Had to choose between finishing a part or eating lunch yesterday

So I was running this tight tolerance job for a local shop in Austin, a 5 inch aluminum bracket with a critical bore that had to be within +/- 0.0002. My machine was set up perfect, first part came out at 0.0001 under, second was dead on. But then my stomach started growling like crazy, it was 1:30 PM and I hadn't eaten since 6 AM. I had one hour left on the cycle for the third part, but the cafeteria closes at 2 PM sharp. I figured I could either stop the machine, lose all my offsets and risk a crash on restart, or skip lunch and just power through. I went with skipping lunch, big mistake. Around 2:45 I got all shaky and nearly dropped my calipers on the floor when checking the part. The part came out fine but I felt like garbage the rest of the shift. Has anyone else had to decide between eating and keeping a good setup going?

2 comments

2 Comments

christopherwilliams23d ago

...and I get that you didn't want to mess up a good setup, but come on man, skipping one lunch isn't gonna kill you. Like, yeah you got shaky and almost dropped your calipers, but the part was fine in the end, right? I've seen guys in this trade act like missing a meal is the end of the world, but we all have days like that. You could've just grabbed a granola bar from your toolbox if you planned ahead, or even asked a coworker to grab you something. Seems like a lot of drama for something as simple as pushing through till the end of shift. I'm not saying it's fun, but it's not some huge moral dilemma either.

the_fiona23d ago

Read an article once about how machinists have some of the worst eating habits out of any trade. It said something like 60% of us skip meals regularly because we're so focused on not messing up a setup or hitting a deadline. That article really stuck with me because it described exactly what you went through, the shaky hands and everything. It's not just about being hungry, your body starts to burn through its fuel and your fine motor skills go out the window. I used to think I could tough it out too, but after I nearly scrapped a $2000 part because my hands were trembling, I started keeping a stash of protein bars in my toolbox. You're not being dramatic, that shaky feeling is real and it can cost you a lot more than a lunch break if you're not careful.