That noise my mentor said to ignore in 2019 cost me a big job in Tucson

Old Jack told me a slight chatter in my power hammer was normal for a machine its age. Said he ran his with the same sound for 20 years. Two months ago the keyway sheared off and I had to shut down for almost a week while I waited on parts. Anyone else regret listening to advice from the older guys?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan72525d agoMost Upvoted

Pull that thread a little further and yeah, that "breeds bad habits" part is the real killer. Old guys like Jack aren't trying to mess you up, they just got used to working around problems instead of fixing them. A machine telling you something isn't "character" it's a bill waiting to land in your lap.

grant_hart25d ago

My granddad ran a machine shop for 40 years and he always said "listen to the machine, not the man." Old Jack probably meant well, but passing off a worn keyway as normal chatter isn't advice, it's just kicking the can down the road. I've learned the hard way that experience can sometimes breed bad habits.