Pet Peeve : The Term "hobby machinist"

Sorry ... but I can't really hold it in any longer.
NOTE: The views expressed here are my personal opinions ... and do not reflect the opinions of the entire Kentech Inc. family.

Can you be a "hobby plumber"?
... Or a "hobby carpenter"?
... Or a "hobby electrician"?
... Or a "hobby engineer"?
... Or a "hobby nurse"?
... Or a "hobby dentist"?
... Or a "hobby soldier"?

I think not.

Over the past 34+ years I have worked hard at my career as a machinist. In addition to being an accomplished CNC programmer who learned that part of my trade in Japan and as an Applications Engineer for Mori Seiki USA among other prominent machine tool builders ... I can operate manual and CNC lathes including VTL's ... manual and CNC milling machines including both vertical and horizontal mills ... OD, ID, surface and cylindrical grinders ... open side planers ... manual boring mills ... drill press ... basically, if you stick me in front of a metalworking machine, I can make you what you want. I can grind and create the cutting tools I need to machine the metal and I can accurately measure the metal I am machining using the measuring tools of my craft.

Picture of my grandfather ...
working at his craft.

Like my father before me, and his father before him ... I am a skilled craftsman who earned the title of Class "A" Machinist through hard work and the perfecting of my craft. I am skilled at my craft because I was taught by machinists ... labored hard ... and learned my craft. I EARNED THE TITLE OF MACHINIST AND WEAR IT PROUDLY. I BUILD THINGS ... QUALITY THINGS ... OUT OF METAL. MACHINISTS MAKE THIS WORLD MOVE.

It appears however, that people would like to degrade my craft ... to allow anyone who tinkers with cutting metal ... to label themselves as a "hobby machinist". I'm flattered that you take pride in the term "machinist" so much that you would like to flatter yourself with that title. However ... IF YOU STRAP A ROUTER TO SOME HARDWARE AND CUT SOME MATERIAL IN YOUR BASEMENT ... YOU ARE NOT A MACHINIST. AND YOU CAN'T SOMEHOW PLACE YOURSELF IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS A MACHINIST BY SIMPLY PLACING THE LABEL "HOBBY" IN FRONT. Just like if you put a band-aide on a cut you couldn't call yourself a "hobby nurse" .... or just because you floss your teeth, that doesn't make you a "hobby dentist".

In the same vane ... you may be a programmer of CNC machinery if you play with G code programming ... but if your CAD/CAM writes the program for you and you have no or little understanding of what the G code means or does ... YOU ARE NOT A CNC PROGRAMMER ... you're a CAD/CAM operator.

So please ... if you have not EARNED the title of MACHINIST ... don't use it ... don't degrade the craft ... don't place yourself in a group without EARNING your place in the group. You can certainly be labelled a metalworker if you work with metal ... or a woodworker if you work with wood ... but that doesn't make you a MACHINIST ... not even a "hobby machinist" ... whatever the hell that is.

... IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New Release : Enhanced Integration for KipwareTP® - CNC Toolpath Plotting Software

Kentech Inc. has released version 9.2.0 of our KipwareTP® - Editor and CNC Toolpath Plotting software.

Along with enhanced performance features ... this version includes a tighter integration between the full KipwareTP® text editor ... and the Plotbox where the G code to be plotted to the screen is stored. One of the unique features of KipwareTP® is the ability of the user to edit / alter the G code to be plotted directly in the Plotbox ... editing the G code "on the fly". When the full Editor is being used ... previous versions required the user to SAVE the edited file before loading it into the Plotbox. Version 9.2.0 includes a new option in the Editor that will automatically send the current contents of the Editor directly to the Plotbox in one step ... saving of the file is not required first.

KipwareTP® eliminates all the fluff, hassle and inconvenience of full blown simulation software and offers the Real World CNC programmer a fast, efficient and effective tool for G code verification. KipwareTP® is sold as a stand alone application and is also included free as a companion application with all Kipware® conversational software.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Dump the Limited, Under-developed, Not Supported so called "G Code Wizards"

Go Pro with Kipware® Conversational !!

New Releases for KipwareM® and Kipware® SketchPad

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of new features for both KipwareM® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling and the Kipware® SketchPad - Conversational CAD/CAM Software.

Kipware® SketchPad :
New feature released regarding the Element List Box that include :

• Ability to scroll through the elements in the listbox and have the element highlighted out in the drawing during scrolling.
• Ability to highlight an element in the listbox ... press the E key ... and then edit the element for revision.
• You can review these features in video format by CLICKING HERE or by going to the Kipware® Video Training webpage.

KipwareM® :
New DXF import feature released :

• Added the ability to import point / hole locations from a DXF file into the hole locations in the conversational HOLE menu.
• All POINT entities in the DXF will be auto-imported as X/Y hole locations and will be auto-added to the list of holes to be included in the G code program / cycle.

All features as listed above are shipping standard for KipwareM® as well as the Kipware® SketchPad as of 5/9/2014.

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

Don' be fooled by simple, limited, under-developed

G code "wizards" ...

Go Pro with Kipware® Conversational !!