My Dad Fritz (left) and Uncle Ed setting up the first EDM machine in Erie, PA sometime in the early 1960′s.
My Uncle Eddie had a very successful tool and die shop back in the 40′s,50′s and 60′s.
Their motto was “Precision is our practice, Production is the Result.”
Hmm. What exactly does that mean?
Because tool and die makers build molds, fixtures, and dies that pound out thousands of parts every day, it naturally follows that the more precise the mold, die, or fixture is, the better the parts will be that come out of it.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with and employing some great craftsmen. Yep, some of them were a real piece of work – but, boy were they ever good.
A “lead” mold maker – like me – oversaw the complete construction of all of my projects, some worth well over $100,000. Mistakes were to be avoided at all costs, as the further along you were – i.e. hundreds of hours working on one block of steel – the more costly they became. I would say that the average mistake in a tool room costs the company a minimum of about $2,000. And that’s the average. Look out for the REALLY big ones.
A “lead” guy oversees all of the work done by his apprentices, the machinists who are fabricating the mold base, and of course, the fitting-up and final assembly. Back in the day, our average mold took about 16 weeks to build.
The attributes of the best toolmakers I knew are as follows;
- Are good machinists
- Are very creative
- Are good at math
- Are extremely detail-oriented
- Can multi-task
- Can handle pressure
- Quality is more important than quantity
It’s no surprise that the trade is dying now, as the machines are much more accurate and the labor is much cheaper in Mexico and China.
But, boy…back in the day, these were some pretty smart guys.
About Phil KernerPhil Kerner is an Erie native who enjoys writing about his hometown and Penn State football. Phil is married to Heidi Parr Kerner aka "The Queen" and is the proud father of four sons: Matthew, Robert, Nicholas and Jordan.
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Dearest Phil: I just watched your videos for beginners and I´ve found them very helpful. I´m about to start a blog of my own. But as I browse through your blog I stumbled upon your post on Tool & Die Making. What can I say, My dad and his brother were both Machinists and had all of the attributes you mentioned in your post. My dad, Lauro Torres, stayed in Mexico, and had a long running workshop that specialized on air brakes for large trucks. And in his time had to refurbish many systems that were imported to keep those trucks moving. He knew lots about materials and could operate all the machinery of the shop with mastery. Something funny about him was that he could fix anything with a spot of soldering. My Uncle, José “Pepe” Torres, made a life in The States. He worked many years for a company that produced rockets, space rockets, can´t remember the name, up near Seattle. He used to say his department made the engineers´dreams come true, as his department produced the prototypes for testing the rockets designs. They were both lots of fun and enjoyed their work immensely. Thanks for reminded me of this since its not often people recognize this kind of specialized work. Today, as you point out, there is still creativity and knowledge involved, but things have changed dramatically. Ellos sabían el oficio- They knew the trade! Cheers!