Charles: I'm an old M-14 user also, and always have been a huge fan of it. I carried one for two years. I carried the M16 when I was in the Army in RVN. I didn't like it nearly as well as the M14. I just saw an article in the National Rifle Magazine about a new version of the M1A-1, I don't remember all of the details, but the thing that I remember most is that it was shortened.

Laying off here.

I have a bit of advice if anyone is from Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan and plans to attend IMTS. Driving to McCormack Place can be a bit of hassle at times. This is a way to reduce it a little bit. The last time we went (2002), we drove to South Bend Regional airport and took the South Shore Train into Chicago. It took us right to Dearborn Street Station where we caught a cab to McCormack Place. Train travel time was slightly under 2 hours and cost about $20. The cab was $7 each way for 2 people, and took about 10 minutes. On weekends (and during the Auto Show), the train stops at McCormack place. Too bad they don't stop for the IMTS. I think the last train leaves for South Bend about 8pm. If we go again this year, we will take the train.

If you are using the "CANNED CYCLES" in Mastercam V9, you may have a small glitch when trying to use a canned lap rough and canned finish cycle. It is especially a problem if you choose the highlighted tool path on the second paramter page. If you use a different tool for the finish, the post will sometimes throw the code for the finish cycle to a spot in the program that is after the M2 command. It was a real challenge to figure out what was happening. If this has happened to anyone, just don't use the "canned finish". Choose a normal finish and rechain. It works like it should then.

We had a WFR "workforce reduction". All of us who had been in our CNC cell were demoted back to our old jobs. We were basically a maintenance job shop that was operating within the frame work of the engineering department. We were making consumable parts and cloned OEM parts that were no longer available. We were doing parts for a total of 13 plants company wide. We had over 1100 part numbers that we produced, and in the last 4 years had saved the company over $5 million dollars for spare parts. We merged with another company that didn't do this kind of stuff, and since their CEO became the CEO of the merged companies, we aren't doing it now either. The WFR came about because we had to save $100 million dollars in merger expenses. We still have the machines, 3 lathes and 3 mills, Mastercam, and 4 very talented people(blush). What we don't have is very good attitudes.

I quit smoking after one week when I was 14 (1960) and cigarettes were only 20 cents a pack. My buddies were bumming so many of them I couldn't afford the(their) habit. I guess I was tight even back then.

You guys are going to hate me, but it's too bad it is in California. My company eliminated all CNC operations two weeks ago. So now I am full time as a manual machinist again. Being back in the stone age really sucks.

Chris is correct. I almost always forget to turn on my retract points. The first time I do a backplot I find the error. But, it only takes a minute to turn on the points and regen. It works every time.

Keep your head down and stay safe. I know what you guys are going through and you are all in my thoughts every day. Jenks, "THE BIG RED ONE" vet, 1968-1969.

Welcome to the group. These are great bunch of people to help with any problems. I spend most of my time just being a "sponge", but on occasion I'll ask for help which comes quickly and with many different opinions. With all due respect, I think your dealer gave you the best advice. I have to use V7.2 once in a great while and it seems like stone age compared to V9. I can't even remember what V6 was like. Upgrade to V9=GOOD!

There is a button on the tool parameters page "Ref. Points". You can place the approach and retract points exactly where you want them. It works well if you didn't add advance and retract points when the operation was chained initially, as it allows you to locate approach and retract points without rechaining. I had the very same problem yesterday. I was making bronze bushings with a bore of .5015", and the smallest hole my 3/8" bar would bore was .500". By using the reference point I was able to get the tool out without gouging the bore of the bushing.

Some of the parts I've gotten in the past have come in on an AUTOCAD file. The part was drawn inside of a template that had borders and title blocks for printing. It also had company logo. I was playing around, and accidently found that the logo was geometry and was readable with the dxf converter. I was able to make an engraving program from that.

Try the "THE HOME SHOP MACHINIST" magazine or "MACHINIST'S WORKSHOP" magazine. Right now one of them is running a series about building a radial aircraft engine. These are both really excellent magazines that shows off some of the talent that is out there in garages and home shops all over America. They are also great learning tools for the beginning machinist. The web page is WWW.villagepress.com/workshop/ & WWW.villagepress.com/homeshop/

Now I remember what I hated most about dayshift. It was getting up at 2:00AM in order to be at work by 3:00AM. NEVER AGAIN!

I've worked 2nd and 3rd shift for 31 out of 35 years. The only time I worked days was when I was going to school and some classes weren't offered during the day schedule. The last time I worked days was August 1980. I have been on 2nd shift since that time. I would not have it any other way.