Tom Gardner wrote:
This situation is turning out better than I could have ever imagined! A month
or so ago, I hired a part-time machinist after advertising on Craig's list. He
has 20 years experience as a tool and die maker and is currently employed as a
CNC programmer at a company a mile away. The next production machine that will
hopefully go on line in a couple of months is a copy of two other machines so I
have drawings of all the parts to be made. I ran a Gantt chart on the whole
project and with my new machinist Tim, we are AHEAD of schedule! (I've never
been ahead of schedule!) He truly makes me look like a hack with his speed,
quality and methodology.

Tim has a couple of parts done during the night or a more complex part in
process, what a nice thing to see in the morning! It's like the machine elves
are at work! Tim has also made minor improvements to the parts and quickly
understands the sub-systems of the machine and knows what's important and what
isn't. The only minor mistakes have been in my drawings that haven't shown a
hole being threaded or some other omission that we call a "Secret Squirrel".
Ooppps! But, he figured out how to save the part if it was worth it!

So, not only have I been able to reproduce some of my function but improve it.
Also, his productivity has inspired the rest of my engineering staff to new
heights. I imagine the day that I'm working part-time at my leisure. A bit of
fishing, golf, travel and other recreation would be nice and mesh well with my
toe-tag retirement plan! I WIN!!!

Now, if Gunner would get home once in a while, he could sell me some linear
bearing stuff I need! (hint, hint, wink,wink)

I'm with Karl -- nothing says "you do good work" than a raise.

I'd give him what I could afford considering the increased productivity,
and tell him "You do better than I thought you would, let me make up
some of the difference".

Does he redline the erroneous drawings, too? There's nothing I like
better than a technician who gives me back my parts with all my drawings
redlined. I _like_ it when someone covers my ass that way.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

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"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
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