The Lone Machinists

Jamie Peacock & Curt Van Filipowski (Feat. Jon Dillehay)

Curt and Jamie dive into business and manufacturing as one-man shops.

  1. The Lone Machinists Ep. 68: Print It, Stick It, Break It, Fix It

    1 DAY AGO ·  VIDEO

    The Lone Machinists Ep. 68: Print It, Stick It, Break It, Fix It

    This week on The Lone Machinist Podcast, Curt and Jamie set out to talk about machining… and instead accidentally reinvent software development, question modern civilization, and nearly bankrupt themselves with printers. Highlights include:• Curt buying a printer “just for one thing” like every responsible adult ever• Jamie discovering his fourth axis is not a tool, but a supernatural entity• Both of them vibe coding apps they barely understand and definitely shouldn’t be trusted with• A deep dive into sticker production that somehow becomes a full-blown identity crisis Somewhere along the way:• Lasers start doing things that feel illegal• French designers approve of Jamie’s “pretty parts” (engineering has entered its fashion era)• Curt realizes tax season means he technically earns money but spiritually does not By the end of the episode, we’ve concluded:The future is incredible, nothing is stable, and we are absolutely not qualified to be this productive. Press play if you enjoy:Machining, chaos, questionable life choices, and two guys speedrunning the collapse of traditional skillsets using nothing but caffeine and blind confidence. Warning: This episode may cause sudden urges to buy a printer, build an app, and completely ignore best practices. Links Discussed: Justin Gray Labs: https://justingraylabs.com/The Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 14min
  2. Ep. 67: One More Machine Will Fit (Trust Me)

    8 APR ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 67: One More Machine Will Fit (Trust Me)

    This week on The Lone Machinist Podcast, things go exactly as planned, which is to say, absolutely not at all. Curt successfully fixes a lens right up until the exact moment he completely destroys it, proving once again that “if it ain’t broke, fix it till it is” is less of a motto and more of a lifestyle. Meanwhile, Jamie is deep in tolerance stack-up hell, rearranging his entire workshop like a man trying to fit a king-size bed into a shoebox, all while seriously considering trading financial stability for “just one more machine.” There’s anodizing experiments that may or may not dissolve parts into oblivion, discussions about balls, pins, and why nothing ever lines up the way it should, plus a deeply unnecessary but unforgettable segment titled “you poo, I watch.” It’s engineering, it’s chaos, it’s questionable decision-making at its finest, so grab a drink, lower your expectations, and enjoy the ride. Links Discussed: Noughtical Work Holding: https://www.noughticalwh.com/ caleeys cans hulk pill: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/K2lIMSZA_5oThe Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 1min
  3. Ep. 66: Fusion Executes Order 66

    1 APR ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 66: Fusion Executes Order 66

    This week, everything works… except the things we actually need. We start off optimistically with solar power plans and dreams of energy independence, before immediately spiraling into real-world problems like rising fuel costs, questionable ROI, and whether running a machine shop on sunshine is genius or just expensive optimism. Then Fusion 360 decides to absolutely ruin Jamie’s week, turning simple edits into 10-minute emotional journeys and making basic machining tasks feel like punishment. If you’ve ever shouted at your CAD software like it personally betrayed you, this one’s for you. Meanwhile, Curt casually builds “internet in a box” like a doomsday prepper with a Wi-Fi signal, downloads all of Wikipedia, and somehow makes it sound completely reasonable. We also cover: Why copy-pasting G-code is a dangerous game The exact moment a missing line ruins your day Buying a new 3D printer for “totally valid reasons.” Designing print-in-place tools that might actually save your machine And why backups (and backup plans) are no longer optionalIt’s part machining, part tech rant, part “how did we get here?” Subscribe if you enjoy:Questionable engineering decisionsSoftware-induced sufferingAnd slowly preparing for the apocalypse… but with good documentation Links Discussed: Noughtical Work Holding: https://www.noughticalwh.com/The Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 13min
  4. Ep. 65: If You Can't Make It Perfect, Make It Adjustable

    25 MAR ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 65: If You Can't Make It Perfect, Make It Adjustable

    This week on The Loan Machinist Podcast, Jamie and Curt battle the literal "Demon" of Tolerance Stack-Up, because apparently, adding up a bunch of "tents" actually equals one giant headache Curt scores a $600 lens for sixty bucks and plays a high-stakes game of "Did I just buy a paperweight?" while Jamie contemplates becoming a full-time electrician because Fusion 360’s latest update is officially "unusable" We also dive into the oily world of vacuum workholding, where if you aren't pulling enough mercury, you’re just turning your shop into an unintentional oil mist sauna Plus, Samo the Marmo presses 10,000 rivets by hand, Jamie breaks his resin printer for a Deadpool bust, and we definitely (mostly) don’t talk about Project Hail Mary Grab your calipers and your patience; it’s just you, the work, and the machines. Links Discussed: Noughtical Work Holding: https://www.noughticalwh.com/The Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 20min
  5. Ep. 62: The Internet Is Forever (And So Are Our Bad Ideas)

