Today’s podcast guest is Travis Erickson of Precision Components of Oxnard, California. Precision Components runs Tornos CNC Swiss lathes, specializing in producing custom mil-spec contacts primarily for the aerospace industry. Travis and his father handle all of the company’s machining and quality duties and employ...

Once I flew to Germany for an INDEX multi-spindle deal that was stolen out from under us the morning after I arrived. I laid in my hotel bed swearing at the ceiling for a few minutes and then called a friend who happened to be our best European INDEX customer. Hours later, I was on a plane to Spain to inspect two di...

It takes tremendous balls to start a machining company from scratch. And, maybe a little extra chutzpa to start a shop that primarily runs cam screw machines making millions of parts for automotive.After 23 years working in job shops and running a small farm, Karl Drasgow cashed out his 401K to found Drasgow Inc., a...

Damn. It’s already 2025? I was just getting used to the idea that it was 2024.Today, Lloyd and I are reflecting on what worked and didn’t work in our used machinery business and our personal lives over the last year. We’re also discussing our intentions and predictions for the new year.Will we sell more old multi-sp...

We had an inquiry last Monday on an expensive CNC turning center from a machinery broker based in Chicago but representing a Chinese firm.Thinking of a potential profit if we sold it, I asked Noah to quote the machine. His response was, “Dad, we can’t sell it to them. We are at war.”I immediately knew he was correct...

I have chosen to continue to lead Graff-Pinkert thanks to the brilliant efforts of Noah and Rex who have decided to continue to work with me and challenge my ideas without mocking me. Buying, selling, and brokering used machine tools and working as an intermediary...

Have you ever wondered how a used machinery dealer like myself approaches buying secondhand equipment?About a month ago, I did my first LinkedIn live talk and featured that subject. I focused the talk on my techniques for communicating with sellers and equipment experts.I believe the majority of people these days le...

You may have noticed that I often talk about friction on this podcast.That’s because everyone has to fight friction in business—and there is A LOT of friction in the manufacturing business.Friction from time consuming stuff. Friction from stuff being too hard to figure out. Friction from stuff we’re not qualified to...

Why would anybody buy a CNC multi-spindle for $2 million? Or $3 million for that matter?My guest on today’s podcast, Richard Kingsbury, has the answer. Richard is Managing Director of the Kingsbury Engineering Division, England’s INDEX distributor.In this interview, Richard gives a history lesson of screw machining....

I’ve interviewed a lot of interesting business coaches for this podcast, and all the coaches had one thing in common. They focused on coaching a company’s owner or management, rather than working with everyone at the company.But my guest on today’s show, Tim Drinkwater, founder of Accurate Machine Products in Janesv...