Fishing Arizona & The Colorado River

I had hoped that making the transition from contracting to machining would allow me more time to “do things.” That has not been at all the case. Currently I am working seven (7) days a week only taking an occasional day off… like my birthday. Last year some things happened that put a further crimp on my time. This year I have two notes that will be paid off. One very shortly, and one later in the year. This will reduce some financial burdens significantly.

I’ve decided effective immediately I am going to take atleast one day a week off during the week no matter what. That doesn’t necessarily mean I will be fishing one day a week no matter what. I certainly hope I get out more often than I have the last couple years, but I have a lot of shop projects I’ve not had time to get to as well. Heck just cleaning up my shop will be a big personal morale boost. I work on it sometimes while jobs are running on the CNC machines, but often I am prepping stock or doing CAD/CAM work for the next job.

I want to make a monolithic steel top work bench with drawers (it will actually be sectional) down the entire 60 foot (18.2 meter) back wall of my shop. I have a little turret lathe with a native 5C spindle and lever operated collet closer I need to get working for some types of products. There are two CNC bridge mills I have accumulated the parts to build, but haven’t taken the time to get started. One for wood, and a more rigid one for larger mold plates and/or batch jobs. I also need to either repair or scrap my bigger (for me) Hurco mill. Heck I still haven’t even properly leveled the big (for me) 14 by 40 engine lathe in the back and I’ve had it for 6 years. Fortunately most of my parts are short. LOL. There is an unopened box of leveling feet on the floor next to it. Heck, there’s a nice off-road front bumper for my Jeep still in the box. I bought it 4 years ago.

My fishing area in the shop is an absolute mess, and I still haven’t decided on the best way to manage aluminum scrap.

One day a week I will take off from household chores and customer projects. Personal projects and fishing ONLY on that day. To that dumbass who thinks they’ll be clever and short cut my process by offering to pay me extra to work on their project that day, “F___ OFF!” I’m going to do what I WANT one day a week, and if you aren’t helping the door is that way.

I am also considering refusing more “custom” work. I won’t quit custom work, but I’ll do less of it.