Business of Machining

There Ain't No Rest for the....Knife Maker? Grimso's dragging from pulling a 14.5 hour shift to get the SAGA ready for Blade Show! Speaking of Blade Show, it's TODAY! Gathering the team with pens in pockets, GK heads to Atlanta, GA for the World's Largest Knife Show --and it's going to be his best year yet! If you're headed there, make sure to stop by table 948 to find them! Tolerances on Tol...

GOOD OL' TUG AND PULL Grimsmo's laser focus on the SAGA means that attention to other business areas may be lacking a teensy bit. Machinist Woes The pieces and parts of your business are running like clock-work but something's missing. Easy Answer: Get a dose of SPINDLE THERAPY! Following the SAGA of the SAGA? If you listen closely, you'll hear the sound of awesome ! Blade Show is fast approaching...

Saunders is in Connecticut for a Yamazen/Matsuura event. A new technical center was opened; there’s going to be lots of learning to do! Getting info is great--but info for the sake of info isn’t always a good use of time. You’ve got to know when to get your head out of that Rabbit hole! At the end of the day, you’re making parts, and only need to know so much before getting started. GRIMSMO PEN PR...

*YAWN* Saunders is s bit sluggish from last night's informative and intoxicating brain picking session after a DMG event in Chicago . At a customer panel, Devon--1186 mfg and Albert from Machined Concepts share their stories and some food for thought: 5-Axis isn't just for one-offs or complex parts! A great deal of people are using 3+2 machining in a production environment, which is a great way to...

Hiring is RISKY business... But Grimsmo’s gotten super lucky so far! Saunders points out that Skye might just have been Grimsmo’s riskiest hire, but so far it’s all good! How long should it take before hiring = more product produced? First it’s necessary to get a system set up! Grimsmo is in the midst of switching from temporary solutions to permanent solutions. Looks like it’s time to talk ERP SY...

New INTERN for Grimsmo Knives! At the risk of making the podcast solely congratulatory, Saunders gives his pal a pat on the back. GK Mother of Pearl Video FAST LEARNERS? New people at the shops seem to learn at an alarming rate but processes viewed through a 10-year learning experience lens seem more complicated than they truly are. If it's easy to learn, that's a good sign! Revising the Welcome G...

IT’S JOH TIME! And no, that’s not just John’s name misspelled. The Grimsmo team took a field trip to the 2018 Joint Open House last week!   Trip Notes: Have your codes and questions ready on the cloud. There are SO many people with answers there! Sweet to see an MX 330 in the flesh metal Spent 5 hours at Elliott Matsuura Checked out the Robodrill for a half hour Keep an eye out for the 2018 J...

Even amidst the morning grogg, the Johns still manage to talk big picture. Today, is a Matsuura day and MAM-OH-MAM it's going to be awesome. While Saunders is in Connecticut to learn about values that drive Matsuura, Grimsmo heads to the Elliot Matsuura Joint Open House with his team to check out the BROTHER SPEEDIO S700X1. everybody's workin' for the weekend ...but the MAM72 works ON the weekend....

Grimsmo’s wish list is GROWING! He's lapping up a ton of information about Lapping Machines as the Grimsbros get “pickier with age.” And hey, a diamond grit is a Grimsmo’s best friend! Another thing on his wish list is a profilometer , to help measure the smoothness of the each blade’s surface. Machining in Ohio vs. California vs. Australia. What’s the difference ? Should you invest in an ERP syst...

GOOOOD MORNING GRIMSMO! Lego Batman and Knife #1000 make for an awesome start to the day. Between us, this knife is gonna be a MOTHER! Knife #1000 on IG Saunders decreases his RPM, which goes hand in hand with meeting his goal for less stress. ALLERGIC TO LEAN Maybe you've had a bad experience or maybe it's got too much hype --Lean may not sound sexy to some but when it's under the franchise lens,...

If winter is over, how can Saunders get chilled out? By CHILLING OUT in Australia, of course. Saunders is back from his 12 day vacation with his wife, and is totally mellowed out, dude, but ready to get back to work.   What was the hardest part for Saunders about being away from the business? Taking a vacation from Social Media Town. Challenge accepted: how long can you go without using YOUR...

Today, the Johns are 1000 miles away --literally! Well, 15130 km or 9400 miles to be more exact. Saunders Soup for the Soul While in Sydney, Austrailia for the Next Generation Manufacturing event with Autodesk, he allows himself to detach, de-stress, and be in the moment. Woosah, for sure! The GK team is on track to smash their best-month-ever record yet again! Spending a day cutting foam means en...

