Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

What does the next generation of manufacturing ownership really look like? In this episode of MakingChips, we sit down with Mason Nicholas, a 21-year-old shop owner who's building his business one machine, one customer, and one sleepless night at a time. His journey didn't start with a formal apprenticeship or engineering degree. It started with motorcycles, model cars, a 3D printer, and a curiosity about how things are made.
Mason walks through the unconventional path that led him into machining, from teaching himself CAD during COVID to interning in multiple shops while still in high school. Along the way, he learned programming, fixturing, production workflows, and the realities of shop life. That hands-on exposure eventually turned into entrepreneurial ambition, and before long he was running parts at night on a CNC knee mill, chasing work, and learning the business the hard way.
The conversation dives deep into the realities of starting a shop young. Mason shares how he bootstrapped his first Haas, balanced customer work with learning, and navigated common early mistakes like chasing low-margin work and trying to be everything to everyone. The hosts also unpack the importance of niching down, building cash reserves, and choosing a long-term strategy instead of chasing short-term revenue.
Looking ahead, Mason outlines his vision for building a specialized aerospace and defense shop, investing in five-axis capability, and eventually creating a talent pipeline to bring new people into manufacturing. It's an honest conversation about ambition, discipline, and what it takes to turn passion into a sustainable manufacturing business.
Segments
(0:00) Mason Nicholas and his unconventional path into manufacturing
(3:54) Learning machining through high school programs and internships
(6:52) Running parts at night, landing his first customers, and early job costing mistakes
(9:57) Buying his first Haas and officially launching the business
(11:33) Leaving his job and committing to entrepreneurship
(14:45) Check out the Hennig WorkFlow Automated Pallet Delivery System
(15:35) What his one-man shop looks like today
(19:19) First IMTS experience and seeing the industry's scale
(20:34) Head to the DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event
(21:33) Bootstrapping growth and reinvesting into tooling and equipment
(23:14) Deciding when to buy the next machine
(25:09) Paperless Parts is built for shops preparing for CMMC Level II 
(26:58) One-man shop realities and five-year growth vision
(29:10) Creating a future talent pipeline and second shop concept
(31:31) Technology, certifications, and preparing for aerospace work
(33:16) Lights-out machining and maximizing spindle uptime
(36:44) Cash flow discipline and managing capital-intensive growth
(42:49) Advice for new shop owners on niching down
Resources mentioned on this episode
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus
Hennig WorkFlow Automated Pallet Delivery System
Head to the DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event
Verdant Commercial Capital
Paperless Parts is built for shops preparing for CMMC Level II 
Nathan Bourgeois - Owner at Ouroboros Space and Defense
Mace MFG
Connect with Mason on LinkedIn
 
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What happens when a college engineering student buys a CNC machine just to experiment… and accidentally builds an aerospace machine shop? That's exactly what Nick Preece did. What started as a curiosity fueled by YouTube videos and garage tinkering quickly evolved into Preece Machining & Assembly, a fast-growing shop focused on complex, high-mix aerospace work.
In this Gen CNC episode, Nick shares how he bootstrapped the business from a used mill and a $1,200/month goal into a 10+ machine operation. Alongside his brother Tanner, the two built a company rooted in technical problem-solving, disciplined growth, and a willingness to learn everything the hard way, from customer concentration risk to hiring challenges.
The conversation dives into how young shops can compete with larger manufacturers by focusing on complex work, building strong customer relationships, and creating positive sales pressure. Nick also explains how painful lessons around diversification forced them to rethink outreach, refine their quoting strategy, and become more intentional about the work they pursue.
Nick also discusses scaling a team, investing in five-axis capability, and even bringing on strategic partners to accelerate growth. With a vision of building a full "PMA campus" and a culture built on kindness and urgency, Nick offers a real-world look at what it takes for the next generation of manufacturing leaders to grow fast without losing focus.
His advice for anyone starting a shop? Don't just compete, turn it up to 11 and deliver something exceptional every single time.
Segments
(0:00) Introduction and welcome to Gen CNC featuring Nick Preece
(2:24) Preece Machining & Assembly overview and aerospace focus
(4:22) Origin story: learning machining on YouTube and starting in a garage
(7:40) Working with family and division of responsibilities with Tanner
(12:39) Bootstrapping the first machine to multiple machines and five-axis investments
(15:00) Head to DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event
(15:59) How they make decisions on capital equipment
(17:47) Sales and marketing strategy, customer concentration, and diversification
(20:15) Building a sales process and generating positive sales pressure
(21:34) First in, First Order: What is your ideal part profile?
