That''s what I''m trying to build. I don''t know where the critical speed is that inspires such madness and communion, and life, really, but I know the table metal working just might find it. and when that critical level of intensity is reached, there will be conversations, sculptures, readings, and parties like never before. less than a month on the road, on a hot day in late february, the grungy banditos nervously approached the inspection station at the arizona border. they were driving a table. they were about to get busted.having spent the last week crossing the mojave, scott, my friend and copilot for the first thousand miles, and i were grungier than usual, and the table looked down right impossible to have a respectable conversation around. the left rear tire had lost half its air and the land-boat listed dangerously. the windshield had long since fallen out, somewhere, i think, between barstow and bakersfield. although we''d duct taped the windshield frame back together, we''d jammed the wiper switch on, so that the blue wipers waved incessantly in empty space. such working and drill quantities of chili beans, bacon grease, and wine had spilled on the table that, as we slowed down to be inspected, a great swarm of flies descended upon us. i peered press through the bugs splattered on my safety glasses at the fine specimen of authority blocking working with metal our way. we had been stopped several times already and i was wondering how in the world were we going to convince him that the table, despite appearances, was a socially responsible invention designed to foster a utopian sense of community.

whenever i visit foodservice manufacturers'' factories or trade shows, i am amazed at how little engineers--the working people drill charged with designing and improving equipment--know about the realities of how press customers metal working use and maintain equipment.some of the blame must fall directly on manufacturers for not providing their engineers more opportunities to make field trips and site visits to operating kitchens. how many working manufacturers ask their engineers and designers actually to work inside a busy kitchen for a few days so that they can fully appreciate how their equipment is used and cared for? have you ever seen an engineer observing a service agency drill trying to fix the equipment they designed? do they recognize the challenges service folks face everyday? it is clear that learning and understanding from the manufacturers'' side could be greatly improved, but receiving an education from purchasers and users is equally press important.

©2003 www.drill-press.net All rights reserved.