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More from Vicki Bell
- From The Fabricator
'Cracks' in welds
- By Vicki Bell
- Mar 25, 2009
- Safety
- Blog Post
Are cracks in welds ever acceptable? Is the term 'crack' a misnomer for linear indications, hot tears, lack of fusion, and other weld characteristics, and are these characteristics acceptable? A recent issue of the "Welding Wire" e-newsletter featured an item that originally appeared in...
- From The Fabricator
'Why didn't I think of that?'
- By Vicki Bell
- Mar 18, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
When you think about it, we all have the ability to innovate. Our innovations can be as simple as coming up with a temporary "fix" for a problem until it can be handled properly. Those of us who work with computers are very familiar with this type of innovation; we call it a workaround. Sometimes,...
- From The Fabricator
'Alive and well'
- By Vicki Bell
- Mar 11, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
An item in yesterday's "Fabricating Update" e-newsletter described the dialogue surrounding reports of General Motors being more open to filing bankruptcy and the company's rebuttal that its stance on bankruptcy hasn't changed. This item concluded by noting that companies on the...
- From The Fabricator
Haphazardly throwing money away
- By Vicki Bell
- Mar 4, 2009
- Safety
- Blog Post
Several e-newsletters arrive in my inbox each week; I imagine the same is true for you. I don't always have time to read all of them as thoroughly as I'd like, but I do open them and scan to see if they contain something I need to make the time to read. The latest Occupational Health &...
- From The Fabricator
Extending a lifeline
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 25, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Did you watch President Obama's speech before Congress last night? According to CNN.com's Quick Vote, 27 percent of the nearly 140,000 survey respondents didn't watch. I have to confess that I'm one of the 27 percent. As I've said in the past, I prefer to read a speech...
- From The Fabricator
Rapid Creek Cutters—The second time around
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 24, 2009
- Shop Management
- Article
At a time when companies are thinning the worker ranks, many people may be thinking about going into business for themselves. Pat Burrington, the owner of Rapid Creek Cutters, has worked for others and for himself. He recommends the latter.
- From The Fabricator
When do we say enough already?
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 18, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
While my neighbors are circulating e-mails about the newly opened Irish pub that's within walking distance (conserve fuel and drown your sorrows) and notices about how to reduce the tax assessments on our homes—after all, our home values have dropped; one more reason to hit the...
- From The Fabricator
Just the facts - Down and dirty
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 11, 2009
- Automation and Robotics
- Blog Post
As I began this post, I had no idea what the title would be. I wanted something positive and, if not positive, at least not negative. How do you put the best possible spin on rotten news? Perhaps I should ask government officials or financial CEOs, who have a lot of experience laundering facts...
- From The Fabricator
Good news for Michigan
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 4, 2009
- Assembly and Joining
- Blog Post
If any state could use some good news, it's Michigan, which is on track to reach an unwelcomed milestone: 10 consecutive years—a full decade—of job losses. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that of the 49 metropolitan areas with a...
- From The Fabricator
Labor shortage - Point/Counterpoint
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 29, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
If you subscribe to the "Welding Wire" e-newsletter, you may have seen the comments in the January issue from a seasoned metalworker who questions whether the much proclaimed skilled-labor shortage really exists. His comments drew responses from those who wholeheartedly agreed with what he had to...
- From The Fabricator
A nice speech
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 21, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Whether or not you supported President Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, you have to admit that he gave a nice inaugural speech. I listened to the speech (streaming online video) and turned off inaugural coverage after the entire ceremony ended. I really am not interested in watching...
- From The Fabricator
A sound investment
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 14, 2009
- Assembly and Joining
- Blog Post
Scanning the metal manufacturing news this morning, I ran across a brief item that made me smile. Smiles from industry news don't occur often enough these days. They are almost as rare as receiving a love note from your credit card company that says your interest rate has been lowered because...
- From The Fabricator
'It's the economy, stupid'
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 13, 2009
- Shop Management
- Article
The annual "Fabricating Update" survey of metal fabricators about their main business concerns revealed that the economy, which edged out steel prices as the industry's leading concern in 2008, now outranks all other concerns by a huge margin. This latest survey also polled readers of "Stamping News Brief" and "Tube Talk" for an even greater sampling of the metal manufacturing industry.
- From The Fabricator
Bad news/good news in the in-box
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 7, 2009
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
In my e-mail in-box this morning was bad news from a friend who said that her company initiated a "major layoff" yesterday. The good news? She survived—at least this round. Two of her friends/co-workers were among those laid off. She's concerned about them and is doing what she can to...
- From The Fabricator
Ode to 2008
- By Vicki Bell
- Dec 17, 2008
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
'Twas a mere two weeks before the end of a year Filled with economic unrest and little to cheer Or so it would seem, as the headlines screamed "The sky is falling; this isn't a dream" Unemployment is growing and jobs are notAutomakers are sinking; credit is shot Politicians are...
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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