The Impractical Machinists

Practical Machinist
  • 5.0 (42)
  • Technology
  • Updated Bimonthly

Welcome to The Impractical Machinists, a podcast for machinists’ who are creative, innovative and a cut above the rest. Join hosts Bradley, Cameron, and Patrick as they discuss everything from CNC machining, tool innovations, shop floor challenges, business strategies, and the latest trends and techniques shaping the industry.  Our episodes provide valuable insight and actionable tips from real machinists that you can apply in your own shops. Whether you’re a veteran machinist or just starting out, tune in and turn up the productivity on your machining operations.

  1. 1d ago

    How a Drone Racing Kid Ended Up Running a One Man Machine Shop | 52

    Taylor Jenkins didn't start out wanting to be a machinist. He wanted to fly planes. Then COVID hit, his plans changed, and he ended up in a composites program working with carbon fiber instead, chasing the same hands-on itch he'd had since high school building RC gliders and racing drones. From there he landed a job as a CNC operator in southern Utah almost by accident, just because he could already read a blueprint. A few shops, a few good mentors, and one really bad boss later, Taylor ended up running his own shop, Lone Wolf Precision, completely solo. No crew, no robots, just him, two Brother mills, and an auto saw he's genuinely proud of. In this episode, we get into: - His path from drone racing and RC planes into machining (it's a weirder story than you'd think) - The probe crash that almost killed his new Brother machine, and what it taught him about automation actually eating your "free time" instead of giving you more of it. - The aerospace shop that trained him right, including learning the CMM inspection feedback loop the hard way - The bad coworker situation that finally pushed him to leave that job for good - The six weeks he had to buy a machine and make a brand new production contract work, after turning down a job offer to do it - How he finds new work (hint: it's not LinkedIn), and why he fires customers who aren't worth the headache - The saw stop he designed because every shop bandsaw stop he's ever used has been garbage If you're running your own shop, thinking about starting one, or just like hearing how somebody actually built theirs from the ground up, this one's worth the listen. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 32m

  2. Jun 9

    How He Turned One EDM Machine Into a 20-Person Shop | Ep.51

    Ron Gobbels, CEO of Kam Wire EDM Technologies located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, joins the guys for a conversation that covers a lot more than just wire EDM.  From growing up in the trade under an old school German mentor, to making a scary leap into shop ownership and watching the work dry up almost immediately — Ron shares the real story of building a specialty machining business from the ground up. He also breaks down everything you've ever wanted to know about wire EDM — how it actually works, what it can and can't do, and whether it belongs in your shop. Timestamps: 0:00 — Introductions 0:49 —Why Ron diversified in 2019 8:26 — Ron's background — from old school tool & die to cowboy to EDM shop owner 11:00 — How Kam Wire EDM started and the scariest month of his life 16:31 — How Ron connected with Ian Sandusky 22:15 — What is wire EDM and how does it actually work? 28:16 — Crashes, floods and EDM horror stories 36:47 — Fixturing and cutting different materials 44:51 — Tolerances and what affects accuracy 51:40 — Should you have a wire EDM in your home shop? 55:25 — What to look for when buying a wire EDM machine 1:05:54 — The thickest and thinnest parts Ron has ever cut 1:09:20 — Can EDM replace grinding and milling? 1:11:42 — Do they take walk-ins? 1:16:46 — Ron's impractical tip: never stop innovating 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 18m

  3. May 26

    The Australian One-Man Shop That Chose to Downsize | 50

    Eddie Riddell runs Steele Co Engineering out of Perth, Australia — one of the most isolated cities on the planet, about 12 hours from the nearest place. He started with a fabrication business, got it up to four employees, then walked away from all of it to do what he actually wanted: run a one-man CNC machine shop on his own terms. In this episode, Eddie breaks down why he made that call, how he pulled off buying a brand-new mill turn as a one-man shop, and what it actually takes to build a lean, profitable business by yourself. We also get into: Why he introduced a minimum charge and how some clients stayed, some didn't — and why he's fine either wayHow his terms and conditions let him walk down to a customer's house with an angle grinder — and why the customer paid immediately afterWhat it's like sourcing machines and materials from the most isolated industrial city in AustraliaHis goal to get down to working 3 days a week — and the mindset shift that made it possibleWhy he chose to stop having employees and never looked backEddie's approach to business is simple: know your worth, keep your overheads low, and don't let anyone treat you like a bank. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 57m

  4. May 12

    Big Shop Rules vs. Small Shop Freedom: Which One Destroys You Faster? | 49

    What's actually killing machinists faster — big corporate shop rules or the chaos of running your own place? This week Pat jumps in as guest host and we go deep on all of it. Lead time strategy that keeps customers off your back, why a $350 pizza might be the best business investment you make this year, and the real reason good machinists walk out the door and never come back. We get into scrap part confessions, exotic material nightmares, G-code quizzes that stumped everyone, and the one question every machinist eventually asks themselves — if you could start a shop from scratch, what would you actually do differently? In this episode: Lead time strategy that protects your sanityWhy you should never ship earlyThe $350 pizza that saved $4,000Big shop vs small shop culture debateScrap part show and tellG-code quiz: G18, G96 and moreNo-quote jobs and when to walk awayStarting a shop from scratch — machines, mindset and mistakes🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 45m

  5. Apr 28

    Shop Owners Unfiltered: Finding Work, Quoting Jobs & Staying Profitable | 48

    Owning a machine shop sounds great… until you’re chasing work, quoting jobs at midnight, dealing with problem customers, and trying to stay profitable while keeping the lights on. Recorded live as a panel session during a Kennametal open house event, Brad from Marvel Machining, Ian from Lakewood Machine & Tool, and Luke from Progressive Turnings / Crusader Machining sit down for a real conversation about the ups and downs of running a shop. They talk about finding work, quoting jobs, when to say no, staying busy vs actually making money, keeping good employees, buying equipment, and the jobs that almost broke them. Whether you’re a one-man shop, running a full team, or thinking about starting your own business, there’s something in here you’ll relate to. Just honest shop talk from people living it every day. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1 hr

  6. Apr 14

    How Much Work Do You Need Before Going Full-Time? | 47

    Pat, Cameron, and Brad catch up on what’s been going on in their shops—from current projects and production challenges to the reality of keeping work on track. They also dive into a listener question about when to go full-time with a side shop, breaking down the financial side, the risk, and what that transition actually looks like. The conversation touches on balancing a day job while building something on the side, using your job to fund equipment, and what happens when that decision gets made for you. They also get into shop culture, big vs. small companies, and why more machinists are thinking about going out on their own. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 18m

  7. Mar 31

    When the Work Piles Up and the Programs Don't | 46

    The guys kick things off talking about the realities of repair and walk-in work, then get into quoting strategy — specifically what to do when a customer hands you a massive stack of confusing prints and expects a price by Tuesday. From there it's community questions: trusting manufacturer speeds and feeds, probing from CAM, machine warm-up routines, and how AI tools like ChatGPT are actually finding their way into everyday shop life. Brad shares advice on finding enough work to go full time, and the guys close out responding to a second-gen machinist who programmed 510 new parts in a year and still couldn't keep up — breaking down what's really going on when programming becomes the bottleneck. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 30m

  8. Mar 17

    From a Union Aerospace Shop to Running His Own Machine Shop | 45

    Hans Keisler from Motor Control Technology joins the podcast to talk about his path through the machining trade — from working at Lockheed to building his own aerospace-focused machine shop. We get into what it’s really like working in a union shop, the differences between big aerospace companies and small job shops, and what it takes to go from a one-man operation to hiring employees. Hans also shares the reality of chasing aerospace and defense work — certifications, compliance, IT requirements, and all the behind-the-scenes work that most machinists never see. It’s an honest conversation about building a shop, navigating the industry, and trying to make cool hardware that ends up on some pretty serious projects. 🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love! Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum. Or listen to our podcast on YouTube Connect with the hosts on Instagram: Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel Thanks for listening!!!

    1h 31m
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5
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Impractical Machinists, a podcast for machinists’ who are creative, innovative and a cut above the rest. Join hosts Bradley, Cameron, and Patrick as they discuss everything from CNC machining, tool innovations, shop floor challenges, business strategies, and the latest trends and techniques shaping the industry.  Our episodes provide valuable insight and actionable tips from real machinists that you can apply in your own shops. Whether you’re a veteran machinist or just starting out, tune in and turn up the productivity on your machining operations.

Information

  • Creator
    Practical Machinist
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Impractical Machinists
  • Show Website
    The Impractical Machinists

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