Business of Machining

TOPICS: 5-Axis Machining Generatively Designed Parts Tool life troubleshooting & solutions Steep & Shallow in Fusion 360 McMaster Coolant Filtration Solutions Relieved Shank Endmills Shrink Fit, Set Screw, & Pull-Stud Extenders   SMW & MACHINING A GENERATIVE DESIGN PART (Click Image to View Post) In January, NYC CNC made trucks for a Datron longboard with a combination of 3-ax...

Can you really optimize machining and happiness at the same time? This week John & John dive in to optimizing machining while staying happy and true to yourself. They also talk about hand editing lathe code and threading tips on the lathe. Saunders fuses ABS plastic together with acetone like a mad scientist and Grimsmo finally gets his swiss running after some issues.

THIS WEEK'S TOPICS:  Entrepreneurs Managing Business & Emotions Reliving KERN  Shop Tours | Onsrud, Hendrick Motorsports, and Stewart-Haas Racing CAMplete | Workflows & Optimize Function  Datron NEO & Wazer for ProvenCut Speeds & Feeds Testing A Message from Justin K. Courtney | Tulster It's been 13 years and counting! Grimsmo relives how his spur-of-the-moment trip...

John & John go into some very deep discussion this week all about stress, happiness and finding continued motivation. How do you talk about past events and experience without sounding like you are whining? Finding the line and learning how to communicate in the early stages of growing a business. John Saunders visits YG1 and Onsrud endmill grinding factory! John Grimsmo goes all in on Kern tra...

Saunders and Grimsmo delve into entrepreneurial insecurity, how it impacts them, and ways to keep it in check. Now that the crazy month of January has passed, Grimsmo and his team are getting back into the swing of production. The Mori is up and running but there was a minor problem that caused them to scrap four knife handles. While it's not a huge deal, sometimes we forget about easy ways to iso...

This week John & John talk all about "The best decision is the one that will increase the customer's trust". They raise a great discussion about making decisions while being in the public eye and trying to make sure everyone is happy. We also do a deep dive into the new Grimsmo HQ. They talk all about leveling machines, measuring tools and mastering precision. You can find the book we referenc...

Plugged Into The Pipeline Having a brain trust is valuable to your business and personal growth. Whether it's social media, family, friends, a mentor, or a business/entrepreneurship group, the benefits are innumerable. Entrepreneurship bears a shocking resemblance to parenting, especially when it comes to receiving unsolicited advice. Your Win = Crap Shoot? Saunders shares memo that brings a new p...

John & John have a crazy busy week ahead. Saunders' dives into great detail about his first lathe sub spindle transfer. They both go into great detail about process and the fine tuning that goes into something like switching parts on a lathe. John Grimsmo goes over the plan for moving into the new shop next week! This includes getting the Kern that comes on Monday! Both Johns also touch on swi...

Less than a week into 2020, Grimsmo's new shop is ready to be outfitted with epoxied floors, water, electric, and air in the coming days and weeks. The floors have been shot blasted and the repairman is on his way to fix the heater. With the new shop being a 1-minute walk from the current one, it couldn't be more convenient. Excuse me, did you say, "Shot Blasted?" Now I know why it's called The E-...

Happy new year everyone! This week John & John talk machines, promises and expectations. Grimsmo Knives gets the keys to their new shop and the new Kern landed in Canada. This then sparked the conversation about the planning process with rigging new machines and the move in general. John Saunders all about "The Prepared" by Spencer Wright, which is a newsletter for "people working on real prob...

Merry Chipsmas and Happy New Year! 2020 is just around the corner and so are the Eumachs, the KERN, and the new shop! With a ton of micro-tasks that make up the larger task of changing locations, Grimsmo goes into tactical mode rather than focusing on the philosophical, big-picture of GK. Saunders notices an obvious but admirable difference between himself and his Canadian counterpart. Despite the...

This week both John's talk about the million dollar Kern Microtechnik coming to the Grimsmo shop! Both John's also touch on the Christmas holiday coming up and about being a parent! Saunders touches on past issues about having machines delivered to his shop and the entire process of getting new equipment. We talk in depth about learning advanced lathe work, things like Fusion 360, tool paths and w...

