The Impractical Machinists - What Do You Do When Customers Don’t Pay on Time? | 09

What Do You Do When Customers Don’t Pay on Time? | 09

10/29/24 • 87 min

The Impractical Machinists

Topics:

Kenny's Career Journey
Handling Complex Jobs
Dealing with Payment Issues
Fixture Design and Methodology
Least Favorite Machines
Manual Programming and Macros

In this episode of Impractical Machinists, we’re joined by Kenny Urban, also known as Patriot_mucheenist, who takes us on his journey from law school dropout to running a top-tier fabrication and machine shop. Kenny dives into everything from ASME-certified welding and machining exotic materials like titanium and niobium to managing tricky high-stakes projects for government labs.
Along the way, you’ll hear stories about old-school machining tricks blended with new-school tech, practical hacks for efficiency, and the realities of balancing complex jobs and cash flow. Tune in for shop banter, insights on fixture design, and a whole lot of laughs—because machining isn't just work, it’s a way of life.

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Connect with the hosts on Instagram:
Patrick Mcclintock: IG: https://www.instagram.com/job_shopper_tn/ or PM@Job Shopper TN
Cameron Graves: IG: https://www.instagram.com/machiningiscool/ or PM@Machiningiscool
Bradley Thomas: IG: https://www.instagram.com/marvelmachining/ or PM@Marvel
Thanks for listening!!!

Topics:

Kenny's Career Journey
Handling Complex Jobs
Dealing with Payment Issues
Fixture Design and Methodology
Least Favorite Machines
Manual Programming and Macros

Previous Episode

Should You Hire More Humans or Invest in Robots? | 08

TOPICS:

Program Management
Automation vs. Hiring Employees
Cheap Automation Solutions
Metric vs. Imperial
Upcoming Projects

Automation or more employees – which one is the right move? In this episode of the Impractical Machinist Podcast, Patrick, Cameron, and Bradley dive into the day-to-day challenges of running a machine shop. They explore whether automation, with tools like robots and dual-station vices, is the way to go or if hiring more hands-on help makes better sense.

The conversation also touches on essential topics like managing CAM programs, organizing files efficiently, and using tools like Dropbox to avoid machine mix-ups. The hosts share their favorite tips on keeping tools aligned, handling materials, and working with carbide tools for optimal performance.

You’ll hear their stories about balancing workloads, dealing with delayed jobs, and navigating programming mishaps—plus insights on scheduling operations to keep things flowing smoothly. If you've ever dealt with G-code errors, unexpected tool behavior, or wondered whether you’re using your tooling system effectively, this episode is packed with practical advice.

Tune in for a real-world shop talk!

Next Episode

Our Worst Machine Crashes Yet... | 10

Topics:

Crash Stories
Shop Updates
Thread Rolling
ERP Softwares
Best Way to Position Jaws
Giveaways

It’s every machinist’s nightmare—CRASHING a machine!
In this episode, Bradley, Patrick, and Cameron dive into their worst machine crashes and share the painful (and sometimes funny) lessons they learned along the way. 🛠️💥

From manual lathe mishaps to CNC disasters, they’ve all been there. The guys talk about why crashes happen, how they deal with them (hint: there’s no yelling involved!), and what changes they’ve made in their shops to prevent repeat mistakes. Whether you’re a seasoned machinist or just starting out, this episode will have you nodding along and maybe even cringing a bit.

Plus, Bradley, Patrick, and Cameron share tips on staying calm under pressure, making quick adjustments, and how to turn these “uh-oh” moments into valuable learning experiences. Don’t miss this one—it’s real shop talk with no sugarcoating.
🚨 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🚨
To celebrate our 10th episode, we’re giving away some awesome gear: