Hardware Podcasts

Shop Talk Live 17: How Your Hand Tools Are Made

Shop Talk Live · 11 Oct 2012 · 1h 17m

What this episode covers

Asa Christiana visits Lee Valley Tools and its Veritas manufacturing arm in Canada, interviewing President Robin Lee and product designer Steve Jones about their North American production of high-end hand tools. They discuss the company's history, its 35th anniversary, and specific innovations like the PMV-11 powdered metal steel, the NX nickel-resist ductile iron, and nylon-glass composite saw spines. The episode highlights the use of 3D printing for rapid prototyping, CNC machining, and a highly automated tooling system to maintain quality and affordability in a small-batch manufacturing environment.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Lee Valley Tools
Products
Veritas, NX, DX, Jack Rabbit
Tools
3D printer
Materials
PMV-11

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 42m

    46: The Only Way Out Is Through

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the grueling production and assembly of their 'Mark One' pen, detailing the unexpected labor required for polishing, cleaning, and quality control due to high-tolerance mirror finishes and nickel plating issues. They explain how they adapted to these manufacturing challenges by building custom jigs and 3D-printed fixtures to manage the assembly process in-house. The episode also covers their packaging decisions, specifically the use of cork, and concludes with a tech corner segment recommending Lisa Brennan-Jobs' memoir 'Small Fry'.

    Scaling productionMaterials & manufacturing processes
    5 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 19m

    503: It’s Made Me a More Fearless Maker

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto celebrate the 11th anniversary of the Making It podcast, reflecting on how the maker community and technology have evolved. Jimmy discusses hosting a new Test Equity series at Henkel's Loctite labs, while David shares his experience at a Klingspor woodworking event and his progress on a hand-carved marble table and a leather-and-steel chair. Bob details his shop setup, a rental property renovation, and his shift toward artistic projects like blacksmithing and laser cutting.

    Careers & educationMaterials & manufacturing processes
    7 chapters

  • Additive Snack · 1h 08m

    AM as a Moat: How Annihilator Created a Competitive Advantage in Broadhead Manufacturing

    Brandon Brodie, co-founder and CEO of Annihilator Broadheads, explains how a failed elk hunt inspired the creation of a broadhead with a unique 'scoop' design that creates high-pressure and low-tension wound channels. After validating the concept through plastic prototypes and an improvised Instant Pot wind tunnel test, Brodie faced severe supply chain failures with investment casting and metal injection molding suppliers, leading to massive scrap rates and lost dealers. To save the company, he brought metal laser powder bed fusion in-house, learning to operate 5-axis CNC grinding and metal printing to achieve tight tolerances and enable complex geometries like the Katana broadhead. Brodie outlines how this additive manufacturing moat allows for rapid innovation, new product lines, and future contract manufacturing partnerships.

    Scaling productionManufacturing partners & offshoring
    7 chapters

  • Being an Engineer · 46m

    Dylan Lundberg | Protolabs

    Dylan Lundberg, Manufacturing and R&D Engineering Manager at Protolabs, explains how the company reinvents manufacturing through automation, software, and standardized processes to deliver prototypes and low-volume production parts via 3D printing, CNC machining, and injection molding. He details the company's evolution from a garage startup by Larry Lucas into a global enterprise with nearly 3,000 employees, highlighting the strategic acquisition of Hubs to expand their service offerings. Lundberg discusses the operational challenges of maintaining speed and quality at scale, including limitations in handling super-tight tolerances or highly unique geometries, and outlines Protolabs' future focus on expanding into high-volume production capabilities.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringDesign for manufacturing & NPI
    9 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 08m

    Episode 279: Making things for making things

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the complexities of product development, from ideation to manufacturing. They share specific examples, including Diresta's boot knife collaboration with Nick's Boots, Clagett's Maloof rocking chair and canoe cart, and Picciuto's work on picture frame jigs and plant stands. The conversation highlights the challenges of sourcing manufacturers, managing costs like tariffs, and leveraging modern prototyping tools like 3D printing and CNC machining to bring physical products to market.

    Design for manufacturing & NPIPrototyping & iteration
    9 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Shop Talk Live. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.