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Shin would be proud of you !I'm a poor man's James May. I spend ridiculous amounts of time on 5S, but aside from sorting, shining etc. I don't get that much done in my shop
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POTD- PROJECT OF THE DAY: What Did You Make In Your Shop Today?
- Thread starter wachuko
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- Apr 23, 2018
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Today I didn't start in the shop, but I ended up there. I got all laid out and set up to run through some wildcat brass forming. I just started out depriming and body sizing, and the first squeeze is where you make adjustments- which is what was on my mind. I forgot case lube and broke the rim off of the case, which was knuckledragger tight in the die. Off to the shop. Oh, this is for a .20 cal, and nothing in my toolboxes would fit and still be long enough. No stock that size. No thru-tang screwdrivers or pin punches. I used a .194 HSS drill blank and the hydraulic press to extract the case... broke a sweat, too. And an expander ball. At least the total cost of my mistake today was just $8. Stress lately has had me making a number of little goofs like this. Myself and two others made ourselves vulnerable as whistleblowers at work because laws were being broken. Laws that Congress has ensured protection for. But this Army boy learned a hard lesson about Navy leadership and Navy integrity, and now my 20 years of federal service is on the line and I'm looking for other work. It's awfully preoccupying. I think I'm having my midlife crisis.
Are you drawing these cases from 221 fireball brass? Sounds like a lot more pressure than I would have expected.
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- Jan 2, 2019
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Wow, hope it works out.
At the end of the day all you really have is your family and your personal integrity.
Doing the right thing can hurt, but it’s still the right thing.
John
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- Apr 23, 2018
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- 6,880
I'm resizing DNL South African brass (boxer primed). It's about the same as Lake City, a bit heavy and a tad below spec on case volume, but known to be well-made and evenly weighted. It's body size .223 > Redding 221 form die > Redding 221 trim die > 20VT FL die. Neck turning is expected with this brass, but can be skipped with thinner softer stuff like Norma or even sporting load Win brass. It was just a 223 in a 223 FL die, but my dumb ass went for it dry. I was using a Lyman shellholder, if I had used my Redding one instead, it might have come out... might. The remaining 99 shells went through with a dab of paste wax just fine once I got going again.
Thank you, John. I am always surprised at how doing the right thing is somehow always so much harder than doing wrong. Yet, to people like you and I, there is only ever one option- and that goes without saying. There are many who are willing to roughly step atop others' heads and backs to achieve their own ends. I am challenged to keep a positive view on humanity at times, and this is one of those times. There are some managers and officers who know the level of toxicity my work unit has reached due to one person's behavior, but nobody wants to stick their neck out without something to gain first. It's a shame I've got to walk the high road and walk away. It just so happens I'm very marketable and at the top of my niche field, so I'll find something better. I refuse to relocate, but remote work has become viable recently for many of us professional-consultant types.
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- Sep 28, 2013
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I went through something very similar at my last job at Texas a&m San Antonio. It took me three years to leave and I'm very happy now at my new position. As are all the other people that left! You have my sympathies
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2014
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- 2,634
Integrity is a measure of character. You've got it!
My dad would tell a (long) story about one of his experiences in boot camp at Camp Pendleton in San Diego in the Marine Corp. Forgive my terminology as I didn't serve; dad was standing with his company or battalion or squad in front of a major who instructed the troops that "under no circumstances are you to have physical contact with the opposing team" as a precursor order as they were doing simulated combat drills; red team vs. the blue team. After the major's instructions, the two teams broke up into their individual teams. The lieutenants of his team told their captain, Captain Baxter, that guys from the other team were sneaking up on their sentries and messing with them in the field. Captain Baxter said, "If anyone comes up and messes with you, you cold C*ck them!"
So here's my dad, maybe just turned 18 guarding the trail leading into their camp in the middle of the night. Two marines approach: "Halt, what's the password?" No response, they continue to advance. "Halt, what's the password?"; no response and they continue to advance. They got up to my dad and one guy steps toward him. Dad took his M1 and nailed the guy in the crotch with his rifle butt. The guy doubled over and grabbed dad's rifle butt at which point dad laid the guy out by hitting him in the head with the forearm stock and barrel of his M1. He spun on the other guy and advanced with his M1 barrel in the guy's chest; put him to the ground too. It turned out the first guy was a drunk sergeant on his team who was being lead back into camp by another scared 18-year old sentry from up the trail who didn't remember the password.
He was pulled in front of the major who ask if he'd heard the "under no circumstances make physical contact" order and if he understood the order. Dad replied, "Yes sir, I heard and understood the order." The major's reply was something like "Private Hansen, you disregarded a direct order; I am considering kicking you out of the service with a dishonorable discharge".
At this point, Captain Baxter stood up and said, "Private Hansen is fine. We had reports of members from the other team messing with our sentries; I gave them orders to cold c*ck anyone who messes with them." Dad was dismissed with no disciplinary action and told the story of what had happened to the other troops in his squad. They'd have done ANYTHING for Captain Baxter; man of integrity, another OUTSTANDING Marine.
Who was my dad to Captain Baxter? Just another fresh-faced 18-year old recruit; did he put his own career at risk by admitting that he'd given an order contrary to his commanding officer? The man had integrity and told the truth regardless of his own personal risk of consequences.
Guess I can start calling you "Captain Newman"! It's not about us, it's about how we treat others.
Bruce
Roger that, sometimes a shortcut is the longest distance between points.
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Carry on Captain Newman............................
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