Instructions

was out of choices. I learned by staying up late, working my ass off and making costly
mistakes. I would have given my left you-know-what if I had something like this to read
rather than reading the junk written by professors trying to prove how smart they were to
other professors rather than attempting to teach their own students.
Sherline customers want to build components
I saw the customer who was going to read these instructions as a person who wasn't
particularly interested in computers or gadgets and was only interested in making parts. I
believed they were curious about CNC and wanted to learn about it without spending too
much money. They probably haven't tried to learn how to do something this complicated
in the last 20 years. Remember that CNC is a new way of doing and thinking about the
machining process, and I believe I’ll help get your brain in tune with what you are about
to learn with my ramblings.
Learning while you work
A student of this class could be already working at the trade. Words of advice for this
group: You can’t afford to have idle thoughts as you load parts on machines that other
people set up and wrote the programs for unless you are satisfied to load parts for the rest
of your life.
First study the mechanical part of the setup; things like how the part is held and the type
of cutting tools used and how long they last. You have to show some initiative and start
analyzing the program you are running and ask intelligent questions. Notice, I said
intelligent questions. Bosses are usually smarter than you think they are, and they easily
know when some when clown is pulling their chain. Don’t ever make suggestions unless
you are sure you are right. A better way to make a suggestion of this type is to ask them
just why the job is set up or run the way it is rather than your way. That way you’re not
threatening them with your question, and they’ll appreciate a chance to teach you if you
are wrong. If you find out you were wrong, it gives you a way out by saying that you
were sure that they must have had a good reason. It wouldn’t hurt to let that rule work its
way into your personal life.
When you start studying their programs, you’ll find them written like a story. Just like a
book, the better the author, the easier the program is to read. Each tool used will have its
own chapter. (In the real world of machining you’ll run few machines without automatic
tool changers.) Study these chapters one at a time and watch what the machine does as
the program advances. In case you didn’t realize it, I’m also instructing all you hobbyist
out there on how to organize your programs and setups. Plan them like someone else is
going to run the job and pick apart your own work. If you don’t, you might find yourself
trying to machine your vise off the table.
Getting you into the learning mode
I also felt that people of this type would want to read something about what they are in
store for before they started. I wanted my customers to understand just how difficult CNC
programming can be to learn at the start and just how interesting it can be at the same
time. In other words, I felt “Joe home machinist” doesn't stand a chance unless he's
inspired to do so, and in my own way I’m trying right now to inspire you to learn how to
program and use these marvelous new CNC machines. I know how easy it is for you to
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