Machinist’s Corner

It's 6 a.m. and the wind chill is -45° F. As I watch you get ready for work, your gait is a little slower these days, and I have to talk a little louder because your hearing is not as good after being around loud machinery for more than 30 years.

Having been in manufacturing as long as I have, writes Machinist's Corner Columnist Michael Deren, "you might think I've grown tired of the daily grind. On the contrary, I usually can't wait to get to work each day."

Machinist's Corner columnist shares personal experience with purchasing tooling and fixtures for the shop.

This month's Cutting Tool Engineering Machinist's Corner column asks, "Why waste everyone's time courting a new customer if you aren't prepared to accommodate them?"

Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren recounts how he responded when upper management issued a directive to increase throughput.

Learning to love your job can be frustrating, so says Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren in the May 2013 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Several weeks ago, my wife and I attended a dinner party at her sister's home. One of the guests heard I was in manufacturing and introduced himself. He's 48, married and has five children and a mortgage. He's a pleasant individual, and we spoke about his trials and tribulations over the last few years.

In the January 2013 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering, Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren reviews a recent "60 Minutes" report about the skills gap in manuafacturing.

How many times does a project break down just from trying achieve perfection? Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren urges readers not to let perfect trump better.

Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren observes the importance of speaking with the people working in the area of the assembly line that has been targeted for improvement.

Machinist's Corner column as published in the July 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

A material review board can help determine if you're having vendor problems, suggests the Machinist's Corner column in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.