Dallas Buchanan

My Background

I was brought up in my father’s three businesses, was taught business first hand from nine years old.. Dad regularly brought me down to his work in Chicago starting at four years old, very educational. He put me on a thread grinder in the summers at 15 years old till I went to college at 18.

Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, CA
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
USC
Major Studies: Education and Psychology
Minor Studies: Mechanical Engineering and the sciences.
I remembered taking a mechanical reasoning test in a college physics class and getting a higher score than the Professor had ever seen, what ever that meant!
I completed the Dale Carnegie Course at 27.

During my last years with Dad, I set up a second shift, which included three new employees. It was very successful. Several times a week, during the day, I handled outside sales. At 22 I returned to help my father again because he said he needed me.

I got married to a woman with 5 children (including a set of twin girls). When we had another set of twin boys a year and three months later I decided to start D. I. Buchanan Cylindrical Grinding (35 miles east of Los Angeles). Dad said He would help me. Got me Screwmatic and Bechler Cams in Anahiem. Bechler Cams nearly doubled their business as their reputation for intricate “fussy” grinding grew. I was a sole proprietorship lasting 28 years using many unorthodox approaches. I learned to thrive on the most difficult jobs. Developed a reputation for it. At Ampex, I was in their computer in engineering, “that if they were unable to get a particular part manufactured and ground, to call Buchanan.”

When the Challenger exploded, one of NASA’s biggest parts and assembly producers some how found me and wanted me to regrind a group of gear pump shafts. I dealt mostly in high production with materials resistant to grinding. I produced them at rates twice that of the generally accepted norm, using special created coolant and coolant applications with special wheels I worked with a wheel company to design. I used mechanical fixturing and handling ideas finding a way to do almost every part between male or female centers, ball centers, etc. Held most work to called out tolerances from .0001 to .0003 with corresponding concentricity and finishes on diameters ranging from .043 X .040 in length to .750 X 12 inches (have ground up to 9 inch diameters). .002 to .004 fillet radius’ in 440C, etc. On a 50,000 pc. order for Peer Bearing we ground a .078 wide groove X .062 deep holding .030 fillet radius’ max. with a 32 micro finish, .010 root tolerance creating no appreciable burrs on a 1.378 O.D. and produced 3840 pieces in an eight hour shift on one machine using one operator and one back up person. Material was 52-100, using a 12 in. resinoid wheel and we did this on a hand operated precision O.D. grinder 10 x18 inch between centers. My last endeavor in 1998 was duplexing class 3 (C-3) standard deep groove ball bearings still assembled to 0.00005 tolerance. The bearing industry has been trying to do this inexpensively on ball bearings for 55 years. All in any material you can think of i.e. A286SS, 440-C, 304SS, 17-4ph, titanium, inconel, allumel, etc.

Experiences and Interests:

I fathered eight children. Six graduated from leading universities with honors. Seven are married; one is not, she is always hoping. From 9-12 years of age, I was a member of the Pasadena Boys Choristers. A very elite group that toured. I was a soloist, which included singing for two seasons with the San Francisco Opera Company in 15 performances when they came to Los Angeles.
I was an athlete of note in high school and college. At one point being the sixth man in history to achieve a specific mark. In my third year in college, I was voted the most consistent. In the six years I competed, three in high school, I won four state championships, losing only twice, breaking all school and relay records.
For many years, I enjoyed coaching and teaching athletes, and teaching in the church. Occasionally I completed in my event up to 37 years of age. I enjoy a good game of tennis.
In my forties I did theater. Acting and singing, and took an additional eight years of voice training. I worked with two Light Opera Companies doing some leading roles (principle characters). I really enjoy public performance and speaking.
I am still involved in the church.
I took my business to Cleveland for 13 years; I was a member of the Cleveland J.C.’s and a member of the Lion’s Club.

I truly enjoy life.

Letter of welcome:
I am so proud to welcome Jim Cadilli.
As the retired owner and president of Quintesco, Inc., Jim Cadilli brings a vast array of experience, wisdom, and expertise to us.

With my having to face this new flush-grinding project, it is with great joy to
have Jim choose to spend his retirement years here with us. The interest he has
shown and contributions are beyond value. He has come onboard from a long-
standing mutual friendship dating from our first years as business owners. We
worked within a block of each other for 17 years. Our businesses were
complementary at times. He is a prime investor here and senior consultant, head of quality control and inspection. In that time we each dealt with some of the most challenging projects in the field. I believe his experience and expertise is
rivaled by no one that I have known.

Dallas Buchanan Jr.
 

James S. Cadilli

My early training came from two years of machine shop in high school followed by two years of tool and die making at Pasadena City College, two years of apprentice machinist at Sho-Fel Machine Tool Co. in San Gabriel, CA. In the Army I spent 6 weeks in the United States Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground (USAOC) in their school of machining; this was followed by service in the 13th Ordinance Co, Fort Bliss, Texas at El Paso. Upon discharge as Special 1st Class in charge of Field Operations, Support of the Nike and Corporal missiles, I became leadman at Sho-Fel (a job shop for commercial aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Northrop, etc.) in charge of lathe department. My three years at Turbo Machine Co., Monrovia, CA, was followed by two years as Machinist Lathe Operator in charge of Special Projects, which included projects on Project Mercury and Apollo Capsules, and the Space Shuttle, AeroJet Mark 46 Torpedo, Tri-star Satellite.  Turbo Machine owners retired which spawned my formation of Quintesco, Inc. wherein I advanced precision prototype machining and special projects.

In my current retirement, I am devoting my energies to consulting, inspection, quality control, and  special projects with  Dallas Buchanan.