Swarfcast
Today's Machining World
Noah Graff, used machine tool dealer and editor of Today’s Machining World, interviews machining company owners, equipment gurus, and experts with insight to help and entertain people working in the machining field. We discuss topics such as how to find quality employees, customer acquisition, negotiation, and the best CNC equipment options for specific jobs.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 5, 2024 • 8min
How Crazy Ideas Fuel Your Business–EP 223
Often the best deals and business decisions happen when you’re doing something that seems crazy to other people and even a little bit crazy to yourself. As used machinery dealers, putting our money down to stock old, dirty machines that we’re only interested in for resale, we have to have chutzpa. To some people, the [...]
Aug 1, 2024 • 33min
CNC Swiss Mad Scientist, Chris Armstrong–EP 110
Today’s show is the second episode in our season about Swiss machining. I interviewed Chris Armstrong last week while he was parked at a rest stop somewhere in Texas. He was en route on an all day trip to service a customer’s Citizens. I met Chris and his partner, Ryan Madsen, owners of Texas Swiss, [...]
Jul 18, 2024 • 39min
Machinery Auctions Off the Stand with Robert Levy, (Part II)–EP. 146
Today’s episode is Part II of our interview with industrial auctioneer Robert Levy. In Part I, I tried to get an understanding of what’s going on inside the mind of an auctioneer. In the second part of the interview, I asked Robert to give me some practical advice on how to be a successful bidder [...]
Jul 17, 2024 • 43min
Machinery Auctions Off the Stand, with Robert Levy (Part I)—EP. 145
Auctions are always on our mind at Graff-Pinkert. Since Internet bidding became ubiquitous in the last 15 years they’ve become more of a challenge for dealers like us to capitalize on. But sometimes you still can still find a hell of a deal. In today’s episode we’re going to discuss how. If you like this [...]
Jul 10, 2024 • 44min
How to Promote Your Business on LinkedIn, with Scott Aaron–EP 221
I’ve had a LinkedIn profile for a long time, but I didn’t pay much attention to it until two years ago when I started using it to promote this podcast. I know it’s been helpful for me, but like all social media, the way it works is an enigma. I’m guessing that many of you [...]
Jun 26, 2024 • 53min
What If The Employees Owned Your Company?, with Rich Gaffney–EP 220
The concept of an ESOP to me has always seemed extraordinary yet at the same time a little hard to grasp. E-S-O-P is an acronym for Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Basically it means an employee owned company. Our guest on today’s podcast is Rich Gaffney, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Sentry Equipment, a 100-year-old [...]
Jun 19, 2024 • 0sec
Where Do Rotary Transfers Fit?, with Kris Fugate—EP. 144
My guest on today’s show is Kris Fugate, President of Revolution Machine Works, a prominent rotary transfer machine rebuilder, specializing in Hydromats. Hydromats can seem strange and overwhelming to those unfamiliar with them. Some say they their circular shape with 12 or 16 work stations reminds them of a UFO, and the machines can crank [...]
Jun 6, 2024 • 0sec
Betting Your Savings to Start a Machining Company, Dulio Arellano (Part II)—EP 219
Using savings to buy a 20-year-old Swiss machine that’s been sitting idle for year is a gamble. Buying one to start a machining company without any customers yet or a place to put the machine means really going ALL IN. Today’s podcast is Part II of my interview with Dulio Arellano, founder of Premier Swiss [...]
Jun 5, 2024 • 0sec
Manufacturing a $70,000 Wristwatch in the United States, with Josh Shapiro EP-174
Have you ever wondered what it takes to manufacture luxury watches that cost tens of thousands of dollars? This is the episode to find out! Last week I reconnected with Josh Shapiro to tell him about a used Willemin 408MT Graff-Pinkert had for sale. He told me that he was extremely excited for his new [...]
May 29, 2024 • 0sec
18-Year-Old Immigrant Becomes Machine Shop Founder, Dulio Arellano (Part I)—EP 218
My guest on today’s show immigrated to the United States from Mexico at 18 years old, went to tech school, worked his way up in job shops, became one of the top technicians at Tornos, and then founded his own successful job shop. Dulio Arellano is the founder of Premier Swiss, a Tornos Swiss screw [...]
