“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. This phrase is a popular witticism in American English and it’s also a popular Billy Ocean song. In today’s context it refers to the state of our business and specifically, how to stay productive and profitable in these…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing Inc N Kansas City, MO
I had a short visit from our HVAC repairman today. It took him about 2-minutes to pop the access cover, grab a tester and proclaim that the flame sensor had shot-craps in our 10-year-old furnace. He’d been in my…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing Inc. N. Kansas City, MO
Most piston sets come in a bag. Some customers do not take off all the external parts when they bring in cylinder heads. Use those piston bags to put the various cylinder head parts in to keep them organized for reassembly. Place a label on those bags…
Anita Satterfield Satterfield’s Machine Shop LLC Cayce, SC
How does a new potential customer find your shop? Yellow Pages are out... smartphones are in! Have you had occasion to type, or better yet, use voice commands with your smartphone to find a restaurant "near me"? This technology, called hyperlocal, combines internet business listings with…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing Inc N. Kansas City, MO
I have muscled crankshafts into place and used various methods of “slinging” them. I found this sling to be simple and easy. I built the hooks out of 1/2” steel rod and slid some heater hose over them to protect the crank's bearing surfaces. I found two…
Robert Cull Cull Enterprises Ltd. Creston, B.C.
Once again, I found myself on a ladder, one leg on the top rung and the other on a shelving rack, struggling to replace a ballast that was sucking the life out of our light and our electric bill. You’ve been there, trying to hold the…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing Inc. N. Kansas City, MO
Rewarding existing customers when they share your services with a friend is a great way to generate new business. There are lots of ways to organize a referral program, including some cool eCommerce plug-ins for your website. Another very easy referral program is to write…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing, Inc. North Kansas City, MO
Professional auto and truck repair facilities are THE best source of high-value work for machine shops specializing in cylinder head repair. Professional mechanics usually know what they are working on and what is needed to correct a problem. Professionals have a lower warranty rate vs. DIY’rs or DIFM’rs and they…
Steve Rich Sterling Bearing, Inc. N. Kansas City, MO
With certain jobs in the shop, setup time can be a big factor. I keep detailed notes and sometimes pictures of particular setups to save time. For instance, I have “crib sheets” for many set ups on the line boring machine. Block to machine head, direction, riser…
Ron Flood Cedar Machine North Branch, MN
I use a serpentine belt to lift blocks and cranks. No more need for chains and bolts or wrenches. It won't harm machined surfaces and this belt can lift a fully dressed 5.9 Cummins. I've been using these for years and never had one break. Gary Sloat Auto…
Gary Sloat Auto Supply of Stuart Stuart, FL