The Impractical Machinists
Episodes
From Union Machinist to Shop Owner | 45
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hans Keisler from Motor Control Technology joins the podcast to talk about his path through the machining trade — from working at Lockheed to buildi...
How One Guy Built a Movement… and Triggered the Internet | 44
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you've spent any time in online machining communities, you know the name. Titan Gilroy has been one of the most talked-about — and most pol...
He Bought His First CNC at 17 — Now His Shop Is Booked Solid at 20 | 43
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Michael is 20 years old and runs his own machine shop in Idaho. He bought his first CNC at 17 while still in high school, taught himself machining ent...
“I Didn’t Plan to Be a Machinist — It Just Took Over My Life” | 42
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We flip the script on Dylan Jackson — co-owner of Proteum Machining and host of the Within Tolerance podcast — and dig into how he actually got he...
Who’s Responsible When a Finisher Ruins a $20,000 Part? | 41
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a finisher ruins a $20,000 part — and nobody wants to take responsibility?In this episode, we dive into the real, unfiltered side ...
“I Just Bought a CNC Machine and Figured It Out as I Went” | 40
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
He bought a Bridgeport to make better welding fixtures. That Bridgeport led to YouTube videos. Those videos led to a $7,000 CNC mill. That mill led to...
"I Started Machining at 12 — I’m Still Learning After 1,000 Shops" | 39
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
He started machining at 12 — and after working in over 1,000 companies, he’s still learning.In this episode, Donnie talks about what decades in ma...
They Get It for $3… I Quoted $18. How Do You Compete With That? | 38
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a weird year for a lot of shops, and we ended up talking about all the stuff you only bring up with other machinists.In this episode, the ...
“I Swear Every Job I Start Is Already Late...” | 37
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Another week, another pile of machining problems we didn’t ask for but somehow ended up dealing with anyway.In this episode, the guys dig into Insta...
“He Told Me I Couldn’t Afford a Machine…Now He's Asking Me for Quotes." | 36
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pat Foreman was 18 years old when someone told him he'd never be able to afford a CNC machine.So he quit. Walked out. Called a sales guy on his w...
How Much Can You Do with a Lathe Before You Need a Mill? | 35
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all tried to make a lathe do something it probably shouldn’t. But where’s the line? In this episode, Patrick and Brad get into the real ta...
We Scrapped a 29,000 lb Machine & Judged the Dumbest Shop Hacks | 34
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a 29,000 lb horizontal machining center reaches the end of its life? In this episode, we talk about tearing one down — what parts ...
Tank Cleaning Sucks… and So Does Bad Threading | 33
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every machinist knows the two worst kinds of headaches: when your threads don’t come out right, and when it’s time to clean the coolant tank. In t...
What’s the Secret Sauce for a Smoother Shop? Hint: It’s Not Just Coolant | 32
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Running a machine shop means juggling jobs, customers, employees, and the unexpected—usually all at once. For years, Stuard of Monarch Manufacturing...
He Started in a Basement… Now He’s Machining for the Medical Industry | 31
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From wrenching on South Bend lathes in his basement to running Maple Lane Machine & Tool, Brad Jacob has lived just about every phase of the machi...
3D Printed Cutting Tools?! Yep, It’s Real Ft. ISCAR | 30
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ask any machinist about chip control, coolant, or indexable vs. solid, and you’ll get five different answers. In this episode, we dig into all of it...
He's Been Fixing Machines Since He Was a Kid | 29
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aaron Morrill has been fixing CNC machines since he was a kid—literally. In this episode, we sit down with the Spokane-based repair tech to talk sho...
How Much Time Should You Spend Measuring vs. Cutting? | 28
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"How much time should you spend measuring vs. cutting?"That’s the question we’re digging into in this episode. It’s something every sh...
We’ve Been Talking for a Year?! (And We're Giving Stuff Away!) | 27
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🎉 We made it — ONE YEAR of The Impractical Machinists Podcast! 🎉From broken mics and awkward intros to actually figuring out what we’re doin...
What to Do When Your Machine Shop Gets Too Quiet | 26
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever quote a job thinking "this is way too high" only to get the PO 3 minutes later? Or watch your shop go from "super busy and packed ...
What It’s Like to Be a Lathe Guy | 25
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Impractical Machinist, we sit down with Luke Niels, host of The Lathe Lab, fourth-generation machinist, shop owner, and all-aro...
Adventure at EASTEC, Shop Updates, and a New Segment?! | 24
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brad’s fresh off a trip to East Tech and fills Patrick and Cam in on the whole experience—his first live video, too much drinking (thanks, Ian), a...
Giving Hope to Heroes - Workshops for Warriors | 23
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Impractical Machinist, we sit down with Randall Uerkvitz — a U.S. Army veteran and instructor at Workshops for Warriors. Rand...
