Machine Shop Mastery

Some manufacturing businesses grow because of timing, technology, or market opportunity. Others endure because of values. In this episode of  Machine Shop Mastery , I sit down with Bill Cox of Cox Manufacturing, a nearly 70-year-old family business whose legacy was forged through resilience, faith, and an unwavering commitment to people. Bill shares the remarkable origin story of Cox Manufacturing...

What does a truly dialed-in machine shop look like behind the scenes? In this episode of  Machine Shop Mastery , I sit down with Jayme Rahz of Midway Swiss Turn, one of the most intentional and well-run shops I've come across. I met Jayme at the Top Shops Conference, where Midway Swiss Turn was recognized for Shop Floor Best Practices, and after this conversation, it's easy to see why. Jayme share...

Staying in business for decades requires more than machines, processes, and good customers. In this episode of  Machine Shop Mastery , I sit down with Bonnie and Ken Kuhn of Kuhn Tool, a multi-generation, family-owned shop in northwest Pennsylvania that has quietly endured for more than six decades. What makes this conversation special isn't just the longevity of the business, but the way Bonnie a...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I finally sit down with Shane Grant from Machining Momentum, a guest I've been hoping to have on the show for a long time. Shane has spent the last decade building his shop from the ground up, literally starting in a backyard pole barn and growing it into a precision-focused operation that's now hitting its stride in a new industrial facility. What makes Sh...

One of the questions I think about constantly is what actually makes a machine shop valuable. Not just today, but five, ten, or even twenty years down the road. It's easy to point to machines, revenue, or backlog, but the real drivers of long-term value usually run much deeper. That's exactly why I wanted to sit down with Jamie Goettler, Chief Revenue Officer of BTX Precision, for this episode of...

Some conversations stay with you long after you hit "stop" on the recorder—and my time with Gabe Draper  is absolutely one of them. I've known Gabe for years, but I never fully understood the depth of the journey he endured as he attempted to take over, stabilize, and ultimately shut down the family machine shop. His story isn't just informative; it's gut-wrenching, enlightening, and, ultimately,...

Buying a machine shop is never simple — and for Matt Fortner , it was a leap into the unknown. Coming from backgrounds in plumbing, industrial fittings, product development, and even scrap metal buying, Matt felt a pull to get back to "building something real." That pull led him to Progress Machining in Muskegon, Michigan — a shop he became the fifth person to attempt purchasing. Once inside, Matt...

Over the last decade, I've watched private equity surge into the machining world — and I've seen firsthand how often the short-term flip-in-five-years strategy ends up hurting shops, people, customers, and entire supply chains. While the capital can help, the incentives often drive decisions that weaken the very businesses PE firms acquire. But every now and then, someone comes along with a model...

As a host, I've met hundreds of shop owners, but every once in a while, I meet someone whose story stops me in my tracks. Ty Haguewood , General Manager and CFO of  Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. (MTI)  and  Stone Mather Designs (SMD) , is one of those people. Ty didn't grow up in manufacturing—he was a finance professional who took a random tour of a machine shop six years ago and walked out fo...

When you've poured 46 years of your life into building a thriving precision machine shop—one that grew from a one-man garage to 50 employees, world-class equipment, and top-tier aerospace customers—you don't expect it to end with burnout. In this deeply candid episode, I sit down with  Cody Sisson , a lifelong machinist who built a remarkable business through decades of grit, innovation, and commi...

In this powerful and deeply candid conversation, I sat down with Mark Heston , who first appeared on Episode 51 to share his story of buying and rebuilding an aerospace machine shop specializing in landing-gear components. At that time, the business was on an upward trajectory — improving culture, repricing work, and investing in growth. But behind the scenes, hidden challenges were forming that w...

I've admired John Saunders for a long time. Most of you probably know him as the force behind the NYC CNC YouTube channel, the Business of Machining podcast, and of course, Saunders Machine Works. John has been creating content, teaching, and inspiring machinists since long before it was "cool" to do so online. In fact, he's one of the first people I think of when someone says they learned machini...

