Machine Shop Mastery Podcast Por Paul Van Metre arte de portada

Machine Shop Mastery

Machine Shop Mastery

De: Paul Van Metre
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The Machine Shop Mastery Podcast helps to elevate the importance of the machine shop industry and reveal the secrets of success for machine shops, to inspire other shop owners or would-be shop owners to follow their passions, start and grow their shops to be an economic driver for our economy and their stakeholders.© 2025 Machine Shop Mastery Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • 98. Behind the Scenes of a Top Shop with Jayme Rahz

    98. Behind the Scenes of a Top Shop with Jayme Rahz
    Jan 7 2026
    What does a truly dialed-in machine shop look like behind the scenes? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Jayme Rahz of Midway Swiss Turn, one of the most intentional and well-run shops I've come across. I met Jayme at the Top Shops Conference, where Midway Swiss Turn was recognized for Shop Floor Best Practices, and after this conversation, it's easy to see why. Jayme shares the full origin story of the business, which started in a garage with her father-in-law and grew into a highly automated Swiss-focused operation in Ohio. Over more than two decades, the shop has evolved from manual machining and tool and die work into a diversified, precision manufacturing business serving a wide range of industries, from aerospace and defense to oil and gas and medical. We dig deep into the decisions that shaped that evolution, including early investments in Swiss machining, hard-earned lessons from customer bankruptcies, and how risk, technology, and relationships intersect in long-term growth. Jayme offers a candid look at what it really takes to adopt new technology, build a resilient customer mix, and make automation work in a small shop environment. This conversation also explores culture, transparency, and leadership. From flexible schedules and people-first policies to data-driven quoting, machine monitoring, and ERP systems, Jayme explains how Midway Swiss Turn balances efficiency with trust. If you want an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how a Top Shop actually operates day to day, this episode is packed with practical insight. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) Introduction to Jayme Rahz and why Midway Swiss Turn earned Top Shops recognition(2:41) The family origins of the business and starting in a garage(4:40) Diversification across industries and why it's a risk-management strategy, not a nice-to-have(10:23) A snapshot of the team and how roles like sales actually function in a small shop(11:05) Early hard lessons from the tool-and-die era and what forced them to adapt(15:53) Quality expectations, inspection discipline, and brand protection(16:56) The reasoning behind rebranding around Swiss turning is explained(18:35) Building a family-oriented culture, recruiting philosophy, and workforce development(22:41) Automation is discussed as a long-term stability play, not just efficiency(25:06) Systems that support automation, visibility, and decision-making are outlined(26:14) Harmoni machine monitoring and its impact on daily operations(28:35) How leadership communicates transparently during uncertainty(31:42) Unlock Real Sales Opportunities in Your Market with Factur(33:35) Margin discipline, quoting accuracy, and protecting profitability(39:32) Why hiring a machinist-turned-salesperson made sense(45:54) Managing growth and balancing it on the floor(47:19) How decisions are made around when automation actually makes sense(51:07) Jayme's advice for taking the leap and embracing automation(54:12) Making the move from a garage to 10,000 square feet(58:10) How do you ensure longevity and success(1:00:28) Where to connect with Jayme and learn more about Midway Swiss Turn(1:01:53) Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding Resources & People Mentioned Come see us at the 2026 IMTS Exhibitor WorkshopGet a free custom report from Factur: Unlock Real Sales Opportunities in Your MarketWhy we love SMW Autoblok for workholdingHarmoniPaperless PartsMastercam Connect with Jayme Rahz MidwaySwissTurn.comConnect with Jayme on LinkedIn Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    1 h y 3 m
  • 97. The Human Side of Hard Businesses: Culture, Trust, and Long-Term Leadership

