Podcasts

Every machine shop has a story—and Chad Schmidt has made it his mission to tell them. As a sales engineer + content creator, Chad blends his technical background with a passion for storytelling. He creates authentic shop tour videos that shine a spotlight on the people, culture, and values driving the manufacturing industry. His YouTube channel has quickly gained traction, giving machinists and shop owners a platform to showcase their work in an honest and unpolished—but deeply engaging—format. In this episode of MakingChips, Chad shares his journey from tool rep to filmmaker and how a pandemic-era discovery of shop tour videos sparked his creative pursuit. He opens up about the challenges of convincing shop owners to go on camera, the humility he sees in the most successful leaders, and the business trends shaping machine shops across the country. The conversation dives into everything from diversification and leadership mindsets to adopting new technology and empowering the next generation of machinists. Whether you’re a seasoned shop owner or just starting out, Chad’s perspective reveals why authenticity, culture, and a willingness to evolve are essential ingredients for long-term success in manufacturing. By capturing raw, human-centered stories, Chad isn’t just documenting the industry—he’s helping elevate it. Tune in to hear his take on where shops are thriving, where they’re struggling, and what lessons every leader can take away from the tour videos that are inspiring thousands online. Segments (0:20) Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (2:06) How Chad got started in machining sales and what led him to shop tour videos (4:23) Inspiration from John Saunders’ NYC CNC channel during the pandemic (6:17) Balancing a sales career with filming shop tours and support from his company (7:12) Campro’s machine offerings and focus on job shops (8:19) Shop owners’ mixed reactions to being filmed and overcoming hesitations (11:06) Challenges of being on camera and blooper stories from filming (12:44) Insights from visiting shops: leadership humility, culture, and mindset trends (14:39) Tariffs, diversification, and the impact of customer concentration (17:43) Correlation between humility, ambition, and business growth (20:18) Balancing business ambition with family and personal life (20:58) Get transparency in the heat-treating process with Phoenix Heat Treating (22:07) Lifestyle businesses vs. growth-oriented shops and the risks of coasting (24:31) Stories from younger shop owners and COVID-era startups (26:05) Funding and customer acquisition strategies for new shops (27:27) How to leverage Xometry as a launchpad (time will change from this on after edit) (28:42) Observations on technology adoption: probing, CAM, ERP, and monitoring tools (33:25) Empowering younger team members and building fulfilling shop cultures (38:49) Shop cleanliness, lighting, and layout as indicators of culture and success (40:51) Biggest takeaways: zero-point workholding and inspiring shop stories (41:54) COVID-era entrepreneurs starting shops from scratch (44:58) Hire your next manufacturing leader with Hire MFG Leaders Resources mentioned on this episode Chad’s YouTube Channel Connect with Chad Schmidt Campro USA NYC CNC Get transparency in the heat-treating process with Phoenix Heat Treating Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen MW Machine Motive Machine Works Hire MFG Leaders Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

Do you or a loved one suffer from distorted 3D prints? Does your laser cutter produce parallelograms instead of rectangles? If so, you might be suffering from CNC skew miscalibration, …read more

TOPICS: Drilling and tool life Through spindle coolant Speedio S500 details Argon results in heat treat Gorilla stand

Do you grow your shop by adding more people… or by investing in CNC automation?  Today, we are going to break it down.   Chapters (0:00) Intro  (0:53) Open Customer Questions / Comments:  (2:42) Present your prices (7:04) Will you guys be at FabTech 2025? (8:05) It’s cheaper for me to hire a guy than to use a machine   (10:39) Main Topic: Manual Work vs Automation (36:10) Outro Check out all of our equipment at https://www.shopsabre.com/ Follow us for daily CNC content Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/shopsabre Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/shopsabre Twitter/X: https://x.com/ShopSabreCNC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopsabre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shopsabre-cnc/ Like and Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more CNC router and CNC plasma cutting machine tutorials, DIY project builds, and more. We feature cutting in different materials such as wood, plastic, aluminum, and other various steels. For over 20 years, ShopSabre CNC has provided businesses and hobbyists with the best CNC machines at the best value. By focusing on unbeatable customer service and high-quality products built in the USA, we’ve grown from a single machine built at home to one of the most trusted CNC machine manufacturers in the country. Since building our first machine two decades ago, we now have over 5,100 CNC routers, plasma, and laser engraving machines in a wide variety of industries in over 30 countries. Our success is a result of our commitment to developing a better way to build CNC machines and support our customers. ShopSabre CNC  www.ShopSabre.com 21673 Cedar Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044 800-493-6021

