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Business of Machining

John Grimsmo of Grimsmo Knives and John Saunders of NYC CNC discuss their success, struggles, goals and more as machinists, business owners and entrepreneurs.
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Business of Machining
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Now displaying: January, 2019
Jan 25, 2019

Getting Social In 2019, and sharing reality!

Grimsmo starts to post Instagram stories daily. Bonus: We get more info on the upcoming Saga Pen!

BUT Saunders and Grimsmo agree that they don’t need to stay up-to-date on everything all the time.

“Use Instagram the way that works for you...we’re not just going for clicks and views, we’re trying to build a community of people who care, and want to see what we’re doing” - Grimsmo

Example of a Reality Check: In Grimsmo’s latest video, Jo mentions that we’re using the old tumbler a little more than the new tumbler lately. And that’s just a reality.

Saunders guest stars in another podcast! It’s called The Edge with Bantam Tools

This company is now owned by Bre Pettis, one of the owners of NYC Resistor, and the 3D printer company, MakerBot. 

Growing Pains = Long Term Gains

To think about hiring, you’ve gotta think about firing

Saunders and Grimsmo talk about the difficulties of being an entrepreneur.

“I hired too quickly, and I fired too slowly. The problem with having a bottom performer on your team is that he/she gets all the attention, when the second worst performer flies under the radar” - An inspiring entrepreneur Saunders is quoting

“Being an entrepreneur is something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy, yet all of my best friends are entrepreneurs” - Grimsmo

Great example from The Eagles Biopic on Netflix

What did it feel like when the band broke up? “It was a terrible relief” - Don Henley

Even when there’s no specific problems with the team, as an entrepreneur, it’s still necessary to constantly be thinking about the future (which includes the future of employees).

Saunders and the Mobile Desk

Saunders gets a backup battery for his computer, and sets everything up to be movable. Now he can move his office, into a quieter space.

Let’s talk about finance! Growth eats cash for breakfast!

“I haven’t yet felt the benefits of running a profitable business” - Grimsmo

Saunders and Grimsmo discuss how to regard the finances as accurately as possible.

“Most businesses fail not because of lack of profitability, but because of cash flow”

The Saga: Almost a Year in the Making

The Grimsmo Shop seizes every chance they get to make pen parts when the lathe isn’t making knife parts.

Grimsmo talks about Angelo’s strategies to tighten those tolerances on the super small parts of the pen.

The pens will be sold through the Maker’s Choice list, but it’s not live yet. Subscribe to Grimsmo’s Instagram and YouTube for updates on this.

Lathe is running well, and Grimsmo adjusted the SFM! What is SFM? There’s a video for that.

Saunders has a question for the audience!

The big fan is great for cooling the air, but we want a better climate control system for the summer.

“I wanna buy a beer for an HVAC guy!” - Saunders

ALARM! Wrong tool in spindle

Grimsmo had two pallets alarm out at one custom code that he had put in. It helps protect his tools and his parts with one warning called “wrong tool in spindle”

Jan 18, 2019

Spoke Too Soon. 

Last week's episode featured Great Mood Grimsmo. He was in high spirits only to find Norseman fixture alignment issues that would plague the team for the remainder of the week. He and Angelo wade through the GD&T lake to find the variance and formulate a possible solution that involves changing the probe tip from 6mm to 2mm. 

Click the Photo to View Post!

 

For Saunders, Monday morning bestows some thorn-in-your-side gifts. A letter from the bank creates strained relations, a Fusion 360 glitch causes Manual NC to malfunction, and an RFQ response from a vendor that results in a purchase, except they left out one TINY detail.


TELL ME SOMETHIN' GOOD!

As more machinists open their shops to viewers via social media and YouTube, big name companies recognize the potential benefits. The landscape of the machining industry is evolving.  While proprietary information is still kept confidential, more businesses are warming up to visitors and sharing. To boot, long gone are the days when the idea of having 2 Renishaw probes on the same machine seemed cray-cray.

What makes the BEST WEEK EVER? Hint: It includes the National Tooling and Machining Association and ZEISS.

Processing Post Processing
If you want to get started on Post Processing, check out the videos on the NYC CNC page HERE.

Spooky Sounds and Stethoscopes: Solved.
The strange noise emitted from the VF-2SS in episode 100 has disappeared. Was it a major issue or a simple fix?


You know what really GRINDS my gears? Quality Control.
Quality and lead time issues with outside vendors provoke questions. Saunders has reservations about bringing a particular process in-house but keeps an open mind to solutions.
Don'tcha wish you had a Bourdelais around the corner?

Jan 11, 2019

This episode is a good mix of strategic philosophy and technical discussions. Stay tuned for talks about how to stay motivated AND motivate your team at the same time! Such is the life of an entrepreneur. The Johns will also talk troubleshooting, and favorite tools.

Pass it on

Grimsmo fixed the pass link on the Maker’s Choice “Congrats” e-mail, and now people can pass the purchase link along quickly if they don’t want it. Without that link working, it takes 24 hours for turnover!

What do you want in a knife?

Grimsmo adds a short survey to the Maker’s Choice system so people on the list can answer a few questions and help the Grimsmo team tailor knives to the market.

But this raises the question “how do you differentiate between valuable and non-valuable feedback?”

Grimsmo’s systems may be improved, but he’s not finished yet! Saunders and Grimsmo discuss how to integrate knife customization back into the Grimsmo business model.

“Don’t paint the future with the past. You have a lot more maturity now when it comes to your ability to run product through the shop” - Saunders

The Saga Continues…

The Grimsmo pen is still in the works, and getting prettier by the day. But at 32 rockwell, is the new material for the button and slider too soft? Skye gets assigned the task of clicking the pen all day to find out.

What’s your favorite tool?

Saunders: ¼ inch end mills FTW! There are so many reasons why they’re great!

A well versed fellow from Helical Solutions visits the SMW shop and breaks down just how unique end mills really are. Saunders also toured Helical Solutions’ shop! Check it out on Youtube!

Grimsmo’s favorite tool? The Leica Microscope. It’s used all day every day at the Grimsmo Shop, and knives just couldn’t be made the same without it.

For those of you who are going to ask about Grimsmo’s Lathe Insert Tool that he mentioned:

VBMT 110302PSF AH725

Slow and steady does not always win the race (if you’re a machinist)

“That’s a classic example of how you think you’re gonna be safer and smarter by going slower and easier, but it doesn’t always mean that” - Saunders

How much is too much lifestyle creep?

“I know there’s life style creep, but I just don’t feel bad about it” - Saunders’ friend

There’s a difference between treating yourself, and spoiling yourself. 

Crush it! 

Jan 4, 2019

Happy 2019!
The guys elaborate on the first time they met in person at the 2015 Tormach Open House.
Did Grimsmo inadvertently set a precedent when he purchased his first vertical machining center before having a shop to fit it?

The guys get caught up in festivities, family, and friends. This time of year reminds us to cherish time with our loved ones, to reflect, and to ring in the new year with a zest for life.

Tom Lipton's sobering words hit home and leave Grimsmo with goosebumps. Check out the post HERE

IS THIS REAL LIFE?
The Saunders family takes off to D.C. for an impromptu vacation. While visiting museums, he finds himself in awe!

Preventative Maintenance Talks
Be a good machinist by taking care of your machines!

10 Things YOU Can Improve for 2019


Spooky Sounds and Stethoscopes
The VF2 is making a weird noise, so it's time to get to the bottom of it. Could it be a rotary union coupler issue?

Knife Parts Stocked? 
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!

 

Sayonara, Kyocera Inserts?
Previously, the SAGA clips decimated insert after insert BUT WHY!?
Angelo and Grimsmo pour through the code to find the place where
old habits die hard. They are pumped to see if adjusting the SFM will solve the problem! Stay tuned for an update!

Find out which machine Grimsmo's got his eye AND a quote on!

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