, caked with grease, grit and spiders) new motor mount holes drilled in 3/16 plate with a hand drill for the slightly longer belt and the main shaft disconnected from the tub, all while laying on the floor in the tumbling area. Unpleasant. Then a coupler on the drawbar cylinder assembly on the Pig broke requiring a partial teardown on the head and making a replacement. Then the primary tumbler corked while it was sitting waiting on repair and needed cleared (poor Jo, that was awful), my main grinder needed a non-trivial electrical repair, the root cause of the problem on the tumbler corking needed a drain line welded to the tank and run out the wall and then the way oil for the Romi got contaminated so the oiler system on that mill needed some love to prevent bigger problems down the road. No single one of these things is a big deal but it seemed like it all happened at once so this last week was me running around like a lunatic fixing stuff. This week I'm not a knifemaker or a machinist, I'm a maintenance man.

So we're having the 4V LC sale tomorrow and they're not really ready, but I've already announced the sale so we're going to do it but I don't have any pictures because I haven't finished the grinding/tumbling/sharpening. That's not ideal. We did get the last of the previous Friday sale of HDFK out the door. Late. So we're going to do our sale tomorrow, but instead of scheduling another sale for two weeks out I think I need to put it out three or four weeks and get caught back up with stuff and put out some more HDFK towards the pre-order. We've been scrambling wanting to do a good sized sale every two weeks and get pre-orders out, but I think I'm spreading us too thin here because there isn't enough wiggle room to absorb the random break down.

We did get the last of the EDC2 off the Mori today. They're all ready for HT.

I'm going to finish grinding these 4V LC (4V at HRC 64 is a bear) then turn the grinder over to Mark and let him grind some of the HDFK and let me work on the scales design for the MC and get started on the comp knives.

I setup the Kia today to start the EDC2 scales to get some out to the sheath maker. Jo and Mark both prefer the thinner scales. My hands are shaped like a Wendy's spork so the bigger scales on the original fit me pretty well, but I think the flatter design is a good tweak.



I have this sheath that Grog made for me. It is awesome beyond words. I need to take some photos of it for you guys to see it.

...just some random thoughts...
 
Sounds like you got your hands full! Maintenance is part of the game though, I was always taught that if I take care of my stuff, it will take care of me! I'll probably hold off on the LC sale tomorrow, so I can recoup from this HDFK one! Thank you for the updates and looks like great progress on the EDC2...:)

I had a Grob sheath once, and it felt like it could withstand a nuclear blast!
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
Just some random thoughts...


So the primary vibratory finisher (tumbler) broke. We figured the belt was slipping but when Mark and I took it apart we saw the motor wouldn't develop enough torque to start it. I figured it was a bad start capacitor and took one off a spare air compressor and that sort of worked while we got a capacitor on order. Then the other big tumbler broke (terrible timing) with a belt failure. You would not believe the amount of disassembly required to change the belt on that unit. A grease line and the motor come off (the motor mount bolts are barely accessible, caked with grease, grit and spiders) new motor mount holes drilled in 3/16 plate with a hand drill for the slightly longer belt and the main shaft disconnected from the tub, all while laying on the floor in the tumbling area. Unpleasant. Then a coupler on the drawbar cylinder assembly on the Pig broke requiring a partial teardown on the head and making a replacement. Then the primary tumbler corked while it was sitting waiting on repair and needed cleared (poor Jo, that was awful), my main grinder needed a non-trivial electrical repair, the root cause of the problem on the tumbler corking needed a drain line welded to the tank and run out the wall and then the way oil for the Romi got contaminated so the oiler system on that mill needed some love to prevent bigger problems down the road. No single one of these things is a big deal but it seemed like it all happened at once so this last week was me running around like a lunatic fixing stuff. This week I'm not a knifemaker or a machinist, I'm a maintenance man.

So we're having the 4V LC sale tomorrow and they're not really ready, but I've already announced the sale so we're going to do it but I don't have any pictures because I haven't finished the grinding/tumbling/sharpening. That's not ideal. We did get the last of the previous Friday sale of HDFK out the door. Late. So we're going to do our sale tomorrow, but instead of scheduling another sale for two weeks out I think I need to put it out three or four weeks and get caught back up with stuff and put out some more HDFK towards the pre-order. We've been scrambling wanting to do a good sized sale every two weeks and get pre-orders out, but I think I'm spreading us too thin here because there isn't enough wiggle room to absorb the random break down.

We did get the last of the EDC2 off the Mori today. They're all ready for HT.

I'm going to finish grinding these 4V LC (4V at HRC 64 is a bear) then turn the grinder over to Mark and let him grind some of the HDFK and let me work on the scales design for the MC and get started on the comp knives.

I setup the Kia today to start the EDC2 scales to get some out to the sheath maker. Jo and Mark both prefer the thinner scales. My hands are shaped like a Wendy's spork so the bigger scales on the original fit me pretty well, but I think the flatter design is a good tweak.



I have this sheath that Grog made for me. It is awesome beyond words. I need to take some photos of it for you guys to see it.

...just some random thoughts...
Click to expand...

