Ep. 76: The Billet Volcano Arms Race with Ben from Blackfox
About this episode
The episode features a conversation with Ben from Black Fox Machining about the machining community, DIY projects, and the challenges of parenting in a workshop environment.
This week on the Lone Machinist Podcast, Jamie drags Ben from Black Fox Machining into an emergency guest appearance after recent developments sent the machining community into full rumor mode. Running on almost no sleep and questionable amounts of enthusiasm, the guys dive into everything from home-built CNC machines to the strange reality of becoming accidental role models. Ben shares how a burnt guitar neck, a B-minus shop project, and scavenging parts from scrap bins somehow led to a career in machining. Along the way, the conversation wanders through DIY routers, waterjet shops, engineering school disappointments, and the fine art of becoming a professional shop-floor vulture. Meanwhile, Curt and Jamie discover that raising children in workshops might create unrealistic expectations. Apparently not every garage contains CNC mills, laser cutters, 3D printers, and enough machinery to casually build a billet volcano for a science fair. Curt nearly melts when his daughter announces she wants to become an astronaut, while Jamie confesses to being that guy who helped nieces and nephews turn ordinary school projects into unfair competitions. If you've ever rescued expensive…
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