Our guest on today’s podcast is David Taylor, owner of Machine Tool Spares, one of the world’s most respected rebuilders of Wickman multi-spindle screw machines. Machine Tool Spares is based in Coventry, England, the birthplace of Wickman machine tools. His company turnkeys Wickmans and sells Wickman spare parts all over the globe. David shared his views on the role of cam multi-spindles and Great Britain in today’s machining industry. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Main Points (3:00) David talks about his company, Machine Tool Spares. The company provides Wickman multi-spindle spare parts, service, rebuilt and turnkey machines around…
Author: Noah Graff
Today’s podcast is part two of an interview we did with Michele Tajariol, co-owner and Vice President of TAJMAC-ZPS, one of the world’s most prominent producers of multi-spindle screw machines. In the interview Michele gives his take on the competitive market of European multi-spindle brands. He also shared his experiences selling machines to China and India. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Main Points of the Interview (2:30) Michele says that when his family’s company TAJMAC purchased ZPS 20 years ago, it was only familiar with the the company’s multi-spindles. Michele says that he and his family knew very…
Is it a lot to ask of a car to be able to have a conversation or listen to music while driving on the expressway? Maybe so, because I can’t seem to find a car that can enable me to do so. My wife’s lease is up on her 4-door Camry, and we are searching for a vehicle to replace it that does not require a scream to answer a question. The problem of cabin sound appears to be multifaceted. One issue is that I wear hearing aids which amplify background sound which can drown out human conversation. There are…
Today’s guest on Swarfcast is Michele Tajariol, an old friend of ours and co-owner of TAJMAC-ZPS, one of the world’s most prominent producers of multi-spindle screw machines. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. In the interview, Michele discussed how his family’s business grew from a used machine tool dealer in Italy into a diversified multi-national machine tool builder. He also recounted his career path, first working with his father in Milan, followed by a short stint in Chicago working at Graff-Pinkert, and finally moving to the Czech Republic where he became the manager of ZPS’s factory. Main Points of…
Tesla stock sold for $169 per share in June of 2019. People were wondering if Tesla was today’s DeLorean. Its 2025 bonds were paying 7%. Today, Tesla stock roared past $900 per share. What happened in seven months, and what does it mean for the machining world? Obviously, the short sellers got killed. The stock has a rather thin float for a significantly traded company, which makes it volatile. But even the doubters, and there are loads of them, must admit now that Elon Musk has done an amazing job in building a car company from scratch. There were hot…
Today’s podcast is an American Dream story. Our guest is Dulio Arellano, owner of Premier Swiss, a Tornos shop in Addison, Illinois, which he founded in 2017. Dulio came to the United States from Mexico when he was 18 years old. After working in various machine shops, Dulio got a job as a technician at Tornos USA. At Tornos, Dulio developed skills and relationships that gave him the foundation to start his own business at the age of 34. Scroll Down to Listen to the Podcast Main Points of the Interview: (3:20) Dulio discusses his company, Premier Swiss, a job…
I often see machine tool preference as a kind of religion, and my game is not to try to convert people. In the used machinery business, my usual strategy is to be a matchmaker rather than a missionary. If customers ask for an ACME 1-5/8” RB-8 I don’t generally attempt to sell them a Wickman 1-3/4”. If a customer is a devout Tornos user, I doubt I can convert them to Citizens. A few years ago I trekked through the mountains of Slovenia with a customer to buy a Schutte SE16 spindle stopper sitting in a barn. We could hear…
The last year and a half, I’ve been a rookie family man. I’m trying to balance selling sexy-ugly iron, podcasting, and being a good dad and husband. I’m a distractible person with mild ADHD. I like to have fun, get out of the house, and I sometimes have trouble pulling myself away from the TV. Four years ago, I read the book, The Art of Less Doing: One Entrepreneur’s Formula for a Beautiful Life, by Ari Meisel. The book had a significant impact on my life, particularly for how I do work. I’m far from having the majority of my…
Our guest on today’s podcast is Sunny Han, founder and CEO of Fulcrum, a cloud based enterprise resource planning system, or ERP, for small to medium sized manufacturing companies. Besides creating a great ERP, Han says his true aspiration is to create a vast network of manufacturing companies, enabling them to work together seamlessly. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Main Points (2:35) Sunny explains that Fulcrum is a cloud based ERP software for small to medium sized manufacturers. He says the software lends itself to companies with at least 12 employees on the shop floor. Some of its…
On today’s podcast we interview Rick Miller, owner and cofounder of Elijah Tooling, a company that sells innovative CNC work holding equipment. Scroll down to listen to the podcast. Rick has a knack for for coming up with unique products and has several patents in the work holding sector. He says that innovative ideas are vital for success, but getting customers to buy into those ideas is what makes for a successful business. Main Points (Time codes according to audio) (3:05) Rick talks about the origin of his business. Before producing work holding equipment, he and his brothers started a…