Overheard a shop foreman say 'the machine doesn't lie' after a bad part

Nora Garcia · 2026-03-25T09:20:06.54164+00:00

I was grabbing a part from the QC bench yesterday and heard the foreman tell a new guy, 'The machine doesn't lie, but your setup might.' He was pointing at a scrap piece with a bad finish. It made me stop and think about how often I blame the tool or the material first. I realized I should always double-check my own work before anything else. Has anyone else had a simple comment like that change their approach?

jamierodriguez6mo ago

What's the most expensive mistake you've made by blaming the tool first? That mindset can cost a lot in wasted time and material.

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charles5085mo ago

Blame your setup first, your tools second.

5

christopher_wilson6mo ago

Honestly that reminds me of a guy who kept swearing his tape measure was off. Turns out he was reading it wrong for like a month.

0