(27:7) Pricing pressure, margins, and competing during slow periods
(30:54) Hiring strategy, workforce challenges, and recruiting experienced talent
(33:55) Shop culture: kindness, urgency, and high performance
(36:33) Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding
(38:48) Long-term vision and building a "PMA campus"
(42:39) Five-axis strategy and thoughts on automation
(45:10) Why you need to come see us at IMTS 2026
(46:04) Bringing on investment partners and scaling the business
(49:24) Nick's advice to young founders: "turn it up to 11"
Resources mentioned on this episode
NYC CNC/John Saunders
John Grimsmo
Head to DN Solutions Manufacturing Without Limits event: DN-Solutions.com
Paperless Parts: What is your ideal part profile?
Why we love SMW Autoblok for workholding
Hire MFG Leaders
Why you need to come see us at IMTS 2026
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What happens when a childhood obsession with trains turns into a manufacturing business? In this episode of MakingChips Generation CNC, we sit down with Chris Huffman, a young shop owner who launched Huffman Machining Solutions at just 21 years old. Now 26, Chris is building his business one machine, one customer, and one calculated risk at a time.
Chris didn't grow up in a machining family, and he didn't follow the traditional path into manufacturing. Instead, his curiosity started with steam locomotives and model trains. That fascination led him to learn how parts were made, which eventually pulled him into machining. Along the way, he realized he didn't just love trains. He loved the process of turning raw material into precision components.
That passion evolved into opportunity. Requests for custom parts began to pile up, and Chris saw a path forward. With minimal overhead, a steady job at a community college, and a willingness to take calculated risks, he bought his first machine, found a small space, and started building his shop from the ground up.
In this conversation, Chris shares the realities of starting young. He talks through financing equipment, navigating insurance challenges, buying used machines, and learning business skills on the fly. He also opens up about the mental side of entrepreneurship, including the pressure of hiring a first employee and the responsibility that comes with building something bigger than yourself.
This episode is a great look at what the next generation of manufacturing founders actually looks like. It's not about overnight success. It's about passion, persistence, and slowly laying the track to build a sustainable machine shop.
Segments
(0:00) Introduction to Chris Huffman and the Generation CNC young founder series
(1:06) Starting a machine shop at 21 and the story behind Huffman Machining Solutions
(4:30) From model trains to machining and discovering a passion for manufacturing
(9:18) Why you need to come see us at IMTS 2026!
(11:00) Desire to work on historic locomotives and falling in love with machining itself
(14:10) Demand for parts lead to launching the business in 2022
(16:16) Transitioning from teaching machining to running a shop full-time
(19:30) Financing the first machine and lessons learned about tooling costs
(22:02) Buying a used Mazak and costly surprises after purchase
(25:54) Adding additional machines and building capability as a one-man shop
(28:43) Paperless Parts: CMMC compliant and secure option for estimating and quoting 
(29:55) The "#ThankAMachinist" mindset and educating others about manufacturing
(33:20) Hiring plans, apprenticeships, and outgrowing the current space
(37:13) The fear and responsibility of hiring the first employee
(38:40) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
(39:08) Learning the business side: scheduling, marketing, and sales
(41:39) Long-term goals including ISO certification and ERP implementation
(43:15) Letting go of machining work to grow the business
(45:21) Opportunity to acquire retiring shop owners' businesses
(46:50) Hosts' reflections on passion-driven paths into manufacturing
Resources mentioned on this episode
IMTS 2026: https://www.imts.com/
Paperless Parts: https://www.paperlessparts.com/
Coffey Machining Group: https://coffeymg.com/
The E-Myth Revisited: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280
Huffman Machining Solutions: https://huffmanmachining.com/
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-huffman-93b69423b/
[email protected]

They started a machine shop before turning 30… and doubled their projections in year one.
In this episode of MakingChips Generation CNC, we sit down with Sean and Sinjon of Three Rivers Precision to hear how two mechanical engineers turned hands-on curiosity into a high-end machining business focused on five-axis work, titanium, and complex parts. What began in a university machine shop quickly evolved into five years of learning inside a young manufacturing company, where they gained experience across programming, estimating, project management, and customer communication.
