12
Had to choose between a new tool holder and fixing the shop's coolant pump
Last month, our main coolant pump started making a bad noise. At the same time, I really needed a new ER collet chuck for a tricky aluminum job. The boss gave me a choice: use the budget for my tool or for the pump part. I picked the pump, figuring a broken pump would stop all three machines. We got the pump motor bearing replaced for about $350. It was the right call, but it meant running the aluminum job with a worn-out holder, which added an extra hour of fiddling with speeds to avoid chatter. It got done, but just barely. Has anyone else had to make a shop repair versus personal tool call? How do you decide what's more important when both seem urgent?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
brooke44814d ago
The $350 fix was cheap compared to losing three machines for a day. That's exactly the kind of call you have to make when the whole shop's output is on the line. I bet @lucashenderson felt that same push and pull with that pump issue, where the right choice stings a little but you know you'd regret the alternative way more.
9
mitchell.thomas2mo ago
You made the right call on that pump, always fix what stops the whole shop first.
8
lucashenderson2mo ago
Ha, thanks @mitchell.thomas. That pump was such a pain, but you're totally right. Letting it sit would have shut down everything else by lunch. Sometimes the obvious fix is the only one that makes sense.
3
flores.mark2mo ago
So @mitchell.thomas, what happens when the next "urgent" tool breaks before you can replace the one you skipped?
8