One-Man Job Shop Tour: Imperial Machine!

Manufacturing machines and parts for various industries is what Imperial Machine Co. is all about! When you hear "family business" you think of dramatic reality TV shows but this family has it nailed down!
Nate Estep, the owner, combines certain aspects of his business with the fabrication side while at the same time remaining separate, which is not a skill in itself. Come check out their manual and CNC machines, learn how they run the shop, and hopefully hear some nuggets of information you can use!
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Links for this video
IG: @imperial_machine_co
imperialmachine...
Keep Your Spindle to Temp: bit.ly/3rjmahL
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Reach us / CNC Info:
Speeds & Feeds: provencut.com
Download Fusion 360: www.dpbolvw.ne...
Online Fusion 360 Training: bit.ly/LearnFus...
Hands-On CNC Classes: www.nyccnc.com...
SMW Products: saundersmachin...
CNC Resources: www.nyccnc.com 5 Reasons to Use a Fixture Plate on Your CNC Machine: bit.ly/3sNA4uH

[@glennstasse5698]

Love hearing from these individual business owners, their successes and hurdles. Very happy they are doing well. I admire them!

[@scottpecora371]

I'm 60 and have a few pearls I can pass on. One is to specialize like with what your doing with the food processing machine, it will help stabilize your cash flow and make you become the go to company for speciality manufacturing and reduce your need to compete with other job shops. "OH, the company you want to talk with if you want that built is Imperial"! 2nd trust NO ONE when it comes to handling money unsupervised. Always, ALWAYS and ALWAY have TWO AND THIRD TIER monitoring of cash flow through your company with projected cash flo figures throughout process by completely separate monitoring agencies. So that ultimately you have three levels of independent auditing. This will seem excessive until you're embezzled by family or your most trusted friend and employees, thus go back to rule #1, Trust No One!

[@split141x]

Def liked this smaller one on one. More inciteful because of how grounded in reality it is.

[@yosmith1]

I'll never get tired of these tours, John. Glad to hear business for these folks has still be steady throughout this last year. Keepem coming!

[@SMCca]

Love these one man shop videos John!! They really breathe life onto the embers of self employed shop life desire.

[@richardjones1022]

Loved this shop tour video! Building automated machines for different industries is my dream work

[@MattysWorkshop]

Gday John, great to see another positive business, using cheaper machines as stepping stones is a great option, is was awesome to see manual machines in with CNC, awesome tour mate, throughly enjoyed watching, cheers Matty

[@HuskyMachining]

I was a one machine shop until last month when I got my first CNC lathe and I do not regret getting a 5-axis machine for my first machine... they are so awesome (until the jobs just barely to big for your trunnion setup and you have to take the trunnion off and do it 3axis style) but now I'm already mentally hunting for my #3 machine (probably the last one I can fit in my 1500ft2 shop)

[@marouanebenderradji137]

we would love to see a shop tour of your shop even by you and even without editing just show us what you got

[@HuskyMachining]

@@marouanebenderradji137 lol, it would be a short one but I should do a shop tour if not for my own memories

[@dmbworks8094]

i am self owned and operated, i able to start my own design/cnc shop. outsourced my own product for 2 years to qualify for a machine. made my product for 2 years as basically a portfolio for the job shop ive done the last 3 years, 7 years since i sold my first product.

[@OAKNH70]

Very impressive for a "One man" shop.

[@HuskyMachining]

job shopping has been feast or famine for me on my first year of owning my small machine shop too but it so much fun I don't mind working the weekends when there is work.

[@gypsoncustommachining7591]

Love the small business interviews!

[@stevew3226]

Thanks. This was really interesting and inspiring for me... Just need to sort out my first CNC mill now!!!!

[@Rx7man]

That "food grade" machine brings me back to where I used to work, I built tray formers

[@rogboak]

Great shop! As a very small one man owner/operator I can relate to a degree. I do have a regular job where I work 2 weeks on (remote location) and 2 weeks off, so I run my business while I’m home for 2 weeks. I often make more money hourly from home but my day job offers more in insurance, retirement and other benefits that I can’t compete with on my small scale.

[@frankornelaz8234]

That’s one intelligent young man.

[@rogerwilliams2902]

Lovely machine shop, nice to see the Myford too . Regards from the UK.

[@rodneykiemele4721]

Now that was a great video, a total joy to watch ! Thanks so much.

[@bearsrodshop7067]

Great interview,,I too am after a Shy Hook to set and remove my 12in chuck on a Leblond 17 new to us. And the TOT has one of those mini variable speed belt sanders,,great tool to have around the shop,,,Like your channel, so be hang around often. His shop has a great web site, they will do well in business. Bears Rod Shop.

[@weldmachine]

Definitely enjoy these shop tours. It helps to open your eyes to what is possible in either your own shop or if you are thinking about starting out. Owning a shop is A Lot of work, but it is rewarding, can also be Very demanding ??