    11 MAR ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 62: The Internet Is Forever (And So Are Our Bad Ideas)

    In this episode of the Lone Machinists Podcast, Jamie and Curt once again prove that running a machine shop is mostly problem-solving, mild chaos, and questionable purchasing decisions. Jamie explains how Curt bullied him into buying a gimbal and why filming smooth shop footage is apparently harder than flying a plane, while Curt announces he’s defecting in the AI wars and claims Claude is now the smarter shop assistant. Meanwhile in the real world, Jamie is busy pressing thousands of rivets a week, chasing a mysterious lathe issue that keeps snapping tiny parts, and discovering that the “slightly noisy” spindle on a friend’s lathe was actually being held together by hopes, dreams, and a very destroyed bearing. Along the way they rant about AI scraping YouTube creators, the increasingly weird world of AI voice scams, questionable surface finishes, and why recording hundreds of hours of yourself talking on the internet might one day be the dumbest or smartest thing you ever did. Links Discussed: Noughtical Work Holding: https://www.noughticalwh.com/ Toxing: https://tox.com/en-us/technologies/clinching/clinching caleys cans: https://www.youtube.com/@cayleependerass/shortsThe Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 8min
  6. Ep. 62: RAID 1 and Pray

    4 MAR ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 62: RAID 1 and Pray

    This week on The Lone Machinists, Jamie and Curt spiral (responsibly) through ultra-paranoid RAID backups, fiber lines getting excavated into oblivion in South Africa, and the launch of the brand-new Noughtical Workholding Shopify store. We dive into mirrored drives, M-Discs, offsite backups, and why losing your childhood photos is a trauma you only need once. Then things escalate: Haas machines booting up with ads, ChatGPT hallucinating wiring diagrams, gimbals doing unnecessary 360° flips, and the very real possibility that we’re speed-running the darkest timeline. It’s machining, media, marketing, mild conspiracy, and a healthy dose of “just hold it properly” — all in one episode. Links Discussed: Noughtical Work Holding: https://www.noughticalwh.com/ Easily Replaceable USB-C Port Spawned By EU Laws: https://hackaday.com/2026/02/26/easily-replaceable-usb-c-port-spawned-by-eu-laws/The Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/ https://www.noughticalwh.com/ Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 8min
  7. Ep. 61: Schrodinger's Guest Part 2

    25 FEB ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 61: Schrodinger's Guest Part 2

    This week on The Lone Machinist, the "Original Kurt" returns to reclaim his throne (or at least a guest spot) as we welcome Jon Dillehay from 2SM Performance and Engine Trix. We dive deep into the mechanical prowess required to maintain a garage-based empire, the tragedy of the Harbor Freight bandsaw graveyard, and why Jamie is currently machining at a feed rate of "boobs millimeters per minute". In this episode, we tackle the hard-hitting questions, such as: Can Curt actually read?  Is John a psychic? How many bandsaws is too many? Why are anodizers the devil? The Garage Dream: Waking up at 2:00 a.m. to the sound of money (and Shopify notifications), sipping coffee in a bathrobe, and turning on a phase converter while the rest of the neighborhood sleeps. Whether you’re here for the two-stroke engine talk, the "dust maker" end mill that evaporates aluminium, or Curt's latest obsession with self-hosting his photos to escape the cloud, there’s something for every machinist who’s ever felt alone with their machines. Links Discussed: Hofmann and Vratny: https://hitech.co.za/products/hofmann-and-vratny Engine Trix: https://www.enginetrix.com/ Mini Monster: https://minimonster.ca/The Lone Machinist: Website: https://thelonemachinists.com/ Bonus Content: https://thelonemachinists.com/#bonus-content Merch: https://www.jspeceng.com/online-store Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheLoneMachinistsNeed Work Done? Check out Subtract Manufacturing at: https://subtractmanufacturing.com/ Want to try out Toolpath? Give it a go and get 10% off by using the code TLM10 at checkout: https://toolpath.com/ Jon: https://www.instagram.com/2smperformance https://www.2smperformance.com/Jamie: http://instagram.com/jspec_engineering https://www.jspeceng.com/Curt: https://www.instagram.com/confoundedmachine/ https://www.confoundedmachine.com/

    1hr 19min

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Curt and Jamie dive into business and manufacturing as one-man shops.

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