    97. The Human Side of Hard Businesses: Culture, Trust, and Long-Term Leadership
    Dec 31 2025
    Staying in business for decades requires more than machines, processes, and good customers.In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Bonnie and Ken Kuhn of Kuhn Tool, a multi-generation, family-owned shop in northwest Pennsylvania that has quietly endured for more than six decades. What makes this conversation special isn't just the longevity of the business, but the way Bonnie and Ken have built it together. From surviving offshoring waves and major customer losses to steadily growing from a handful of employees into a thriving operation, their story is rooted in flexibility, trust, and an unwavering commitment to people. They share how niching down, staying conservative with growth, and protecting employees through uncertain times helped them build a resilient company. We talk deeply about culture and what it really takes to create a workplace where people want to stay until retirement. Bonnie and Ken explain why respect, kindness, and genuine relationships aren't soft ideas, but strategic advantages in a demanding industry. Their stories about employee loyalty, family involvement, and moments of personal hardship reveal the human side of leadership that often gets overlooked. This episode is a powerful reminder that long-term success in manufacturing isn't driven solely by machines or technology. It's built through steady decisions, adaptability, and leaders who understand that people are not tools, they're the business. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) Ken reflects on flexibility as a core requirement for small businesses(3:11) The origins of Kuhn Tool and its evolution into a highly specialized job shop(5:22) How Factur can help you fill your sales pipeline(6:30) A snapshot of the business today, including services, capabilities, and team size(9:16) What it takes to operate in a low-volume, high-mix, high-precision environment(12:10) Why niching down became a critical strategic decision(15:03) Surviving offshoring and losing major customers during industry downturns(17:59) How cold calling from the Thomas Register helped rebuild the business(22:07) The importance of being proactive instead of waiting for work to return(25:42) What it takes to build a company where people want to retire(28:13) Why respect is the foundation of long-term employee retention(28:55) Hiring challenges and using social media and referrals to attract talent(30:32) Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding (31:43) How technology investments replaced hard-to-find toolmaker skills(33:55) Early adoption of five-axis machining and why it paid off(38:05) Leveraging waterjet technology to improve flexibility and resilience(42:23) Meaningful moments that define ownership beyond profits(44:57) Bonnie's powerful story about returning to the shop after COVID(47:54) The role of NTMA and peer groups in leadership development(52:12) Why community and shared learning matter for small business owners(55:23) Embracing technology, including AI, as just another leadership tool(59:19) Why you should head to the 2026 IMTS Exhibitor Workshop Resources & People Mentioned Get a free custom report from Factur at Facturmfg.com/chipsWhy we love SMW Autoblok for workholding Why you should head to the 2026 IMTS Exhibitor Workshop Connect with Bonnie and Ken Kuhn Kuhn Tool & DieConnect with Bonnie on LinkedInConnect with Ken on LinkedIn Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production by PODCAST FAST TRACK
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    1 h y 1 m
  • 96. From Pole Barn to Precision Powerhouse: Shane Grant's 10-Year Shop Journey

    96. From Pole Barn to Precision Powerhouse: Shane Grant's 10-Year Shop Journey
    Dec 24 2025
    In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I finally sit down with Shane Grant from Machining Momentum, a guest I've been hoping to have on the show for a long time. Shane has spent the last decade building his shop from the ground up, literally starting in a backyard pole barn and growing it into a precision-focused operation that's now hitting its stride in a new industrial facility. What makes Shane's story compelling isn't just the growth, but how intentionally it happened. He shares how early exposure to machining through a family business, followed by experience in automotive, industrial, and aerospace manufacturing, gave him the technical foundation to start a shop. But once he made the leap into ownership, he quickly learned that machining skill alone isn't enough to run a successful business. We talk openly about the challenges he's faced along the way, including floods, fires, customer concentration risk, hiring struggles, and the pressure that comes with rapid growth. Shane is refreshingly honest about the emotional and mental toll of ownership, as well as the personal development work he's had to do to become a better leader for his team. One of the most eye-opening parts of this conversation is how Shane built demand for his shop. Rather than relying on a traditional sales team, he leaned into storytelling and authenticity on social media, which now drives roughly 90 percent of his incoming work. This episode is full of practical lessons, leadership insight, and hard-earned perspective for anyone building or growing a machine shop. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:46) I introduce Shane Grant, his 10-year journey, and how social media has fueled his shop's growth(2:54) Getting started in machining at 15 through a family-owned shop(10:47) When shop ownership became a real goal instead of a distant idea(13:04) How customer concentration and a bankruptcy led to the family business closing(15:25) The hard difference between being a great machinist and running a business(16:02) Using SBA resources to learn insurance, planning, and business fundamentals(18:23) A snapshot of the shop today, including machines, inspection, and a recent facility move(21:03) Building a long-term vision that goes beyond just making parts(24:27) Why leading by example on the shop floor is essential to earning trust(26:17) How personal development and self-care became leadership tools (28:28) Keeping spindles busy by turning storytelling into a sales engine(32:52) Why attending the 2026 IMTS Exhibitor Workshop is worth the investment(35:52) Hiring challenges and finding talent through local colleges(37:57) Supporting workforce development through board involvement and educator collaboration(39:29) A moment that showed how manufacturing mentorship can change a career path(43:02) Year-over-year growth, momentum, and approaching the million-dollar mark(46:29) The shift from working in the business to working on the business(48:29) Cross-training, shared responsibility, and hiring with intention to protect culture(51:55) Managing the tension between rapid growth, quality, and cash flow(54:49) Responding to floods and fires with resilience and teamwork(58:25) Why waiting for the "right time" holds shop owners back(1:00:37) Growing your top and bottom line with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Resources & People Mentioned Check out the SMW Autoblok catalogRegister for the FREE 2026 IMTS Exhibitor Workshop Connect with Shane Grant Connect on LinkedInMachining Momentum LLC Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The websiteLinkedInYouTubeInstagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
    Más Menos
    1 h y 1 m
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Hello! I feel honored to be the first person to rate this podcast. The host is very inclusive and I find that VERY COOL since I am a female starting off in a field very dominated by men. The biggest takeaway I have learned so far from this podcast is to never stop learning new things. I didn't realize that even people who have been in Machinery for decades still need to keep learning and that learning something new is intimidating for even them! Thanks so much for this podcast and I wish you all the best in future episodes. Keep it coming !

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