What have you bought recently?

My new hand soap bottle :)
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Naturally said:
Cool Beans !!! :cool:

I used to work as a machinist. Programmed and operated CNC machining centers ... until they advanced me up to supervisor
On the job 47yrs ago. Had to change careers. Couldn't work all day everyday tied to an inside job. Was good experience though
Picture was in the Sunday edition of the local fish wrapper. Last name blocked for online security

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Cool!!! I'm very familiar with CNC machines!
 
At a Walmart Neighborhood Market, a $2.98, 90 ounce plastic bottle of "Great Value" apple juice without added sugar. Despite being inexpensive, and without added sugar, it tastes fine. Can't help but notice the large shelf space for that juice item that tends to show others agree.
 
Trila said:
Cool!!! I'm very familiar with CNC machines!
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The machine I'm working at in the photo is a Monarch VMC-150 that used a General Electric controller. Haven't kept up with the technology but 47yrs ago, the controllers worked off programs on punch tapes.

I was one of the first 20 people hired to work there. That Monarch was brand spanking new. The shop foreman tossed me a programmers manual and a stack of blueprints and said learn how to program that machine to produce these machined castings.

Took about 3-4 days to figure things out. Every time I made a new program, I'd use a flexowriter to make a paper tape, Then I'd dry run the program on the machine. Once the program was assured, I transferred the program from paper tape to mylar tape.

Was a lot of fun to figure all that stuff out and make it as efficient as possible.
The shop had both conventional machine tools, lathes, mills, OD grinders etc etc and CNC machining centers.

I worked in most areas of that shop at one time or another before being promoted to supervisor. I was being groomed for advancement. Even had a desk in the front office for a time, from which I worked as a parts expediter but was glad to get back into the shop. One of the guys I'd trained and worked with would eventually become shop foreman, long after I left there.

I took a weeks vacation to the Bahamas during my 5th year at that shop and returning, I just couldn't get back into it. I was "ruined" :ROFLMAO: ... I wanted to see the world and in the military I did see a good part of it.
 
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Naturally said:
@Trila ... just to add ... I'd previously worked as a Draftsman for Golden's Foundry & Machine Co in Columbus Georgia. They were founded in the 1800's and still viable today. I was the only draftsman they had at the time and Sonny Grantham, the chief engineer, told me to stick it out for 10yrs until he retired and I'd be moved up to his position. I was 21 ... 10yrs was half a lifetime and seemed forever :ROFLMAO: Besides, those were the days before autocad and I was tied to a drawing table ALL day drawing blueprints by hand. I didn't like the job and it was wearing on my fingers and wrist. AND I missed the old friends and haunts of my hometown.

SOoooo ... moved back home and found the job as a machinist. The drafting background helped out immensely with prints for parts to be machined and helped understand programming requirements for the CNC machining centers.

Gave all that and more up for a military career. Serving my country as a career was the best decision I ever made.

Oh and in the military, I maintained and repaired electronic equipment. Mainframe computers, display consoles and ancillary devices. Repairing circuit boards down to the component level ... until I was advanced to a supervisor (Chief Petty Officer) position.
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Personally, I never cared much for circuit board involvement. I did it for a while, but only because it was required.

I also did electrical testing on connectors for the TOW missiles and nuclear missiles.....ho-hum. 🥱

I really enjoyed working with the "hands on" measuring, using various precision equipment, and reading blue prints!

I remember having a job interview, with the owner of one of the Aerospace companies. He thought very highly of himself. He handed me a gimble, and asked me if I could read the blueprint for that part. I just looked at him and said "I don't know, you haven't shown me the blueprint". He told me I passed the first test. 😅

Next, he told me that there was something wrong with the gimble. He would give me the blueprint and a quiet place to work, I was to find the mistake and tell him what was wrong.

The blueprint had so many expanded views that it had 8 pages. I found the mistake in 5 minutes (cross hole on the opposite side of where it should have been).

Yep! I got the job! LOL

Ah, yes.....glory days!!
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I enjoyed electronic maintenance and repair. It was clean work in climate controlled spaces. And I guess I got pretty good at it, although I've forgotten more than I now know :ROFLMAO:. Been almost 20yrs since I retired from the military. Prior to reporting to the fleet, the Navy even sent me off to Mare Island in Vallejo California for 2yrs of Advanced Electronics Schools ... then back there again when between duty stations, for another year of specialized training.

Heck I got so much schooling, I picked up a 1615 Systems NEC (Navy Education Code) ... and that qualification provided monthly Pro Pay on top of my military pay when I was deployed to a ship and I would serve aboard four ships during my military career while visiting over two dozen different countries. Spent 12yrs at sea and 8yrs at shore facilities.

And re-enlistment bonuses were generous for those in electronics. Guess they wanted to keep us with so much time invested in schooling and such. I was branch Leading Petty Officer and an instructor at the schools command in Dam Neck Virginia when selected for advancement to Chief.

Could have turned all that electronics stuff and my Secret clearance into something in the civilian world but after 20yrs I'd had enough of it ... and too, I'd promised myself I'd never work for someone else ever again ... and I haven't.

But what you did @Trila sounds WAY above my paygrade :cool: Good Job !!! Bravo Zulu !!!
 
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This award describes my last job in the military before retiring ...
As Combat Systems CS-5 & CS-6 Division Leading Chief Petty Officer, during my time aboard the JFK aircraft carrier, I was in charge of about 130 sailors ... good times :ROFLMAO: There were several other Chiefs that helped with that, but I was Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO). And I worked for a slew of people HA ... a Master Chief in charge of Combat Systems as a whole, and then there were a few Naval Officers in charge of all of us. One of which was a Captain that signed this award.

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Spent $60 on real food, except $11 for kitty litter. The total was $100, but my Kaiser card paid for $40. Yay for Kaiser card. Other than that, I haven't spent any money in days and days.

Now that I'm "retired," I gotta watch the pennies. Retired? Let's say unemployed instead. We'll wait and see if I can manage to stay that way.
 
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