How Much Work Do You Need Before Going Full-Time? | 47

How Much Work Do You Need Before Going Full-Time? | 47

From The Impractical Machinists by Practical Machinist

April 14, 2026 · 1h 18m · Season 2 · Episode 47

About this episode

The hosts discuss the challenges and considerations of transitioning from a side shop to full-time work.

Pat, Cameron, and Brad catch up on what’s been going on in their shops—from current projects and production challenges to the reality of keeping work on track. They also dive into a listener question about when to go full-time with a side shop, breaking down the financial side, the risk, and what that transition actually looks like. The conversation touches on balancing a day job while building something on the side, using your job to fund equipment, and what happens when that decision gets m...

People in this episode

Hosts: Pat, Cameron, Brad

Topics covered

  • full-time work
  • side shop
  • financial transition
  • work-life balance
  • production challenges

Keywords

  • full-time
  • side shop
  • financial risks
  • work balance
  • equipment funding

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