How a Film Guy’s Machining Hobby Got Out of Control - Ft. Possum Solutions | 22
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a lot of shoutouts, we finally got Jarrett Morgan from Possum Solutions on the podcast! Jarrett shares his story of how a hobby in machining wen...
What They Don’t Tell You About Heat Treat, Retirement or Robots (PMTS RECAP) | 21
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick, Cameron, and Bradley are diving deep into shop life this week — the kind of stuff you don’t always hear talked about out loud.Bradley jus...
I Didn’t Realize What I Was Missing - Until I Left this Shop | 20
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the job starts draining you, sometimes the best move is walking away. Here’s what happened next.Burnout doesn’t hit all at once — it builds...
Why Most Machine Shops FAIL at Efficiency - Feat. Chris Zappettini | 19
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could shave hours off cycle times, optimize your machining strategies, and get your entire shop on board with process improvements—witho...
Biggest Risks in Machining, Tools, and Burnout | 18
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Machining is more than just making parts—it’s stress, tight deadlines, and trying to balance work and life without losing your mind. In this episo...
From the Air Force to a Machine Shop…Then I Lost It All | 17
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🚨 He risked it all to build a machine shop from scratch—then one bad deal took everything.Charles Sanborn IV’s journey is a rollercoaster of ri...
What REALLY Defines Success in the Machining Trade? | 16
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it truly mean to be successful as a machinist? Dive into this electrifying episode of the Impractical Machinist Podcast where hosts Patrick...
Is Starting a Part-Time Machine Shop Worth It? | 15
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🎙️ What Does It Take to Build a Machine Shop While Working Full-Time? 🛠️In this episode of the Impractical Machinist Podcast, we sit down wi...
Thread Milling vs. Tapping: What Works Best for You | 14
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re tackling YOUR questions about tooling strategies, workholding setups, and more!Ever wondered when to use a thread mill instead of a tap? Or ho...
I Quit My Machining Job After 23 Years and Went Solo | 13
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes someone walk away from 23 years in a big shop to start their own shop? In this episode of the Impractical Machinist Podcast, we sit down wi...
Is It Worth Spending $300K on a 5-Axis Machine? | 12
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Topics:Shop UpdatesWhy We Don’t Have a 5-Axis Machine Managing Too Much Work Supplying Tools: Shop vs. PersonalMedium-Term Shop GoalsImproving Too...
This Will Change How You See Your CAM Software | 11
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Topics:How ModuleWorks powers your CAM system.The challenges of full machining automation.Industry trends and the future of toolpaths.Think you know y...
Our Worst Machine Crashes Yet... | 10
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Topics:Crash StoriesShop UpdatesThread RollingERP SoftwaresBest Way to Position JawsGiveawaysIt’s every machinist’s nightmare—CRASHING a machine...
What Do You Do When Customers Don’t Pay on Time? | 09
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Topics:Kenny's Career JourneyHandling Complex JobsDealing with Payment IssuesFixture Design and MethodologyLeast Favorite MachinesManual Programm...
Should You Hire More Humans or Invest in Robots? | 08
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
TOPICS:Program ManagementAutomation vs. Hiring Employees Cheap Automation SolutionsMetric vs. Imperial Upcoming ProjectsAutomation or more employees...
Why Fixtures Matter...and Why Machines Has Gotten So Expensive? | 07
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
TOPICS:IMTS RecapFixture DesignTool HoldersRising Machines and Tooling CostsWhen is it worth taking the time to design a fixture, and when should you ...
How Clean Should Your Machine Shop Be? | 06
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
TOPICS:Cleaning and Organizing Your Machines ShopCoolant Tank MaintenanceUsing Social Media to Grow Your ShopLead Time EstimationEver struggled with k...
Do You Really Need $100K To Start a Machine Shop? | 05
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Main Topics:Why Manual Machines Still MatterNew vs. Used MachinesHidden Startup Costs Managing DebtThinking of starting a machine shop? Join special ...
Shop Improvements, Work Preferences, and Career Moves | 04
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Impractical Machinists Podcast crew is back with more insights on improving your shop, handling job stress, and taking the leap to be your own bos...
How We Became Machinists | 03
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest episode, Patrick, Cameron, and Bradley share their unique stories of how they started in machining. No matter where you begin, there&apo...
Shop Wide Breakdown and the Struggles of Hiring and Training | 02
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever faced a job shop nightmare and wished you had known more?Join Patrick, Cameron, and Brad in this exciting episode of the Impractical Machinists p...
CAM Software, Walk-in Customers & More! | 01
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the very first episode of "The Impractical Machinist"! Meet your hosts Patrick, Cameron, and Bradley as they kick off this journe...