I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT 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 swinging...

REFERRAL REWARDS CUSTOMER AND BUSINESS 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....

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...

TIME IS MONEY 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,...

LIFT BELT 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...

LUBRICATING WAYS When we use our resurfacing machines we usually let it travel just far enough to machine the length of the head or block that we are machining. This practice can cause a lack of lubrication to the Ways of one end of the machine. Once per day I let it...