Running a machine shop isn’t just about cutting chips—it’s about managing the numbers that make the whole operation possible. In this Machine Shop MBA episode of MakingChips, the team sits down with Jon Hughes of CLA to tackle one of the most overlooked yet critical parts of shop ownership: financial strategy. Many shop leaders rise through the ranks of the shop floor without formal financial training. The books often become “just compliance”—something you do because you have to file taxes. But as Jon makes clear, your financial systems can be far more than compliance—they can be a competitive advantage. From managing cash flow to planning for growth and capital expenditures, the way you handle money directly impacts your ability to survive downturns, seize opportunities, and build wealth. In this episode, we dig into why cash flow is king, what “working capital” really means for a shop, and how to navigate customer payment terms that often feel stacked against smaller manufacturers. They also explore practical strategies for budgeting, forecasting, and job costing—ensuring that every hour and every order drives long-term profitability. Packed with stories, humor, and battle-tested advice, this episode equips shop owners with the knowledge they need to turn finance into a weapon rather than a weakness. Whether you’re just trying to make payroll or planning your long-term exit, these insights will help you keep making chips—and making money. Segments (0:46) Join us at Top Shops 2025 in Charlotte, NC! (6:05) Finance as more than compliance: a competitive advantage (7:45) Cash flow vs. accrual accounting in day-to-day operations (10:40) The profitability vs. cash flow argument (14:10) Managing uncertainty and strengthening the balance sheet (15:09) Working capital defined: how much is enough and how to measure it (18:15) Current ratio explained and what “healthy” looks like (22:15) Owner compensation: salaries vs. distributions and tax implications (23:48) Achieve RASRAM by checking out the SME Autoblok catalogue  (25:28) Strategies for managing receivables, payables, and customer terms (31:08) Invoicing hygiene and avoiding clerical delays in payments (32:40) Following up on overdue invoices and staying proactive (36:32) Adjusting pricing to offset extended payment terms (38:45) Budgeting and forecasting as part of long-term financial strategy (44:56) Job costing and the 80/20 rule of profits and losses (48:10) Building financial review cadences and making finance a competitive advantage (50:20) Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Resources mentioned on this episode Join us at Top Shops 2025 in Charlotte, NC! Use code MAK20 for 20% off Funding Your Dream Shop: Creative Ownership Strategies You Haven’t Heard Yet Profits Aren’t Everything, They’re the Only Thing Business Model Generation Achieve RASRAM by checking out the SMW Autoblok catalogue  Grow your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube

I saved an old playground from the landfill and turned it into a beautiful raised garden bed! The post I Turned an Old Playground Into a Raised Garden Bed appeared first on The Wood Whisperer.

TOPICS: Argon purging heat treat bags Revisiting tool life in steel Tapping, form tapping, threadmilling Machining graphite

In today’s episode, we discuss the myth that on-site support is needed when you buy a CNC machine. Chapters(0:00) Intro (0:52) Dad Joke (1:13) Open Customer Questions / Comments: (2:38) Referring to the Dinosaur Video – Cool cut but no Spoil board? (4:24) What nesting software are you using with the FiberSabre videos? (5:00) Why would anyone buy a machine through a dealer?   (6:20) Main Topic: The Old School Mindset (27:19) Motivational Quote of the Week Follow us for daily CNC content on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopsabre Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopsabre X/Twitter: https://x.com/ShopSabreCNC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopsabre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shopsabre-cnc/ 

At the heart of every successful machine shop isn’t just the parts it produces—it’s the experience it delivers to its clients. In this episode of MakingChips (part of our Machine Shop MBA series), we sit down with Andy Reinwald, President of Ripley Machine, to unpack what it really takes to deliver an excellent client experience in manufacturing. Andy shares his journey of stepping into leadership at a young age, navigating the challenges of declining sales, and transforming Ripley Machine into a recognized Top Shops award winner. His story proves that client experience doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built intentionally through systems, communication, and values that shape the culture of the entire shop. From implementing ISO and ProShop ERP, to instilling a daily rhythm of accountability and continuous improvement, Andy reveals the practical steps his team has taken to turn Ripley into a trusted partner for its customers. Along the way, he highlights how something as simple as quick communication—or as complex as restructuring internal systems—can make all the difference in retaining clients and earning their loyalty. Whether you’re a seasoned shop owner or just starting out, this conversation will challenge you to look at your business through the lens of your customers. Because at the end of the day, consistency, transparency, and responsiveness aren’t just “nice to have”—they are the foundation of growth and profitability. Segments (0:32) How Phoenix Heat Treating provides next-level transparency (2:18) Why client experience is the capstone of the Machine Shop MBA series (3:39) Introducing guest Andy Reinwald of Ripley Machine (5:00) Family business history, early days in the shop, and finding a passion for manufacturing (8:47) Becoming shop foreman at 19, buying the business at 21, and facing business challenges (12:11) Lessons learned: Poor customer experiences and the wake-up call (17:26) The values of transparency, accessibility, and responsiveness (20:00) Practical changes: communication, customer-specific notes, quoting with Paperless Parts, and implementing ProShop ERP (27:04) Investing in ProShop is an investment in your shop (28:39) The power of quick, honest communication and technology that supports it (35:05) Building culture: consistency, details that matter, and systems that allow Andy to step away (37:23) How Andy roots his business values on his faith (39:10) Going above and beyond for customers (42:38) How Andy hires according to a fit for his culture (44:54) Implementing daily drumbeat meetings and lean principles (50:04) Ripley Machine’s Top Shops award journey and continuous improvement (55:42) Joins us at the Top Shops 2025 Conference in Charlotte, NC Resources mentioned on this episode Could Phoenix Heat Treating solve your bottleneck? Investing in ProShop is an investment in your shop Joins us at the Top Shops 2025 Conference in Charlotte, NC Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube