In this episode of Foundry Talk, hosts Nate McClainand Perry Merritt talk with Bill Crouse of ProTechPattern in rural Wisconsin. Bill shares his path from freelancing in1996 to opening his dream shop in 2018—built right next to his home forultimate convenience (and occasional work-home blur).

They discuss running a small, fast-responsepattern shop: long hours, quick turnarounds, CNC machining, laser scanning forquality, and exploring 3D printing for gating and cores. Bill covers the shiftfrom traditional bench work to modern CAD and additive tech, plus the value ofself-taught problem-solvers.

Full of practical tips and passion from adedicated small-shop operator—perfect for foundry folks and patternmakingenthusiasts.