Machine Shop Mastery

I’ve admired John Saunders for a long time. Most of you probably know him as the force behind the NYC CNC YouTube channel, the Business of Machining podcast, and of course, Saunders Machine Works. John has been creating content, teaching, and inspiring machinists since long before it was “cool” to do so online. In fact, he’s one of the first people I think of when someone says they learned machining from YouTube.

When we sat down f...

When I think about the shops that inspire me most, it’s the ones that balance cutting-edge technology with a deep investment in people. That’s exactly why I loved sitting down with Steve and Eric Van Orden of Paramount Machine in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Steve started Paramount back in 1995 with nothing more than a manual mill and a garage shop. Fast forward nearly three decades, and the company has grown into a 75-person operation wi...

When I think about inspiring stories of resilience and vision in the world of manufacturing, Sam Thevanayagam’s journey is one that stands out. In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Sam, the founder of Parts Life Inc. and the leader behind Deval Lifecycle, to unpack his incredible path from Sri Lanka to Philadelphia, from downsizing his home to fund his dream, to acquiring a bankrupt business and transforming it ...

What happens when two people with a shared vision for community, craftsmanship, and legacy decide to take the leap into shop ownership? For Scott and his wife, the answer is Delaware Metals.

In this inspiring conversation, Scott Bruneau shares how he and his wife purchased a decades-old, well-run machine shop—not as a quick flip, but as a long-term investment in American manufacturing, their team, and their community. 

With over 20...

What if the next frontier of manufacturing leadership isn’t on the shop floor—but in the hearts and minds of your people?

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul sits down with Dana Gruber, third-generation owner and president of ATCO Tool & Manufacturing. Dana didn’t grow up on the machines—she came from a career in cosmetology—but found herself drawn back into the family business with a mission that goes beyond precision pa...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sat down with Barry Walter Jr., and I have to say—this one lit me up. Barry’s a machine shop leader who brings heart, humility, and a whole lot of wisdom to the mic. From rebuilding a multi-generational business to designing a culture where “shit flows uphill” (his words!), Barry has transformed a plumbing parts OEM into an 8-figure, high-mix/low-volume powerhouse with 37 team members, 15 ...

Every once in a while, I sit down with a guest who reminds me exactly why I started this podcast in the first place. That was the case with Kelly Denison, the second-generation owner of Continental Machine Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kelly is the kind of leader who sees his machine shop not just as a business—but ...

What would you do if your very first CNC machine didn’t even power on? For most people, that’s where the story would end. But for Rhys Andersen, it was just the beginning.

In this episode, I sit down with one of the most determined shop owners I’ve ever interviewed. Rhys is the founder of Method Manufacturing in Austin, Texas — and his journey into precision machining is anything but conventional. From wildland firefighting to arch...

What if you could double—or even quadruple—the value of a machine shop within just 12 months of buying it? For Mike Payne, this isn’t a hypothetical. It’s a repeatable system he’s refined across five acquisitions (and counting). 

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Mike returns to the mic to break down exactly how he transforms tired shops into thriving, high-value operations—without starting from scratch.

Mike walks us throug...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Kyra Tillman, third-generation owner of BTM Industries. When Kyra returned to the family shop, she inherited more than just machines—she inherited decades of “this is how we’ve always done it.” 

What she’s done since is nothing short of a transformation. With grit, grace, and a serious knack for finding and using resources, Kyra has turned a quiet, closed-door machine shop in...

Most shop owners I talk to are focused on the usual things: keeping the machines humming, staying profitable, maybe planning for growth or succession. But what if the real unlock for your shop wasn’t more tech or tighter margins—but a completely different way of thinking about why your business exists in the first place? That’s what today’s episode is about.

I sat down with Court Durkalski, CEO of Truline Industries, and honestly, ...

What happens when a serial entrepreneur with seven businesses under his belt decides to go all-in on graphite machining—and does it with some of the fastest, most precise equipment on the planet? You get Matt Gawlik, and in this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, he brings the heat. Host Paul Van Metre sits down with Matt to unpack a no-BS journey through business wins, failures, and the strategies that separate thriving shops from t...

Most small manufacturers don’t realize they’re being quietly supported by one of the most impactful public-private partnerships in the country. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has long been the hidden backbone behind training programs, grant facilitation, process improvements, and critical tech upgrades for shops across the U.S. But recent Federal decisions to defund these programs—without clear communica...

When I first heard about Screwmatics—a shop with over 200 machines, 110 employees, and 16 buildings—I knew I had to talk to the guy behind it. In this episode, I sit down with Billy Hogge, the second-generation leader of Screwmatics out of Pageland, South Carolina. His story is incredible. His parents started the company 37 years ago with just two screw machines,...

How do you go from being the kid who couldn’t sit still in class to leading the machine shop for one of Elon Musk’s most ambitious ventures?

Have you ever thought about what it takes to make the leap from employee to employer in the machining world? 

What if understanding the true cost of every part you produce could be the key to scaling your machine shop? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul Van Metre is joined by Marvin Rodriguez from True Precision Machining to explore the strategies that have driven the company’s remarkable growth. Marvin shares his journey from starting with little formal education to leading a high-performance machine shop that blends cutting-ed...

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Jason Davis, CEO of D&D Enterprises, is back for an insightful conversation on navigating growth and operational expansion in 2025. With nearly 26 years of experience in the machining industry, Jason shares his insights on scaling operations and avoiding the common pitfalls that come with growth. We dig into three main areas crucial for expanding your shop in the coming year: Adding capacity...

Today’s guest is Kirk Phelps from American Precision Partners, a key figure driving the growth and transformation of multiple machine shops. Kirk’s journey into machining began as a teenager in his dad’s shop, where he started on manual machines while attending trade school.