That latest pig breakdown wasn't caused from your newly minted part was it? You know what the Good Book says about putting new patches on old tunics, or new wine in old wineskins....
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
...btw Casinostocks Casinostocks ... what's the over/under on me getting my pre-order before Halloween?:cool:

I got punkins that need some carvin
Click to expand...

Based on Nathan's post this evening regarding the extra required maintenance and then onto finalizing HDFKs for the preorder, you maybe right there on the cusp being on the 2nd page. I know I just said a bunch of nothing, but that's what I really excel at :D
 
Went home after work and had dinner with the kids. Work called, train hit a truck. Probably have to go in. Then called said crew was OK. They went to work and had a near miss with a van at a crossing and now the locomotive driver needs relief.

So I get called in to work.

I’m working now to finish thier work by myself putting everything away and cleaning up this mess.

Been up since 5am. Need to wake up at 5am to come back in the morning.

Just another Friday night. Last 3 Friday’s were the same but called before diner time. Last 3 Saturdays as well.

Edit: I just realized it’s Thursday. Gonna be a long week. I think I should become a machinist and make wicked knives.
 
Last edited:
JustinFournier said:
Went home after work and had dinner with the kids. Work called, train hit a truck. Probably have to go in. Then called said crew was OK. They went to work and had a near miss with a van at a crossing and now the locomotive driver needs relief.

So I get called in to work.

I’m working now to finish thier work by myself putting everything away and cleaning up this mess.

Been up since 5am. Need to wake up at 5am to come back in the morning.

Just another Friday night. Last 3 Friday’s were the same but called before diner time. Last 3 Saturdays as well.

Edit: I just realized it’s Thursday. Gonna be a long week. I think I should become a machinist and make wicked knives.
Click to expand...
Hey take care of yourself buddy. Stress is no joke!
 
JustinFournier said:
Went home after work and had dinner with the kids. Work called, train hit a truck. Probably have to go in. Then called said crew was OK. They went to work and had a near miss with a van at a crossing and now the locomotive driver needs relief.

So I get called in to work.

I’m working now to finish thier work by myself putting everything away and cleaning up this mess.

Been up since 5am. Need to wake up at 5am to come back in the morning.

Just another Friday night. Last 3 Friday’s were the same but called before diner time. Last 3 Saturdays as well.

Edit: I just realized it’s Thursday. Gonna be a long week. I think I should become a machinist and make wicked knives.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if some of these events could be attributed to a root cause of a person having worked a 20 hour shift. I'm not making a joke, and not being critical. Please be safe, brother.
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
That latest pig breakdown wasn't caused from your newly minted part was it? You know what the Good Book says about putting new patches on old tunics, or new wine in old wineskins....
Click to expand...

Naw, the newly minted part was the fix.
 
TRfromMT said:
I'm wondering if some of these events could be attributed to a root cause of a person having worked a 20 hour shift. I'm not making a joke, and not being critical. Please be safe, brother.
Click to expand...

It has a lot to do with the current corporate culture of extreme cost cutting. Tired guys don’t make the situation any better, but in nearly all vehicle collisions, the vehicle is at fault.

Small changes that look good on paper for production increases and share prices often have a detrimental effect to the guys on the ground.

I could give you a long detailed explanation of a recent accident where a guy lost both his legs at the thigh that a few years back would absolutely in no case ever happened. In this case both companies involved reduced thier manning and safety procedures which individually only represented a small decrease to overall safety but increased production in a ratio they feel makes the risk worth the reward, but when you combined those changes in bad weather we had a severe accident where someone nearly died, that was entirely preventable.

But hey, share prices are at an all time high, and seems like companies are more focused on making their profit there.
 
Last edited:
It's the same thing in the elevator industry. the time frames for all my jobs keep getting smaller while the hours are increasing and the safety standards for the workers pgo right out the window. 12 hours a day 6 days a week is just too much. Its all heavy work and you're always on your feet. No one cares, its just get it done
 
Joecleo86 said:
It's the same thing in the elevator industry. the time frames for all my jobs keep getting smaller while the hours are increasing and the safety standards for the workers pgo right out the window. 12 hours a day 6 days a week is just too much. Its all heavy work and you're always on your feet. No one cares, its just get it done
Click to expand...

That's all fine and dandy until someone gets hurt and you have a lost time incident that you have to report to OSHA. Then you'll get a visit from your area OSHA inspector to do a thorough investigation. Fines have increased significantly in the last few years and they will find something to fine you on, machine guarding, LOTO, SDS violations, training, etc. Especially if your work culture is in the "production over safety" mentality. If managers and supervisors are overlooking safety violations, then the hourly workers will too. A good safety culture always begins at the top....stay safe out there!
 
This is pretty much accross the board. Cut safety standards / costs, increase moneys.

My big bro works a Union construction job, building skyscrapers. Couple months back the scaffolding caved in while him and 2 other blokes were pouring a concrete slab on it. The drop was nearly 3 meters and you would of been burried under wet concrete, no saving you. Luckily, my brother saw the floor dipping as they were pouring and literally tackled the other bloke off the area, saving them both.

Pisses me right off. Just want to work, not die.

Edit to add: the issue was something to do with the company not purchasing the correct weight rated scaffolding bars/beams/supports or whatever you call it, for that floor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top