theperfessor
07-25-2014, 06:26 PM
I wanted to get my nephew apprentice back to work making another run of Lyman dies. Right now I can't get out to the shop very easily, and my apprentice hasn't ever set up my Haas CNC lathe on his own. I've always been somewhere in the shop where I could answer his questions. I could imagine him spending a lot of time walking back and forth between the house and shop. What to do?
My wife uses Facetime on her iPad to talk to her older brother, and my nephew's wife uses her iPad to talk to other family members. She doesn't use it during the day, so my nephew brought it over today and my wife set up my iPad and my nephew's also.
Wow, how handy! I could sit in my office and use my iPad and see and hear what was going on in the shop. It took a little while to set things up, but once we were connected and both of us were running through our Wifi server we stayed connected about 95% of the time. And when we lost contact it was automatically re-established, we never totally lost the signal.
Not perfect but better than any other CHEAP alternative, the technology is there in every later model iPad and iPhone. It didn't take very long for him to set up the tools and cut the first piece, which was right on the money. We plan to continue using this technology, so we will make some brackets or stands where we can mount an iPad to watch each machine. Also looking at a signal booster of some sort, the shop is right at the edge of our Wifi range.
I know everybody has their own comfort level with technology, and I can certainly see where trivial uses of technology turn many people off. But this is good stuff. How about using it to mentor a new caster/reloader halfway across the country? How about teaching someone how to run a lathe? I don't know how many times guys post of the desire to learn how to run a lathe or milling machine yet they don't know of anyone to teach them, it's hard learning from a book only, and there are no trade schools around. I know there are lots of internet video "how-to"s out there, but to see and hear in real time what is going on is invaluable.
Think about it, share your thoughts, but please if you're going to go all negative on new technology think about how you are sharing your opinion with the world.
My wife uses Facetime on her iPad to talk to her older brother, and my nephew's wife uses her iPad to talk to other family members. She doesn't use it during the day, so my nephew brought it over today and my wife set up my iPad and my nephew's also.
Wow, how handy! I could sit in my office and use my iPad and see and hear what was going on in the shop. It took a little while to set things up, but once we were connected and both of us were running through our Wifi server we stayed connected about 95% of the time. And when we lost contact it was automatically re-established, we never totally lost the signal.
Not perfect but better than any other CHEAP alternative, the technology is there in every later model iPad and iPhone. It didn't take very long for him to set up the tools and cut the first piece, which was right on the money. We plan to continue using this technology, so we will make some brackets or stands where we can mount an iPad to watch each machine. Also looking at a signal booster of some sort, the shop is right at the edge of our Wifi range.
I know everybody has their own comfort level with technology, and I can certainly see where trivial uses of technology turn many people off. But this is good stuff. How about using it to mentor a new caster/reloader halfway across the country? How about teaching someone how to run a lathe? I don't know how many times guys post of the desire to learn how to run a lathe or milling machine yet they don't know of anyone to teach them, it's hard learning from a book only, and there are no trade schools around. I know there are lots of internet video "how-to"s out there, but to see and hear in real time what is going on is invaluable.
Think about it, share your thoughts, but please if you're going to go all negative on new technology think about how you are sharing your opinion with the world.