Here at Tormach, we consider our machines to be prosumer – meaning, they marry the concerns of cost and quality. Because of this, our products are found at a unique intersection between hobbyists (those that use the machines for fun or at-home projects) and professionals (those who make a business out of machine ownership). We recently shared a story that discussed Randy Barnett’s custom-designed eyewear company, Indivijual Custom Eyewear. Like many of our customer success stories, Randy loves his Tormach mill, and he utilizes it to make highly-individualized projects. Now, Tormach’s machines are used in many different industries for everything from education to developing prototypes, but there are many organizations that are doing something very different… making money. Randy’s story starts with a broken nose and ends with perfectly fitting eyewear being milled from elegant Italian plastic. He realized the potential of his idea when he purchased a PCNC 770 and started selling glasses for “hard-to-fit folks.” Randy’s Tormach has helped him stay ahead of the curve in a highly competitive market while staying within a tight, start-up budget.
These machines have the ability to cut professional-grade components with quality finishes and high-end accuracy. In fact, Randy isn’t alone in his endeavor to use his Tormach for full-on production. A company known as Artisan Dice has both a PCNC 770 and a PCNC 1100 that they use to mill dice from exotic woods and 30 different kinds of metals. The owner, Charlie Brumfield, is an old-school Dungeons and Dragons fan, and he knew that his peers would appreciate playing with high-quality dice. Now, with a two-car garage full of machines and milling materials, Artisan Dice pulls in around $700,000 in sales.
While both Randy and Charlie managed to find a high-value place in their markets, they both admit that a key component to their successes has been their Tormach machines. The essential needs for both of their situations was a combination of accuracy and a small footprint. Tormach’s machines are used by hobbyists and educators, entrepreneurs and professionals, rookie machinists and veteran cutters, but they aren’t designed with any of these specific users in mind. Rather, they are designed to function to the highest standard while still fitting in your garage (or basement, or shop, or even a NY apartment) and within your budget.
