In this episode, Will Mund joins to break down predictions for manufacturing in 2026: tariff impact on U.S. supply chains, workforce challenges, and how desktop/entry-level CNC machines could expand training pipelines for new machinists. A quick listen for CNC machinists, shop owners, and anyone watching the future of American manufacturing.

In this end-of-year wrap-up episode, Will Mund and I break down what actually mattered in manufacturing in 2025. We cover the launch of Machine Tool Maniacs, Will’s progress with Greenlight Machinery, key industry moves, and how AI is already affecting CNC programming, quality, and customer engagement.

If you’re a CNC machinist or machine shop owner, this is a quick look back at the trends that shaped 2025.

Machine Tool Maniacs where every story is a success story.

Get ready to sit down with Kelly Rus of Precision Machine and Repair to break down how he built a machine shop from the ground up in just a few short years. Kelly started by buying out a one-man shop and shipping it to a small town in Georgia, then setting up in the corner of a dump truck company with manual machines doing repair work. What really changed the trajectory was committing to a 24-hour breakdown repair model, which helped him earn trust fast, stand out in a small town, and charge premium rates. We talk about how he leveraged LinkedIn and TikTok to get access to large factories, the real pros and cons of running a shop in a small community, and how learning to adapt to customer needs has been critical to his growth. If you’re building a shop, doing repair work, or looking for practical ways to separate yourself and get taken seriously, there are a lot of solid nuggets in this one you won’t want to miss.