When that company shifted direction, they made the leap. They mapped out their financial runway, secured startup funding, built out an empty facility, and launched with a clear strategy: focus on difficult materials, deliver fast, and build relationships by exceeding expectations. The result? A fully booked shop, automation plans, and growth without rushing to hire.
Sean and Sinjon also share how they structured a 50/50 partnership, why they're prioritizing lights-out machining over headcount, their philosophy on paying skilled machinists well, and the mindset that helped them go all-in and build a modern machine shop from day one.
From funding and partnerships to five-axis strategy and customer acquisition, this episode offers a candid look at how the next generation of manufacturing leaders is building modern machine shops from day one. 
Segments
(0:00) Introduction to Sean and Sinjon from Three Rivers Precision and their growth journey
(2:21) Meeting at the University of Pittsburgh and early exposure to machining
(9:04) Why Sean and Sinjon decided to launch Three Rivers Precision
(15:15) Paperless Parts and secure AI-powered quoting for manufacturers
(16:27) The emotional and financial risk of leaving secure jobs
(17:53) Working with the Small Business Development Center
(19:14) SMW Autoblok and the seven habits of highly effective workholding
(21:04) Turning an empty shell into a working shop and their early sales strategy
(24:02) Why they chose a higher-end machine strategy from the beginning
(26:20) Why one-op or two-op efficiency matters more than "fancy" five-axis parts
(27:30) Why they intentionally pursued harder materials
(32:04) Paperless Parts: How to take the complexity out of running your business
(39:53 ) How they're finding work and thinking about future growth
(43:11) Their decision to pursue AS9100 early
(44:43) What it's like to co-own a 50/50 business
(47:04) Building a business around quality of life and flexibility
(49:12) Factur and building a more consistent pipeline
(53:52) How they're tracking against their original business plan
(57:15) What was critical to their successful first year?
(1:01:19) Final advice for young founders
(1:03:05) Where to find Three Rivers Precision
Resources mentioned on this episode
SBDC
CDFI
Factur can help you build a more consistent pipeline: FacturMFG.com/chips
Paperless Parts and secure AI-powered quoting for manufacturers
SMW Autoblok and the seven habits of highly effective workholding
ThreeRiversPrecision.com
Connect on LinkedIn
[email protected]
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Automation and lights-out manufacturing are often framed as the future of machining, but for many shops that future is already here.
In this episode of MakingChips, we sit down with longtime industry leader Keith Grano to talk about what lights-out machining actually looks like in practice. Drawing on years of experience working with manufacturers, Keith explains how automation, machine monitoring, and disciplined processes allow shops to run more efficiently and extend production beyond the traditional workday.
Lights-out machining isn't about replacing people. It's about using technology to make better use of the time, talent, and equipment already inside a shop. When done well, it increases capacity, improves consistency, and helps manufacturers grow even when skilled labor is limited.
Keith walks through the practical considerations behind unattended production, including machine reliability, process stability, tooling strategy, and the systems required to keep parts running when no one is standing at the control. Along the way, we explore why many shops struggle to implement automation and why incremental steps often work better than trying to jump straight into fully autonomous production.
This conversation also connects to a theme we've been exploring across our Generation CNC series: the next generation of manufacturing leaders is entering an industry where automation and digital systems are becoming foundational capabilities. Understanding how lights-out machining works, and when it makes sense, will shape how the next generation builds and scales their shops.
Segments
(1:28) Introducing Keith Grano and his background in manufacturing automation
(3:06) What "lights-out machining" actually means in a modern shop
(7:23) Why automation is about maximizing equipment and people, not replacing labor
(12:09) The operational discipline required to run machines unattended
(14:52) How ProShop ERP can help you achieve on-time delivery
(20:11) Why process stability matters more than the machine itself
(25:08) Tooling strategy, monitoring, and the systems that support unattended production
(29:38) If you want the speed of AI without the risk, go to PaperlessParts.com
(30:53) The mindset you need to have to implement lights-out machining
(33:13) Where do you start with lights out automation? 
(40:08) How to adjust your mindset to allow for automation
(46:33) How machine monitoring and data change decision-making on the shop floor
(51:27) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
(51:58) The most affordable way to automate a five-axis setup
(58:54) How state, local, and federal grants can help cover purchases
(1:00:47) How to determine what to charge for a machine's time 
Resources mentioned on this episode
Visit proshoperp.com/95 to get a free guide to achieve on-time delivery
If you want the speed of AI without the risk, go to PaperlessParts.com
Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
ROI Calculator
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