Today’s AI conversation is about vulnerability—not automation, efficiency, and replacing jobs. Brooks Canavesi, co-founder of Baryons, is taking AI somewhere different. He’s not trying to replace the human. He’s trying to make the human better. I’ve actually been using ChatGPT to supplement my own life coach for a while now, so when I learned what Baryons is building, I had to find out more. The company calls it a Flourishing Partner. It’s an AI platform that checks in with you on your phone, holds you accountable, and actually pushes back when you need it. The goal? Help people flourish. Listen…
Author: Noah Graff
Seems like right now every podcast is doing an interview centered around artificial intelligence. But I waited until I found the right story, one that was truly relevant to our audience in the machining world. Today’s guest on the podcast, George Konidaris, is the cofounder of the startup, Realtime Robotics. He is also a professor of Computer Science and the director of the Intelligent Robot Lab at Brown University. Right now, programming a robot arm to perform a repetitive task typically requires a robot integrator to program where every joint of a robot should go. It’s a ridiculous and tedious…
The most interesting things I’ve ever done — the best conversations, the best podcasts, the best calls — they all required me to be confident enough to move forward, when the results were far from certain. Today I’m going to tell you something I just learned that can get that confidence up when you need it most. (Blog continues below video) Listen on your favorite podcast app using pod.link. . View the podcast at the bottom of this post or on our YouTube Channel. Follow us on Social and never miss an update! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swarfcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swarfcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/todays-machining-world Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmwswarfblog ************* Link to…
Federico Veneziano didn’t just buy the machine shop he worked for — he became the sole owner of a 70-year-old company and then changed its name, culture, and direction. When Federico bought American Micro three years ago, there were over 25 shareholders. Now there’s one. The company had 86 employees. Now it’s 130. And the name? Gone. It’s BoldX Industries now. This is part two of our interview. In part one, we covered his journey from Italy to DMG to American Micro to ownership. This episode is about Federico’s rebirth. His vision. A culture shift. Products with purpose, like handcuffs…
At 12, he was cutting metal in northern Italy. By 21, he was teaching DMG’s own technicians how to use their machines. At 47, he owns the whole company he first walked into just to set up a machine. Federico Veneziano is the owner of BoldX Industries and an old friend of mine. His story requires two episodes. This is part one: the serendipity, the winding path through shops and countries and setbacks. Part two, we will get into what he’s building now. But first, this is how he got here. Listen on your favorite podcast app using pod.link. …
What happens when a mechanical engineering instructor actually comes from industry—not academia? My guest on today’s podcast is Andrew Schiller from Utah Tech, who spent six years at Caterpillar and GE, and studied theology at seminary, before landing in the classroom. He’s teaching students to think like business owners—understanding costs, not just making parts. But more than that, his students aren’t just learning to push buttons, they’re falling in love with creating things that actually matter. ************* Listen on your favorite podcast app using pod.link. . View the podcast at the bottom of this post or on our…
Is an Acme-Gridley the mink coat of machine tools? A well made product that still does a great job, but nobody wants another one. In 2025? No. Not yet. On today’s podcast, Lloyd and I talk about our used machinery business over the last year. We saw one customer drop 20 million for five INDEXs to replace every cam screw machine in their shop. At the same time we sold machines to a multinational automotive supplier who is buying hundreds of Davenport screw machines—many older than me—I’m 45 by the way. ************* Listen on your favorite podcast app using pod.link. …
Today I’m talking to a guy who believes every company needs to be built to last—not just to flip. Neil Lansing is a turnaround specialist who left private equity to bet his own money on small, underperforming businesses. He’s taken companies from 18 employees to over 400. From $2 million to $40-50 million in revenue. And when everyone else was laying people off in 2008, he told his refrigeration company’s team: “We need more clients.” After transforming mom-and-pop service companies one after another, he found his final stop, Piedmont Machine & Manufacturing. At 67, he’s not looking for the next…
I want to make a big change in my life. It sounds like a minor issue, but I’ve been reading A LOT of sports on my cellphone lately—often in the bathroom or at my desk, or on the couch. It’s how I decompress after stress, or just get a small dopamine shot when I’m bored. Like many habit changes, it takes several nudges from the universe for you to finally act. I wrote this a few weeks ago, when I was desperately waiting for my beloved Chicago Cubs to sign a free agent. Day after day I googled “Cubs news,”…
Last week our condo’s hot water heater stopped working. The blue light had three flashes and then eight flashes, which ChatGPT diagnosed as a bad vapor sensor. My first inclination was to bring in a pro, but my AI sidekick insisted that it was an easy fix I could do myself in five minutes if I ordered a simple part from Amazon. The part came on Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon I set out to be a self-reliant “man of the house.” My wife, Stephanie, understandably was tired of no hot water for three days. No dishwasher, no shower. I…