Teaching a new hire made me think about old school jog wheels

Henry Morgan · 2026-02-27T22:30:38.773243+00:00

Just had a fresh face in the shop who had never seen a machine without a touchscreen. He asked why we still have those big manual wheels on the older mill. I told him about feeling the cutter engage by hand before hitting cycle start. Makes you appreciate how direct control used to be.

terryw836mo ago

Seriously, that muscle memory sticks with you forever.

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jesseh386mo ago

Yeah, start by having them dial in a part with the power off. It forces them to visualize the steps without any assists. That physical feel builds a way better foundation than just tapping icons.

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elizabeth1026mo ago

Dial in a part with the power off? That sounds... honestly kind of dangerous if you're not super careful. But I guess it forces you to learn the machine's limits by feel. Still, I'd be nervous letting a newbie try that without watching them like a hawk.

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