About this episode

The episode discusses challenges in CNC machining and production efficiency while dealing with unexpected issues and new workshop gadgets.

This week on the Lone Machinist Podcast, Jamie is fighting on two fronts: a mystery illness that's trying to end the episode early, and a CNC controller that's decided now is the perfect time to develop an attitude. Somehow, despite the coughing, month-end admin, and machine diagnostics, the show goes on. The guys dive into the latest shop updates, including another batch of Barnacles, fresh anodizing adventures, and the welcome return of Kill Clamps, which are finally back in stock after the laser has been working overtime. Of course, it wouldn't be a Lone Machinist episode without at least one machine throwing a curveball, and this week's culprit is an APO issue that's proving much harder to diagnose than it should be. Curt, meanwhile, has been battling monsoon weather, slogging through production work, and discovers one of those brilliantly simple workshop gadgets that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner—a number-pad mouse that might just be the ultimate CAD companion. As always, the conversation wanders through production efficiency, workshop life, software quirks, and the strange reality that every time one problem gets solved, two more seem to appear. Grab a…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jamie Peacock, Curt Van Filipowski

Guest: Jon Dillehay

Topics covered

• CNC machining
• production efficiency
• workshop gadgets
• machine diagnostics
• month-end administration
• software quirks

Keywords

• CNC controller
• mystery illness
• production work
• number-pad mouse
• APO issue
• anodizing
• workshop life

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Lone Machinist, Barnacles, Kill Clamps, Patreon, jspeceng

More episodes of The Lone Machinists

• Ep. 81: Teaching Engineers to Talk with Al Whatmough · July 15, 2026 · 1h 29m
• Ep. 80: Production Doesn't Care That You're Dying · July 8, 2026 · 49 min
• Ep. 78: Marketplace Finds and Questionable Decisions · June 24, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Ep. 77: Break Glass in Case of Feelings · June 17, 2026 · 1h 19m

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