[M60Flipper]

Hello! First off to give everyone background I am primarily if not exclusively a CNC milling machinist, overall after learning manual milling and turning the largest portion of my CNC operations and programming have been mill, I would say about 90% CNC milling/programming and 10% CNC turning if that. There has never been a job I have worked on where I had to work a CNC lathe any deeper than incidentally if they were behind in turning or they were a guy short in Lathes for a shift or two.

Fast forward to taking this great job as a CNC lathe machinist 2 weeks ago where although they knew I was totally into CNC milling they needed a CNC lathe machinist and since a temp job I had before that was CNC turning and nothing but (well it was a millturn Mori, but still a lathe) they took me on anyway. Lately it seems their patience is wearing thinner with me, the plan was they were going to have me work days for the first 2 weeks in order to hold down the fort in that section on my own on 2nd shift but now they want to keep me for a 3rd week on days, hinting that I am not picking things up as swiftly as they imagined I would.

For example today these parts I was making that have a narrow bore hole that chatters a lot requiring some smoothing inside via sandpaper which we'd do in manual mode while the piece was still in the chick, my supervisor would diddle the spindle on from the panel and bump up the speed until the work was turning at a sufficient RPM. Instead to do that smoothing op. I would just throw that Mori dual chuck lathe into MDI and twirl that mat'l like I was starting a mill spindle.

Although I really never like CNC turning (I think its kind of dull and bland vs. the milling of 3-D objects) I do like my coworkers and the company overall. What can I do to stay on with these folks besides not effing things up and getting cool with CNC turning?

[handlewanker]

Hmmmmm, a tough one.....if "they" decide you must go you won't be able to offer less pay for a probationary extended period.....it might work if you are desperate enough and have many commitments, but trying to get back on the regular payroll would be very difficult with all the reasons in the World by the management.

There's no substitute for experience....either you've got it or you ain't.

Personally I have always worked within my area of expertise, but being a qualified fitter and turner (retired) that covered a lot of ground over a span of about 50 years .

My advice would be to look for another job within your field of expertise, before they decide to "let you go".

Other than that, all you can do is hope to rapidly improve and learn the ropes before you run out of rope.

BTW, if they were willing to employ you knowing you lacked experience, it appears there is a shortage of CNC turners, or they're paying peanuts........but be careful, you could end up being just a CNC lathe operator if someone else continuously has to be at your elbow.
Ian.

[keebler303]

Considering the post is 2 1/2 years old, I'd say if they were gonna let him go, he's been let go already!

[D.L]

I had this problem recently, I was ordered to hang a 50mm bar 1.1 metres out of the back of the lathe and turn at 500 rpm.
Night shift changed the machine to a different setup, small parts, 3500rpm G50.
Next day, told to hurry up and change the setup back, the bar program had the G50 now missing, guess what happens next?

(imagine a pretzel shaped 50mm bar spinning at 3500rpm and a lathe jumping of the floor like an imbalanced washing machine)

I walked out of the door immediately.

[handlewanker]

Considering the post is 2 1/2 years old, I'd say if they were gonna let him go, he's been let go already!

Fiddlesticks.......forgot to note the posting date......he probably owns the place by now....LOL.
Ian.