Chips and Tips Podcast

What does it take to transition a 30-year-old family manual shop into a high-tech automated powerhouse?
In this episode of the Chips and Tips podcast, host Tim Paul sits down with Shawn Conour, owner and operator of Conour Manufacturing. Shawn shares his incredible journey from growing up in his father's garage—where the air always smelled like coolant—to serving as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan, and finally returning home to take the reins of the family business

What we dive into in this episode:
The Military Mindset: How Marine Corps discipline and "living life on fast forward" shaped Shawn’s approach to leadership and business consistency

Mission-Critical Problem Solving: Hear the story of how Shawn saved a milk processing plant from losing $5 million in product by delivering a solution on a 36-hour deadline

The Leap into Automation: Why Shawn invested in a Fanuc RoboDrill with a pallet system and the "trailblazing" (and sometimes painful) decision to run it on cutting oil

Overcoming the Odds: Sean opens up about his struggles with dyslexia and why he believes machining is a "10,000-hour skill" that rewards grit over traditional academics

The Future of American Manufacturing: A passionate call to action for shop owners to mentor the next generation and bring manufacturing back to the U.S.

Shawn's philosophy is simple: "Bite off more than you can chew and then figure out how to chew it."
Whether you are a solo garage machinist or running a multi-machine cell, this episode is packed with insights on perspective, positivity, and the technical hurdles of modern manufacturing.
Connect with Shawn: Find him on Instagram and YouTube at Conour Manufacturing

Connect with Shawn:
IG: @conour_mfg
YouTube: Conour Manufacturing

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#Manufacturing #Machining #MarineCorps #RoboDrill #SmallBusiness #Automation #CNC #Toolpath

If your shop still debates tool numbers every time you program a part, you are solving the wrong problem. In this episode of Chips and Tips, Justin and Zap continue their deep dive into tool libraries by breaking down the four-digit Tool ID, or TID, system and why separating tool identity from tool number changes everything. They explain how a TID represents the full rotating assembly, including holder and stick-out, why you should assign sequential IDs without overthinking it, when different setups require new TIDs, and how to start a tool library even if you currently have nothing documented. The conversation tackles common objections like “my shop is too unique to standardize” and shows how that mindset quietly limits throughput, first-part yield, and scalability. Most importantly, they reframe optimization: get the program running, get a good part, then optimize. If you want faster setups, more reliable simulation, and a clearer path from programming to shipped parts, this episode will challenge how you think about your tooling system. From estimate to machining, smarter and faster with Toolpath.

In this episode of the Chips and Tips Podcast, I dive into a thought-provoking discussion with Chris Zapattini about the intricacies of tool library management. We explore the various setups and efficiencies—or lack thereof—within different machining environments. From the importance of having a structured tool library to the pitfalls of poorly managed ones, Chris shares insights from his extensive experience in the industry. We discuss what makes a tool library effective, the necessity of including cutting data, and the need for regular audits to ensure consistency and efficiency. Join us as we navigate through the foundational principles of tool library theory and challenge the status quo in machining practices. This is Part 1 of our engaging debate—tune in to elevate your understanding of tool management!

In this episode of the Chips and Tips podcast, Tim Paul sits down with Scott Moise to talk about what it really takes to build CNC software that machinists can trust.

Scott’s career spans manual machines, yacht manufacturing, CAM programming, post processing, and years inside the Autodesk ecosystem. That mix of hands on shop experience and deep software knowledge shapes how he thinks about Toolpath today. The focus is simple but hard to execute: solve the problems machinists should not have to solve, without losing respect for the craft.

The conversation covers Scott’s journey from Cornwall to New Zealand, early lessons learned on manual mills and lathes, and how those experiences still influence his approach to CAM, tooling data, and automation. Scott explains why speeds, feeds, and tool selection are still broken across the industry, and why those decisions should eventually fade into the background through better data and smarter systems.

They also dig into leadership, customer advocacy, and the responsibility that comes with building software for real shops. From post processors to partner ecosystems, Scott shares what it means to grow Toolpath while staying grounded in the realities of the shop floor.

If you care about CNC machining, CAM workflows, tooling data, or the future of manufacturing software, this episode offers a thoughtful and practical perspective from someone who has lived it.

What actually goes into making a custom carbide cutting tool, and why do so many tooling decisions look great on paper but fall apart on the machine?
In this episode of Chips and Tips, Justin from Toolpath sits down with Dave Stanbach of Carbide Cutting Tools for a deep, practical conversation about carbide tooling in the real world. They dig into scrap carbide pricing and why it has surged, how custom tools are really quoted and tested, and why a simple sketch can be more effective than a fully detailed CAD model.
Dave shares hard-earned insight on flute count tradeoffs, helix versus shear geometry, edge prep, coatings, and why features like wipers often fail to deliver better finishes. The discussion also covers thread mills, roughers versus finishers, chip management, and how coatings impact not just tool life but also cutting noise, which matters more than most shops realize.
If you run CNC machines, order custom tools, or want to understand what actually drives tool performance on the shop floor, this episode delivers clear, experience-backed answers with no marketing fluff.