Action Tool

Why you should never wash your jeans

Laundry is inevitable, but thankfully there are people like Levi’s CEO and President Chip Bergh who want to make our lives a little easier. According to him, you should never wash a pair of jeans. Ever. While this may prompt noises of disgust from those are less-then-enamoured by the idea of walking around in dirty clothes, Mr Bergh explained that he "spot cleans" any stains with a toothbrush.

Why we will no longer be a welcoming church

We’ve decided to quit being a welcoming church. No kidding. We’re giving it up. Like so many congregations, we’ve sunk an amazing amount of time and energy into becoming a welcoming church. We changed worship styles, trained greeters and ushers, wore name tags, brewed coffee, went to workshops on hospitality and put our friendliest people …

Why almost every pair of jeans has a zipper that says ‘YKK’

If you look closely at the zipper on your pants right now, odds are that it has 3 letters engraved on the tab: "YKK." But what does it mean?

Why I Don’t Drink Budweiser…and Why I’m Not Alone

Budweiser has always been far more about marketing than beer. The founder of Anheuser Busch, Adolphus Busch, refused to drink his own brew, calling it “that slop” (he was German, of cou…

Should a Machine Shop Have a Blog?

I am revising my opinion about machine shops and blogging. Here's why.

11 Great Ideas for Machine Shops

Forward-thinking machine shops must watch for emerging technologies. Here are 11 ideas we found this week for set-up, tooling, machining, and shop operations.

New Machine Shop Ideas Emphasize Productivity, Flexibility, Connectivity

Productivity, flexibility, and connectivity have simple meanings and big implications for machine shop operators and machine tool programmers.

Study Finds Brass Has Profit Potential for High-Speed Machine Shops

For machine shops with high-speed equipment already on the floor, brass represents an opportunity to capture new profits they might otherwise miss with other materials, according to the study.

The Ultimate Guide to Improving Machine Shop Efficiency

Making everything work together synchronously and efficiently is a balancing act

CNC Machine Shop Reaps Benefits of Hiring an IT Person

A database guru combined off-the-shelf technology with an elaborate proprietary shop management software to drive efficiency throughout all areas of a machine shop.>

The 4 Essential Tips For Safety In Your CNC Machine Shop

Building a Better Business: Lessons for Machine Shops From an Unexpected Source

Learning how to be a great manufacturer by listening to the insights of a different industry, homebuilding (which perhaps is not so different after all).

High-Precision, High-Efficiency Ideas for Machine Shops

Precision is at the core of every effort in every machine shop, not simply to complete turning, grinding, milling, etc. with exceptional accuracy and finish quality — but to get every task, every problem, every idea or inquiry addressed effectively, efficiently and profitably. No wasted steps, no missed opportunities.

Which is Your Favorite European Hand Tool Brand?

How to remove broken, rusted studs (with a full machine shop)

With summer just around the corner, you should probably start putting the final pieces on your winter project. For some, that could mean finally getting the broken studs out of those rare dual exhaust ...

Machine shop helps students find success

College is not for everyone.The Temple Independent School District acknowledges this. They have developed different paths for students which still allow them to reach their goals and find success.

What is this hand tool? Hazard a Guess!

This hand tool is a mystery to its owner. Can you help us figure out what it is?

Metal AM in a Machine Shop? Ask the Marines

A hybrid system combining metal 3D printing with machining gives the Marine Corps perhaps its most effective resource yet for obtaining needed hardware in the field. It also offers an extreme version of the experience a machine shop might have in adding metal AM to its capabilities.

Hand Tools Rule When You Follow Hand Tool Rules!

Using hand tools requires some special safety precautions. Federated Insurance shares some tips for keeping you safe on the job.

Hand tools: What’s the right size for you?

If you’re not giving much thought to how you choose hand tools, you should. That’s the message the Center for Construction Research and Training (also known as CPWR), via its choosehandsafety.org website, wants you to keep in mind.