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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: May, 2019
May 31, 2019

BE AWESOME: BE BETA!
For over a year and a half, Saunders and his team have been pouring themselves into a new business venture!
John considers this "the biggest thing he's ever done" and rightfully so.
The goal: redefining the way the machining world consumes and learns speeds & feeds.

Click HERE to be notified when the beta launches!

Pearly Whites
Using the tried, true, cheap, and beloved superglue workholding technique, Grimsmo was finally able to machine those mother-of-pearl inlays for knife #1000!
After that, it's off to BladeShow with the other knives, pens, and coins....wait, did you say coins!? This year, Grimsmo's chipping in a little extra awesome token of appreciation.


Click Image Below to Watch NORSEMAN 1000! - Shop Life 013

Tornos - Yeah, I got time for that.
Grimsmo's comfortable with the pace of the Tornos setup.
With fire surpression installed, next on the list is the
60,000 RPM electric spindle, 2000 psi chip blaster, routing the lines for coolant, and tooling. You know what they say; slow is smooth, smooth is fast!

Activating Tool Coatings with Temperature
When a manufacturer gives S&F recommendations, the variance can be pretty wide.
Saunders wants to figure out how to improve tool life on an OSG  A tap. Is running it at 35-40 SFM fast enough to make use of the tool coating?

Hard Wired Hustler
If your ultimate goal isn't sipping a fruity drink on Cabo beach, that's okay!
Many entrepreneurs seek to find a path to freedom in terms of time and money but to others, that's pure boredom.

Hustle Good, Hustle Bad?
What's your definition of hustle and grind? This phrase carries conflicting ideas. On one hand, society idealizes those who push themselves to the brink and on the other, it means if you're NOT frantic and exhausted, you're inadequate and lazy. These concepts cause an internal struggle between expectations and reality so, it's not about whether or not you should hustle...it's about HUSTLING THE RIGHT WAY. 

Speaking of the right way to hustle, what would Jay Pierson Say?
When you're trying to find a solution or advice, it's helpful to
think about how those you admire most would respond.

HOW TO BEAT THE COMPETITION

If you want to get ahead of your competition, click HERE to watch Jay Pierson's IG video where he stresses the importance of doing things others won't do AND how freeing up time for himself and his employees has allowed his business to improve!

 

May 24, 2019

You won’t be driving around in a parking lot for this episode, folks. It’s our shortest one EVER! Grimsmo's got some swiss lathe installation guys in this morning, and sometimes the work day starts earlier than 9am 

Grimsmo Recieves his Tornos Swiss Lathe

The Grimsmo workshop has changed. There is now a new machine behind Grimsmo, and lots of set up to do.

About the Lathe:

  • Tornos GT13
  • Has space for LOTS of tools
  • Relatively smooth delivery and set up. Fits where it was supposed to
  • It will take about two weeks for it to be ready to play with, and that’s okay
  • The bar feeder is on the left, whereas a Citizen lathe is backwards

Saunders’ Surgeon Mentality

Strategy to keep you clear headed, patient, and focused on the task at hand. Rushing will just end up causing more problems in the end. 

Question of the Day: How do you stay focused while remaining available to help?

Saunders gives some good advice on this topic

Check out Tim Ferris for more advice on how to focus 

Lean goes wrong?

Is there room for some fat in a company’s diet?

This is the theme of a potential video that might be done in collaboration with Jay Pierson. Saunders gives a little teaser.

JitBit App

Get your computer to automatically do things for you.

Fanuc Tip

Colorization > Comparison

PSA: Saunders and Grimsmo learn about the comparison view on Fusion. It’s a fun little tool, and something that both the Johns will be playing with. Let us know if you’ve heard of it before, and how you use it!

May 17, 2019

IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN....

BLADESHOW 2019 is just shy of 3 weeks away and GK is ready.
On their 8th year of attendance, something is different.

The usual 2-week, frantic crunch to stock up on product IS NOWHERE IN SIGHT. Not only do they have knives and SAGA pens ready, the 1776 American Independence knife is nearly finished aside from some final engraving!

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW POST!


**You know you're a machinist when you measure time by trade show events.**

A New Business Diagnostic
If your company is growing, there's an important question to ask yourself: How does our business appear to a new hire? Are the roles, departments, and protocols clearly defined? Not only can this question give an outside perspective, it can also help you assess and diagnose problem areas.

Suffering for Success?
Hollywood has left no industry unscathed when it comes to dramatic portrayals. The question is, how much has it impacted your expectations?  Just because you're not endlessly toiling away in a dank, dark shop fraught with impossible odds doesn't mean you're not hustling. Let's call it "grinding smarter, not harder."


The Million Dollar Question: HOW DO I GET MY BUSINESS STARTED?
Data Tracking & Mentorship
Shortly after Barry was hired as the GK accountant, production significantly improved--and that's not a coincidence! Grimsmo stresses the importance of tracking data. More specifically, how much product you need to produce to stay consistent.

Saunders recommends checking out SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors.

Technically, there isn't a right or wrong way to get started; however, there are ways to increase chances of success. Avoiding debt as much as possible continues to be at the top of the list. Plus, Saunders announces that CHIP BREAKS will be making a come back in the near future!


TOMORROW, TOMORROW, The SWISS WILL COME TOMORROW...It's ONLY a DAAAAAY AAAAA-WAAAAY.
We just want to know...does the 6000lbs INCLUDE the Fanuc manuals or is that an additional 6000lbs? Since it's Friday, enjoy this IG post of Grimsmo's new Tornos!

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW POST!


Don't forget to use this promo code to get your Fusion 360 Academy pass for $99 (HALF OFF!).

 CLICK IMAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION


If you enjoy this podcast or it has helped you, please share it with others!

 

May 10, 2019

Survival Mode
Although this term is usually in reference to stress, this time it's literal. Saunders gears up for a lesson in bushcraft.

Routine Maintenance - Like a Boss?
Learning the inner workings of a machine is just as important as learning the inner workings of your brain. 

Could Grimsmo's nightly walks and new to-do list system be paying off? For the past week, the team's been busting out SAGA pocket clips like nobody's business!

Click Image Below to See Post.



Check your to-do list and watch the David Allen TED Talk <--click here!

Badge It Up
Saunders marvels at Grimsmo's Dura Vertical sticker collection. Speaking of stickers, SMW just stickered and shipped a box to Blackforest, Germany containing a Robin Renzetti-inspired, modified, lathe tool-post.

Click Image Below to See Video.


Robin Renzetti: THE SOLID TOOL POST MOUNT <--click here to watch

Intricacies of 5-Axis Machining
Saunders delves into the specifics of the first UMC-750 5-axis part including the material, workholding, toolpaths, CAMplete, tooling, and how part of it KICKED HIS BUTT.


Wax, Wane, and Lightning Bolt
Sometimes you don't realize your excitement and passion has waned until you suddenly get a jolt. Having 100% adoration for your profession 100% of the time is nothing to be guilty about---IT'S NORMAL!


Grimsmo: BTW, I crashed the lathe last week.

Saunders: You're just going to casually throw that in there 27 minutes into the podcast!?

Grimsmolocks & The Precious Real Estate
Still on the hunt for a new shop, square footage is tricky to determine for a growing company. He doesn't want a space that's too big; he wants a space that's JUUST right.

Fly on the Wall (well, kinda)
Saunders wishes he could shadow Grimsmo for a day, but only if he didn't know he was there. The question is, will a set of headphones and a laptop make him inconspicuous enough?

N2(1) WUT?
GK is getting into cryogenics so they can freeze themselves and wake up in the future---j/k (at least about the freezing themselves part). Get the scoop on how and why they use cryo at GK!

The 1776 American Independence knife is about to be engraved with some 13 colony action for its BLADESHOW debut.

If you're in the neighborhood, come say hi!

May 3, 2019

Topics of Discussion:

People are different, but the Johns have more than just their name in common. They also think too much.

“Everyone thinks they’re normal” - Saunders

How else are people different?

  • Extraversion vs. Introversion
  • Book Smarts vs. Street Smarts
  • To-Do List Writing Methods. Ex. Make a video for future you! Then set up a reminder to watch it.

“At the end of the day, doing is what gets things done” - Grimsmo

Episode Golden Nuggets:

Power (of) Walking

Grimsmo gets some exercise to clear his head, and get some time out of the windowless shop.

The FORCE of Chill

Don’t be frantic. Be the ultimate “single-tasker”, and focus like a surgeon.

Outcomes, Actions

"What will it look like to me when it’s done? - Grimsmo  

Define the outcome, and take practical steps to NAIL IT.

Book recommendations:

The E-Myth

Getting Things Done

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Rocket fuel by Gino Wickman

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