The guys muse about their leadership role and how seriously they take it. In order to be a better leader, you have to be willing to admit when things aren't going well--and that's not easy. Tasks and Tiffs! Grimsmo shares current sticking points in the shop: sharing responsibility and co-worker conflicts. Incrementally, he's delegating more tasks. When it comes to conflict, he finds it easy to und...

This week John & John talk about firing vendors and turning failure into a victory, and money can buy you options but not happiness. John G also confirms that the lease on the new building is confirmed and they are now in the planning stage. John S talks setting up his new Haas Lathe to run a new part.

Welcome to the Business of Machining Podca---I mean, Business of Machining PRIVATE conversation. What were things like for Grimsmo and Saunders pre Lockwood button? Saunders remembers a lot more daily struggles, precarious situations, lack of confidence, and FEAR. Have things really changed? Perfectionism = Double-Edged Knife A driving force for achieving excellence, perfectionism comes at a high...

This week both John's talk about how John Grimsmo crashed his swiss lathe. John Saunders talks about his class called "Growing Into 5 Axis at Autodesk University". They also touch on rigging and moving CNC equipment and a new tool management system that Saunders' created!

Entrepreneurial visions are known for being lofty, clearly defined, fixed ideas backed by extreme conviction. The truth is, visions evolve. Where you are now was probably an inconceivable thought back then. If you're thinking of becoming a manufacturing entrepreneur but don't know where to start, the guys have one simple piece of advice that can be the driving force for your business! Establishing...

This week we talk about new shops and the sometimes ugly process behind it. Also John Saunders finally gets a lathe! Other topics discussed this week are the beginning of their careers in the early YouTube days. Finally getting a part made right just feels so good! John Grimsmo talks about the Saga pen being in full effect. Saunders' Fanuc Robodrill is rocking hard, it is making him re-think the r...

ATTENTION: CALLING ALL PARKING LOT CIRCLERS! We want to feature YOU! If you're a Business of Machining podcast listener, send us an audio clip so we can add it to future episodes! Make sure to listen to this episode for further details! What's Up in Saundersland? John returns from Spectre EDM in Blue Ash, Ohio. "Good EDM Shops never cut corners (pun intended)." If you have any burning questions ab...

What would Scott Harms do? We all have people we look up to, and take cues from in our lives. For Saunders, of course, that person is a machinist. Saunders got to TOUR of MetalQuest in Hebron, Nebraska, so keep an eye out for that on his youtube channel Teaser: This guy is positive AND realistic! It’s a story of slow growth, but it’s very relatable as an entrepreneur.  GOOD VIBES Even though...

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Finding a space that fits your business but still allows room for growth can be tricky. The mammoth 26,000 sg ft building turns out to be a bust for Grimsmo. However, he's found THE ONE and it's PERFECT--as long as the concrete's deep enough (more on that later). You don't know what you don't know. Signing leases might seem casual and straightforward especially if you've per...

Taking it to the NEXT LEVEL  Should The Business of Machining be more than a conversation between machinist/entrepreneur buddies? Saunders and Grimsmo discuss what makes BOM stand out among podcasts, and how to be more clear in their intentions for the podcast.   Who can you trust?? To answer to your question “Be careful in this day and age because anybody will answer your question”...

SHUT IT DOWN FOR CMTS! Grimsmo and the gang are shutting down the shop and heading to CMTS to learn! Everyone has an eye out for things that could improve GK processes AND now that Grimsmo's in a 5-axis mindset, he's ready to absorb as much as possible. TIME SUCK/DISTRACTION? Although trade shows are fun and full of information, they can also steal time from your business. Attending a trade show c...

Buckle up for this EPIC episode of BOM! Saunders and Grimsmo both have a LOT to talk about as Grimsmo bargains for the shop of his dreams, and Saunders takes on multiple projects that each have BIG  implications and potential .  Behind the GrimsBRO scenes  When it comes down to it, Grimsmo Knives was started by two brothers, and they continue to make big business decisions together....

#INSTAMACHINIST WARM FUZZIES & GERMAN CHILL A simple, offhanded comment in episode 134 generates a heart-warming response from the machining community. Click Image Below to Check Out Original Post from Ignite Digi     Operation StickerBomb = Success! At first, Kern Microtechnik isn't about that sticker bomb life but when they realize that people aren't defacing property, they fully e...