Dangit .

[mmcmdl]

I had a good friend who worked for Lockheed in the 80's on Star Wars and he explained to me whole contract process.......he wasn't a junkyard dog like me at all(a 'puter nerd) and the waste offended him. It made me sick to my stomach. But we don't want to go there......

Any DOD contract states that when the contract is up , all tooling , material , inserts are deemed scrap and should be thrown out . I worked in the R&D lab and we had dumpster rights to all of this waste . We supported our shop this way .

 

[C-Bag]

It's shocking to how a pile of something goes away in a hurry when you have an actual project. It's why I'm always on the lookout for material. It's a full time job here as I don't have access to scrap and drops.

 

[C-Bag]

Any DOD contract states that when the contract is up , all tooling , material , inserts are deemed scrap and should be thrown out . I worked in the R&D lab and we had dumpster rights to all of this waste . We supported our shop this way .

NOW I get where all your "Rusty Relics" come from! That would drive me crazy!!!!! Probably just hook up to the dumpster and drive it home

 

[mmcmdl]

I consider myself a bottom feeder as I'ms sure anyone on this site is . I will hold onto the smallest piece of scrap and one day find a use for it . I had to make a few special punches last night in here , I used scrap lying around collecting dust . I don't care if it's rusty or not . A quick .005 cut and it's a brand new piece of stock !

 

[mmcmdl]

NOW I get where all your "Rusty Relics" come from! That would drive me crazy!!!!! Probably just hook up to the dumpster and drive it home

I could tell many stories of my co-workers leaving work with their ass end of pickup trucks dragging behind them . It was a nightly ritual for them . I had my shop going and didn't need the stuff back then , but if I woulda only known .

 

[C-Bag]

I've been keeping the old cookie tins and mint tins etc for odds and ends. Just the other day I needed a shim for a jig setup and I'll be dipped I had just the piece. Much better than cutting something special. Bottom feeder indeed!

 

[C-Bag]

I could tell many stories of my co-workers leaving work with their ass end of pickup trucks dragging behind them . It was a nightly ritual for them . I had my shop going and didn't need the stuff back then , but if I woulda only known .

By the multiple shops full of stuff it doesn't seem like you would have "leave it behind remorse". Is most of your stuff what was left over from your commercial shop?

 

[mmcmdl]

I had a small very well tooled shop after years and years of auctions long before the internet age existed . I worked it and my buddy worked part time for me . When my 3rd was born , we outgrew the house . I sold my equipment , RPCs , blast cabinets , compressor , anything large . I packed up all the tooling which I considered the hard stuff to replace .

I clubbed the basement and we stayed in that house for 2 more years . I bought another house 100 feet away and that's where we are now . I went 20 years without machines , did tractor restorations which was pretty fun . Maybe 6 years ago I get a call from the guy who was working for me . He wanted to know if I wanted any equipment . I told him no but ended up with 3 mills , a couple lathes , saws etc . I was a supervisor at the company and brought him in and he ended up being the plant manager after I switched jobs .

So I got the equipment , didn't really want to get back into machining , and sold it all ( for a very small profit )

I kept all my tooling though . Machines seem to fall into my lap these days , knowing so many in the trade . They are small , 12" lathes , a BP , surface grinder , other small stuff . I still own the other house with the nice basement , and it's a very hard decision as to what I want to do . Get a small hobby shop going again ? Stick to the Kubota to make a few side bucks ? Get back into Cub Cadets ? Who knows .

Right now , I'm trying to get rid of doubles , triples , exotic tooling etc . If I do decide to keep a lathe and mill , it'll be for very basic stuff , but I'm leaning the way of clearing out the house . I've stored this stuff for too many years .

 

[Aukai]

You are enabling the next generation with quality "stuff"

 

[mmcmdl]

You are enabling the next generation with quality "stuff"

It is quality stuff , made long before Chinesium existed . I'll be on the job today Mike . One goal is to get those shelves off the tops of the Vidmars .