The Impractical Machinists

He Bought His First CNC at 17 — Now His Shop Is Booked Solid at 20 | 43


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Michael is 20 years old and runs his own machine shop in Idaho. He bought his first CNC at 17 while still in high school, taught himself machining entirely through YouTube, and has never spent a dollar on advertising.

In this episode, Michael shares how he went from building RC airplanes to hand-coding G-code on a vintage Swiss lathe, why he moved his entire shop from Tennessee to Idaho, and how he stays up until 4 AM when customers need parts delivered on time.

We talk about his equipment (Haas DM-2, S20Y lathe, Citizen B-12 Swiss, and a new Mazak 5-axis), his approach to finding work through relationships instead of marketing, and his plans to add robots before hiring employees.

If you're curious about starting your own shop or wondering how someone builds a manufacturing business from scratch with zero industry connections, this one's worth a listen.

Follow Michael on Instagram or YouTube.

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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!!!

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The Impractical MachinistsBy Practical Machinist

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