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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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Now displaying: December, 2019
Dec 27, 2019

Merry Chipsmas and Happy New Year!

2020 is just around the corner and so are the Eumachs, the KERN, and the new shop! With a ton of micro-tasks that make up the larger task of changing locations, Grimsmo goes into tactical mode rather than focusing on the philosophical, big-picture of GK.

Saunders notices an obvious but admirable difference between himself and his Canadian counterpart. Despite the multitude of details that need ironing in the coming days, Grimsmo appears to have a calm and collected disposition.

Grimsmo admits to worrying more than he lets on but it pays to have a centered vibe whether or not he feels that way internally.

"I need warriors, not worriers," he declares. What seems like a survival tactic for high stress situations results in setting the tone for how his team perceives and reacts to challenge and change.

FREE Phil Butterworth Autodesk University Class | Machining Complicated Parts Quickly

Did you know cnc lathe love has 30 Haaspowers?
The ST-20Y has been a phenomenal addition to SMW and John sings the praises of the automatic tool presetter but there a few other itty bitty sticking points.

1. An internal slot left of the chuck can trap shorter pieces of stock

2. the parts catcher door's stingy opening distance

When it comes to the parts catcher door...Grimsmo is UNSUBBING. After all, "That's what the sub-spindle is for!"

WHO PARTED?!
THEY DID. The Johns discuss methods, theories, and tooling for parting off.

FANUC. FAST AF.
The speed of the robot arm at SMW is enough to make heads spin. Ready Robotics installed Forge; software that controls FANUC while making it easier for end users to program automation.

Automation & Pushing Manufacturing Boundaries
Back from the MetalQuest tour in Nebraska, Saunders starts to understand the importance of the automation flow chart.

Speaking of pushing boundaries, he also JUST printed his first 3D part ever on the Prusa i3 MK3 3D printer. Grimsmo discusses the Erowa, tombstones, pallets, and vises.

3D Printer Misconceptions
After their introduction to the consumer market, they still haven't garnered support of the masses. Grimsmo suggests that instead of showing their full capabilities, marketing tends to show the printer printing cheap/useless products.

Want an unconventional, awesome, entrepreneurial movie?
Temple Grandin

YES, DISSASEMBLE. NOW.

Sometimes you want to punch a hole through your 11-year old TV--especially when it's possessed. However, this became a father-son bonding/learning experience. By giving William a screwdriver and allowing him to experience the joys of disassembling electronics, it instills curiosity and fascination.

Saunders and Grimsmo reminisce about disassembling electronics. 

End of the Year Challenge: Think about 2020. Not in terms of tasks but ethos. What do you want your business to be?

Please don't forget to send audio clips to us. We want to feature you!



Happy Holidays, friends! We wish you and your families the best. Thanks for listening! 

 

Dec 20, 2019

This week both John's talk about the million dollar Kern Microtechnik coming to the Grimsmo shop! Both John's also touch on the Christmas holiday coming up and about being a parent! Saunders touches on past issues about having machines delivered to his shop and the entire process of getting new equipment. We talk in depth about learning advanced lathe work, things like Fusion 360, tool paths and when to stop trying to hard.

Things reference in this weeks podcast are listed below:

BlueDriver LSB2 Bluetooth scan tool:

https://amzn.to/34vxX0x

 

John Saunders Video on 5-Axis machining:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppIH0CHw0_s

 

Dec 13, 2019

The guys muse about their leadership role and how seriously they take it. In order to be a better leader, you have to be willing to admit when things aren't going well--and that's not easy.

Tasks and Tiffs!
Grimsmo shares current sticking points in the shop: sharing responsibility and co-worker conflicts. Incrementally, he's delegating more tasks. When it comes to conflict, he finds it easy to understand and validate both sides...which sounds good on paper BUT it's NOT! Grimsmo and Saunders talk about the importance of a superordinate goal - the goal that has to be more important than the personal issues that present themselves. 


24 Hour Airport Test
SMW is still searching for the right person to be part of the team. It helps to ask yourself, "Could I stand being stuck in an airport for 24 hours with this person?"

Perplexing
Why is inventory at Sandvik kept SO low? No minimum quantities + long lead times don't make sense!

Haas ST-20Y in Action
An aluminum chess pawn is the first part made on the lathe! With the probe arm calibrated, tool offsets dialed in, and spot on tolerances, it's time to move on to the next part.

PARTS CATCHER, YOU HAD ONE JOB.
The upside down Cybertruck sends the part into the chip conveyor. Saunders and Grimsmo discuss different types of parts catchers and their preferences.

If you're thinking you should make your own spindle liners, think again. Don't pull a Grimsmo. Go to Trusty-Cook and buy them instead!

Grimsmo's going to be waiting at the door of his new shop on January 1st--come hell or high water. With the layout determined, he plans to meet with some epoxy vendors. The electrician and plumber are booked but have you thought about running air, though?

Saunders shares some great lessons he's learned the hard way when it comes to moving into a new shop.

First 5-Axis CNC machining class was a success!
6 students each ran their own code and ended up with an awesome engine block!

 

 

 

Dec 6, 2019

This week John & John talk about firing vendors and turning failure into a victory, and money can buy you options but not happiness. John G also confirms that the lease on the new building is confirmed and they are now in the planning stage. John S talks setting up his new Haas Lathe to run a new part.

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