The Impractical Machinists

Learn more about The Machinists' Hub here!
IMTS is almost here, and the guys are getting ready for a very busy week in Chicago.
Patrick, Cameron, and Bradley sit down before the show to talk about what they’re looking forward to, what they actually want to see on the show floor, and what might be a little overhyped this year. From workholding and inspection to automation, AI, and all the unexpected stuff you stumble across at a show this big, there’s plenty on the radar.
For Patrick, it’ll also be his first time at IMTS, which means finally meeting a lot of the machinists and people he’s known online for years.
And this year is a big one for Practical Machinist too. The whole crew will be at the Machinists' Hub with live sessions, trivia, meet-and-greets, happy hours, and the first-ever in-person episode of the Impractical Machinists Podcast.
If you’re heading to IMTS, come find us in the West Building, Level 3, Booth 432638. See you in Chicago!
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Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel

Thanks for listening!!!

What makes a “real” machine shop anyway?
Justin Webb didn’t come up through the traditional machining route. He dropped out of high school, eventually went back to earn an engineering degree, and started Zealous Manufacturing almost by accident. He was designing parts for customers until one of them finally asked, “Can you make these too?”
There was just one problem: Justin didn’t know how to machine.
So he bought a Tormach, figured it out as he went, made plenty of mistakes, and slowly built a working machine shop around the equipment he could actually afford.
In this episode of Impractical Machinist, Justin joins Ian to talk about that journey and why, years later, he’s still running the same kind of machines some machinists told him he’d eventually “outgrow.”
They get into what smaller machines can teach you, engineers vs. machinists, knowing when you actually need more machine, the temptation to compare your shop to everyone else’s, and why the fanciest equipment isn’t always the smartest business decision.
It’s a conversation about Tormachs, but even more so, it’s about building the shop that makes sense for you instead of the one everyone else thinks you should have.
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Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel

Thanks for listening!!!

When an end mill starts misbehaving, the cutter usually gets blamed first. But Scott Walrath says the real problem may be the toolholder, the runout, or the way the whole setup is working together.
In this episode, Scott joins us from CERATIZIT USA to talk through what he has learned from more than 40 years in the cutting-tool industry. We get into carbide prices, tungsten supply, tool life, reconditioning, high-performance milling, and why small changes in setup can make a big difference at the machine.
It’s a practical conversation about getting more out of your tooling and figuring out what is actually causing the problem before you reach for a new end mill.
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Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel

Thanks for listening!!!

Planning to attend IMTS? This year, IMTS is celebrating manufacturing with a 6-week giveaway. Through August 14, they're releasing a new limited-edition hat patch every week. The first 100 people to register for IMTS using that week's promo code will receive the matching hat. Register here: IMTS Registration, then check IMTS or Practical Machinist's social channels each week for the latest promo code and that week's hat design.
This week felt different.
After years of talking about someday owning his own CNC machine, Pat finally spent his first full week making real customer parts on one. It wasn't smooth. There were long nights, missing tooling, scrapped parts, last-minute hardware runs, and more than a few moments of wondering what he got himself into.
But somehow, after putting in 92 hours between his day job and the shop, he wouldn't trade it for anything.
The guys talk about what that first week was really like, the mistakes nobody tells you about, and why having good people around you makes all the difference when you're getting started.
Later, Cam shares the next big step for his business as his shop prepares to move into a much larger building. From planning machine layouts and inspection rooms to figuring out how to relocate an entire operation without bringing production to a halt, it's a real look at what growth actually looks like behind the scenes.
They also talk IMTS, what they're looking forward to, and where you'll be able to find the Practical Machinist team during the show. If you're planning to be in Chicago, come by the booth and say hello.
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Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum.

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Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel

Thanks for listening!!!

Brad Jacob from Maple Lane Machine and Tool joins Patrick and Cameron as guest host for this episode.
They catch up on what has changed at Brad’s shop, how the VF-2 is working out, and why he has been considering a different CAM system. That leads to an honest discussion about software support, unexpected updates, five-axis programming, cutter compensation, modeling around tolerances, and the amount of work you can lose when you leave a system containing years of programs and models.
The second half is built around stories submitted by machinists. There is a new machine that supposedly needed nine tons of concrete—but actually needed one setting changed. A young programmer who thought he had nothing left to learn. Perfectly good threaded parts rejected by questionable gauges. A rush job made from material the customer later admitted was wrong. Four long shafts, sixteen-hour days, and a baby due at any moment. And a batch of good parts rejected because the inspection room was too hot.
We’d like to hear how other shops handle these situations. Have you ever switched CAM systems, challenged a rejected part, or accepted a rush job you later regretted? Share what happened—and what you learned from it—in the comments.
🔔 Subscribe, Rate, and Review to never miss an episode. Your feedback helps us bring you the content you love!

Drop your comments or topic ideas in the forum.

Or listen to our podcast on YouTube

Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG or PM@Marvel

Thanks for listening!!!