When I think about the shops that inspire me most, it's the ones that balance cutting-edge technology with a deep investment in people. That's exactly why I loved sitting down with  Steve and Eric Van Orden of Paramount Machine  in Salt Lake City, Utah. Steve started Paramount back in 1995 with nothing more than a manual mill and a garage shop. Fast forward nearly three decades, and the company ha...

When I think about inspiring stories of resilience and vision in the world of manufacturing, Sam Thevanayagam's journey is one that stands out. In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery , I sit down with Sam, the founder of Parts Life Inc. and the leader behind Deval Lifecycle, to unpack his incredible path from Sri Lanka to Philadelphia, from downsizing his home to fund his dream, to acquiring a ba...

What happens when two people with a shared vision for community, craftsmanship, and legacy decide to take the leap into shop ownership? For Scott and his wife, the answer is Delaware Metals . In this inspiring conversation, Scott Bruneau shares how he and his wife purchased a decades-old, well-run machine shop—not as a quick flip, but as a long-term investment in American manufacturing, their team...

What if the next frontier of manufacturing leadership isn't on the shop floor—but in the hearts and minds of your people? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul sits down with Dana Gruber, third-generation owner and president of ATCO Tool & Manufacturing. Dana didn't grow up on the machines—she came from a career in cosmetology—but found herself drawn back into the family business with a mi...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sat down with Barry Walter Jr., and I have to say—this one lit me up. Barry's a machine shop leader who brings heart, humility, and a whole lot of wisdom to the mic. From rebuilding a multi-generational business to designing a culture where "shit flows uphill" (his words!), Barry has transformed a plumbing parts OEM into an 8-figure, high-mix/low-volume p...

Every once in a while, I sit down with a guest who reminds me  exactly  why I started this podcast in the first place. That was the case with Kelly Denison, the second-generation owner of Continental Machine Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kelly is the kind of leader who sees his machine shop not just as a business—but as a vehicle for opportunity, growth, and purpose. In our conversation, we...

What would you do if your very first CNC machine didn't even power on? For most people, that's where the story would end. But for Rhys Andersen, it was just the beginning. In this episode, I sit down with one of the most determined shop owners I've ever interviewed. Rhys is the founder of Method Manufacturing in Austin, Texas — and his journey into precision machining is anything but conventional....

What if you could double—or even quadruple—the value of a machine shop within just 12 months of buying it? For Mike Payne, this isn't a hypothetical. It's a repeatable system he's refined across five acquisitions (and counting).  In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Mike returns to the mic to break down exactly how he transforms tired shops into thriving, high-value operations—without starting...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Kyra Tillman, third-generation owner of BTM Industries. When Kyra returned to the family shop, she inherited more than just machines—she inherited decades of "this is how we've always done it."  What she's done since is nothing short of a transformation. With grit, grace, and a serious knack for finding and using resources, Kyra has turned a...

Most shop owners I talk to are focused on the usual things: keeping the machines humming, staying profitable, maybe planning for growth or succession. But what if the real unlock for your shop wasn't more tech or tighter margins—but a completely different way of thinking about why your business exists in the first place? That's what today's episode is about. I sat down with Court Durkalski, CEO of...

What happens when a serial entrepreneur with seven businesses under his belt decides to go all-in on graphite machining—and does it with some of the fastest, most precise equipment on the planet? You get Matt Gawlik, and in this episode of Machine Shop Mastery , he brings the heat. Host Paul Van Metre sits down with Matt to unpack a no-BS journey through business wins, failures, and the strategies...

Most small manufacturers don't realize they're being quietly supported by one of the most impactful public-private partnerships in the country. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has long been the hidden backbone behind training programs, grant facilitation, process improvements, and critical tech upgrades for shops across the U.S. But recent Federal decisions to defund these programs—w...

When I first heard about Screwmatics—a shop with over 200 machines, 110 employees, and 16 buildings—I knew I had to talk to the guy behind it. In this episode, I sit down with Billy Hogge, the second-generation leader of Screwmatics out of Pageland, South Carolina. His story is incredible. His parents started the company 37 years ago with just two screw machines, and today it's grown into one of t...