Yeah, you're right about the chill mix-up. Seen that white iron happen when the mold was too cold before the pour even started. On those big gears, if the sprue starts to crust over, that's when you gotta pour like your life depends on it.

Seriously, @wendy978? Three times already?

Actually, that warped board might be fixable! Putting it under some heavy books for a few days can flatten it out pretty well. I had a Monopoly board that was a total mess, and that method saved it. Just make sure the room isn't too humid when you try it, or it'll just warp again. Would be a shame to use a game board as a coaster if it can be saved.

Wait, you found a spot like that on Lake Michigan? That's crazy, I've been going up there for years and it's always so crowded. How did your friend even know about those flat rocks?

That line about understanding metal better... it hits home. We tried skipping manual training for a few new hires and they just don't get why feeds and speeds matter the same way. You can see the gap when something goes wrong on the VMC and they have no feel for the fix. Starting on a manual machine builds a kind of basic sense you can't get any other way.