PSA: I was setting my tool offsets wrong for months because of a bad habit

I kept getting tiny finish issues on aluminum parts, just a bit of chatter on the last pass. A guy I work with, Mike, watched me run a job and asked why I always touched off the tool with the spindle running. I said it was just how I learned. He had me stop the spindle, touch off gently, and my next part came out smooth as glass. That light contact with a spinning tool was giving me a false reading every single time. Anyone else pick up a bad habit like that early on?

4 comments

4 Comments

phoenix1492mo ago

Wait, so is it like a vibration thing?

jessem592mo ago

Yeah, Mike's tool just hates being watched.

ramirez.vera10d ago

OH for SURE it's a vibration thing but like, the TOOL is the one that's vibrating not the part. Mike said if he even LOOKS at the spin fixture wrong the readout goes from 0.001 to 0.015 in half a second. It's like that tool has a PERSONALITY. I swear some of these machines just hate being watched while they work, like a cat that won't sit still if you stare at it. Maybe Mike needs to put on some calming music for the tool next time, idk.

wren2302mo ago

Wow, that's wild. Did Mike say why the spinning tool messes with the reading so much?