The podcast flashback last week sent the John’s into a whirlwind of comments about what they were up to around Christmas time. It’s amazing how much changes in just a few months!   Is there a monetary value to time? “There are two limitations in life, time and money” - Saunders As it turns out, time-related stress doesn’t just stress you out, but also your wallet!   So, would spending th...

Today we're time traveling back to December 20th, 2017. This episode is the ultimate podcast throwback! Saunders tiptoes around a sabotage situation. While success and influence are perceived as a threat to others, keep doing what you love with good intentions. End of Year Reflection Teamwork makes the dream work. While certain employees may not generate direct revenue, long term, they increase ma...

Grimsmo returns from L.A. beaming with excitement after meeting with producers in Hollywood and touring Pierson Workholding. Good friends tell you what you want to hear...best friends tell you what you NEED to hear. Like a best friend should, Saunders offers Grimsmo his full support and genuine concern.  Hollywood can make AND break you, especially if you're not privy to its cut-throat nature...

The John’s celebrate Valentine's Day with episode 54 of the podcast, but Saunders doesn’t have much love for the accounting frustrations he experienced in the past week. What is the AUTOSWEEP function on Paypal? Stay tuned for a video from Saunders. Grimsmo’s Lean Machining Lifestyle Angelo frees up time for Grimsmo to make improvements to the shop. How can you minimize wasted time and effort by g...

Yesterday, the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched.  For all of us, it is a testament to our ability to keep pushing the limits.  Make sure you DON'T PANIC!   Saunders receives an intoxicating opportunity but it takes a while for the gravity to hit. Check out the post HERE !   PAY THOSE DUES Although tips for success are plastered everywhere, they won't be enough...

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUSINESS OF MACHINING!** Machine for 10 years, clean your coolant once. Grimsmo is reunited with his lost chips in this recent Coolant Cleaning video .  Saunders proves his love for combining machining with IoT in the Air Compressor Text Alert video .  In a weekend long conversation on WhatsApp about 5-Axis with pallet pool, what used to seem like a trip to the moon is...

The business of the business of machining podcast  (you read that right) Although the podcast is first and foremost a conversation, the Johns realize its potential to evolve. Saunders gushes over his MHUB Chicago experience. To be clear, MHUB isn't JUST a maker's space. MHUB provides framework for businesses to succeed as well as make products! This year, in lieu of a traditional open house,...

The Business of Machining Podcast has hit the big 5.0.! That is, their 50th episode. Hunger: A Common Denominator for Successful Entrepreneurs Success requires more than making a product.  Remember: You are not an island and neither is your business.   Why are you an entrepreneur, anyway? Let’s just say, it’s not REALLY about the money...or is it? Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh offer...

"If we don't have fun, we die." - Grimsmo   A lack of fun and creativity could send you spiraling downward; away from the top of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs--a.k.a. the food pyramid of humanity.   For the 2018 Open House, Saunders Machine Works joins forces with MHUB to bring The Manufacturing Entrepreneurship Summit (MES) to Chicago, IL!   PERFECT TIMING The Manufacturing...

Dreaming of Air Bearings Air bearings do what?  Keep Grimsmo up all night, apparently!   Every Minute Counts Customer service inefficiencies suck away time and get Saunders into a funk. While some things are out of your control; one thing is certain: you do have the ability to make your own happiness.   Accounting - KNOW YOUR TICKS AND BOBS! Saunders and Grimsmo discuss pros and con...

Have a holly, jolly--uh, happy...Merry Christmas!     No matter how you say it, it's a time of reflection, peace, joy, and hope. Today's episode comes with a gift: NO MORE CRAZY LAG TIME.    Sometimes you gotta go  old-schoo l. Saunders uses sheets of paper to get ideas in order. Those little pieces of paper summon ideas to improve project organization. TACTILE INSTAG...

“Share 90% of what you do, and charge like heck for the last 10%” - Grimsmo’s dad Employer Vs. the employee. With businesses expanding, they research employee rights, benefits, and how to implement that into employment processes, agreements, and online business tools. Choosing software is daunting but when it comes to accounting, WAVE might give QuickBooks a run for its money.     ...

Is this real life?    Entrepreneurship is filled with surreal moments that  leave your head spinning in a good way--and sometimes they come full circle.   Grimsmo's secured downtime for projects pushed to the wayside during Norseman production.  Stay tuned for a new video detailing Erik's tumbler tweaks.    "It's on like Donkey Kong!" Grimsmo addresses rumor...