[@nikolaiownz]

What an awesome shop

[@JHorvathCinema]

There is a kit available that turns the Milwaukee m12 3” cut off saw into a finger sander. No variable speed, but it’s super handy and cordless

[@colehawkins6623]

Another awesome and inspiring video. Thanks John.

[@mannycalavera121]

Love this shop, so very clean

[@jakedevries1455]

Yeah really nice

[@wazwuz205]

Hello from Indonesia, I love small workshop tour

[@amackie]

Very nice shop! Love these videos!

[@ibrahimgb4961]

he has a cat in his shop nice mate !! let me buy you a beer

[@ralphizzie7092]

Love the shop tours, Keepem comin11

[@videomeasuringmachine459]

Nice shop

[@jeremiahreschke8091]

To hold a co ax on any diameter jaw setting machine a stepped shaft with reamed thru hole.

[@t5manufacturingco.705]

Awesome tour! Thanks John!

[@mikeyduke10]

How did he get into this? Im a beginner (1.5years experience after retraining) welder / trainee blacksmith. I did milling and lathes at college but would love to get into this kind of thing when i eventually break away... any advice for progressing? Im in the middle of buding my own garage workshop up and would love a 4ft ish manual lathe, where from there?

[@stevenoke9390]

Great set up guys

[@artmckay6704]

Thank you for your efforts! :)

[@kraigvollmer788]

I saw one of this guys posted videos on making swaging bullet jacket dies and now I am trying to make some just from watching video. Does any one know if you can get blue prints for doing this. Thanks

[@diego_d684]

Trying to start my own thing I have land and money for a small building but not machinery yet

[@killejano]

Where do you get those masks that wont stay on?

[@akfarmboy49]

i like the myford od grinder

[@pnuema1.618]

I learned I have a long way to go!

[@TheDJHeadless]

Super cool.

[@Stealth5280]

He sounds like one of my favorite comedians nate bargatze

[@wills4187]

Did I miss something? Where the crap is the rest of the Johnny 5 build??

[@ScotY808]

Nice shop! Anyone know who makes that little belt sander?

[@michaelkerry6163]

love the cat

[@rpnp2]

What’s that little belt sander he used called?

[@Ideasite]

Yes - I'd love one, too!

[@inuyashacoolieo]

I came here to ask the brand as well. I've uses the Dynafiles alot by Dynabrade but never a little electric one thats so quiet and manuvereable. Also side note NSK makes a miniature belt attachment for their micromotors which is even more neat but $$$$

[@nateestep]

This belt sander is from gesswein tools.

[@conortuck6924]

I've also used air powered ones before and the company called them linishers. between that and a pedestal grinder with a buffing wheel I barely touched a file

[@MrPlumberguy23]

Johnny #5 where is he at

[@danielstewart3507]

Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper too?!

[@nyccnc]

He's BACK! We started working on him today!

[@MrPlumberguy23]

@@nyccnc as a kid watching that movie and I was amazed. Thank you

[@shajikozhummal]

fantastic machine shop . it going profitable ?

[@christopherpatrick2343]

Great

[@perlsackhd3957]

Huh no three phase power? Over here you typically have an outlet in every kitchen lol.

[@ericsteinmetz7846]

Go to Dan’s Custom Machine soon

[@jasonruch3529]

Why the heck would anybody thumb down this? Maybe jealous? Lol

[@Eluderatnight]

The garage tool maker was a "one man", this is a small company.

[@kkknotcool]

And what's the difference?

[@kkknotcool]

@@AntiVaganza I have zero Idea what your on about.

[@RyTrapp0]

It really doesn't matter - running a small business is running a small business, and they're all uniquely different. Note that just because he said that his machining business works with his father's fab business and they're under the same roof, that doesn't mean that he just has all of those people in that building to load up and operate his machines. It probably says "one-man job shop" because the machining business actually IS pretty much one man. That's the entire point of starting a CNC job shop after all, they're very nimble, flexible businesses with very low labor requirements thanks to the automation of CNC(how many of these tours do we hear something like "...yea, we might just shut them down for the weekend, but they run without anyone all night long too..."). I would hope you're capable of taking more from this tour than just semantic nitpicking(of questionable accuracy)

[@АндрейЕклема]

Респект мужики! Все чисто, красиво!

[@ReconRecker]

I like the shop tours but its so hard to get some of the owners to talk smoothly without the awkwardness

[@Coconut7403]

I feel like you need better thumbnails

[@justindewoody]

I second that emotion.

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Love the channel and videos but guys! Please get better fitting masks. Seeing everybody having to mess around with their masks every 2 seconds is annoying as hell. I mean...what's the point of even wearing masks if it's going to be falling down every 2 seconds. Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

[@bcbloc02]

Don't matter how good a cloth mask fits it isn't stopping any virus. The masks are strictly a compliance for show kind of thing.

