Don Swart, machine shop manager with Metlfab (subject of the article found here), has his own lawn care business. "Tru-Precision Lawn Care" is staffed entirely by machinists. They might not cut your lawn to within 0.001-inch accuracy, but my guess is they can’t help themselves but to optimize the pattern of lawnmower passes.

Don says mowing is relaxing after a day in the shop. It lets his mind unwind. Perhaps you can relate. While machining has always been a mental activity, today the mental challenge is less about specific parts and more about logistics. Shop personnel face the challenge of getting lots of short-run jobs across a limited number of machines.

David Mitchell said something similar. He is a machinist at B&E Tool, a shop we plan to profile in MMS in December. After a long and complicated day planning and setting up the work for the cell he oversees, he often turns to a stationary bike. Spinning, he says, is an excellent way to let the machining leave his mind.

What do you do to get the challenges of the shop off of your mind when you leave? That is, how do you let go and clear your mind so that you can come back to the plant fresh and alert the next day or the next week?

Please share your thoughts on this question. If we publish your response, you’ll receive your choice of one free title from the Hanser Gardner bookstore (www.hansergardner.com). To respond, just click here.

Considering the fact that finding a skilled candidate may be difficult, a recent column in MMS asked readers what they look for in potential employees. Most responses voiced frustration with the educational system. Here are responses that described what qualities they seek:

Kevin Saruwatari of Qsine (www.qsine.ca) says:

I spend a great deal of time training people on the job. When I interview candidates, their schooling is of little importance to me. Normally, I look to see where they have been working and what they have been doing. My business is focused on custom machinery and fabrication. A lot of times, candidates look to my place for variety, because they are bored with high production work. I normally look for people with at least two to three years of being in a shop, hoping they have learned what the dangerous end of the machine is, what noises are normal, and so on.

For family and friends of current employees, I put them on a trial basis and assess their attitudes. I have two young guys that came in that way and are doing very well. One had never been in a shop before.

What I am finding is that good or great people are what they are, and it shows in their attitude. They are found and not created, so it doesn't matter where they come from, what school they attended or what their marks were.

Don Kerns of Jade Corporation (www.jadecorp.com) says:

I've worked for a large East Coast tool and die shop for 30 years, with the last nine years as a foreman in the CNC machining group. When faced with the reality of not finding a person with relevant experience, I look for some specific qualities in that person.

I look for people who have both the willingness and the capacity to learn.

I look for people who aren't “all thumbs.” People with promise will usually gain the finesse necessary to work with intricate details.

I look for people who know how to read and interpret instructions, and are willing to adhere to those instructions.

I look for people who will listen to others around them, especially those with more knowledge and experience.

These are good basic qualities to build upon, and I am willing to invest in people with these qualities as I try to maintain a work force for the future.