[@wotnoturbo]

@@bcbloc02 Well said Brian

[@RyTrapp0]

@@bcbloc02 Yea yea yea, we're well aware that it's politics like usual - but that doesn't change the fact that you're better off wearing a mask that's actually comfortable instead of one that isn't(especially if you're one of these types who sees themselves in some convoluted way "protesting" by wearing an uncomfortable mask that they have to constantly adjust... some people's "logic"...). Everyone just needs to get a neck garter already - on top of the fact that they're better to wear than cheap masks, they're also actually useful outside of pandemic time. Like, ya know, if your neck is cold. Or even your face(warning: may cause flashbacks for the terribly fragile souls who had to live through these atrocities, and can't GTF over it)

[@wodzu2203]

What do you need those masks for? :D Ok, I guess it's for gansta look ;P

[@wotnoturbo]

Lets the world know your a brainwashed mindless obedient citizen

[@wodzu2203]

@@wotnoturbo , God bless you ;)

[@thejasonrk]

i feel like you would already have to be a multi-millionaire to start a shop..

[@sktyby]

What's with the ninja masks? Are you in china?

[@RyTrapp0]

No, they're exercising their freedom of choice to follow voluntary guidelines, and they're probably choosing to exercise this freedom of choice because they aren't assholes and they're considerate of others around them

[@TheTsunamijuan]

They call work, work for a reason. If you hate your job and think your going to be happier doing the same work as your own boss. That likely isn't going to be the case. Since every job has a number of activities and problems that you do not find enjoyable.

[@shirothehero0609]

Eh, in many cases, you can enjoy your actual job, but your boss can make it miserable. The work and working conditions are really two separate things. Just because there are certain tasks you don't enjoy does not mean your job is overall "just work" and that it can't be more satisfying, fun and worthwhile being your own boss.

[@kkknotcool]

But that's assuming you do those things at all. For instance If I ever start a machining business, I will never touch tools or material off. Sure it costs 10 grand more to do it that way, which is why most places don't do it, but I hate the bother of touching tools off, so I'd never start a company where that's a thing.

[@RyTrapp0]

The most real comment about this? Human beings are complicated...

[@tkuenzli1]

Learn to wear your mask!

[@nonjb3811]

Misleading title! Do you know what "one man shop" mean? I would like to spend time to watch that kind content.. He says dosen times "we this we that" ... And all others people in shop is what? one man shop? dislike

[@fredrikholmqvist2623]

First... jhahah

[@crumplezone1]

M99%

[@shirothehero0609]

The masks make it hard to understand and just weird to watch a vid like this. It almost makes me anxious not being able to see your face and form words and see reactions since inflection doesn't always portray the full emotion. I'm so use to seeing Johns ear to ear smile with cool shop stuff! It portrays so much more emotion and can otherwise make a flat video more exciting - it's why we have KZbin and not YouRadio I guess. Maybe I'm just weird. Anyone else find it's more difficult to watch?

[@sktyby]

Absolutely. Ridiculous masks!

[@ricardo-iw9sq]

Sorry but these face nappies are ridiculous people are constantly touching them and moving them about, if you feel like you need to conform just put a visor on it gives the same protection as in the masks don't fit but at least we can hear what you have to say. It's good to see a shop with cnc and manual machines, to many people think every thing is quicker on cnc but if you have a job shop and a customer says I need a 1 inch diameter bar with a taped hole but just a one off then 5 mins in a manual job done, that said to see a 5 axis in motion does make me jealous.

[@johnranalletta9249]

Do your audience a favor. Use paper masks instead of cloth. The cloth masks bend your noses over, muffles your speech and constantly slip downward. Thanks.

[@dariuscastor2331]

If they just used masks with the copper strip in the nose they’d be fine, these just seem like shit masks

[@kreshokresimir7139]

It would be better with no masks.

[@Sicktrickintuner]

I work where they are required, any local noise sucks when talking to others

[@monray300]

take off the masks guys

[@tdg911]

take off the muzzles for crying out loud.

[@ironworkerfxr7105]

Not the biden harris dream....

[@justinhanneman9379]

Haas are shit machines! I ran them for 5 years. There is a reason why they are cheap!!!

[@TorgeirFredriksen]

mhmpha ah mmhmm, ya gadda mmhpha yah, coo, yah! Haw gannah mmhpha yock yah mmh ya? Mhh, bunno, maymee no?.... As a foreigner, this is what it sounds like when you talk with those masks on. I doubt there is any protection in wearing those if you still spend hours together. So why not take 'em off when you speak, or maybe get some which don't degrade audio so much...?

[@bcbloc02]

Because government mandates and people that won't mind their own business.

[@jeffland197]

take the mask off

[@scottpeterson5241]

Damn masks! Wtf!

[@mogdefender8520]

Exactly!! Throw away your masks!! Quit feeding into the hysteria!

[@sktyby]

No shit brother. Might as well be in china!

[@rickfinsta2951]

Jesus just stop with the stupid masks.

[@scottpeterson5241]

I know, ffs

[@sktyby]

Exactly. Act like an American!

[@wotnoturbo]

Intelligent people with no common sense, mind blowing