People that know Tormach know us as a CNC machine tool company. Our 1100 mill has been the flagship machine for our company for more than a decade, but we have recently made our way into the world of fabrication with our AF50 Autofeed Bandsaw.

When operating a machining or fabrication shop, every dollar counts. Most shops have a bandsaw in their equipment lineup to alleviate the cost of getting custom-cut lengths from a metal supplier. While having a bandsaw is useful, it can still be a drag on your checkbook because of the manual labor required.

In the world of CNC, automation is important. Using CNC, we can make all sorts of products, widgets, and parts quickly and consistently, but we can streamline that process even more by adding automation.

 Cutting threads is an important element of machining. Even if you aren’t into making your own, custom-sized threads, it still helps to know how to create them. We’ve seen customers get pretty creative with their machines and cutting methods, but with a Tormach mill, there are three main ways to cut threads.

Years ago, when I was starting out as a DIY machinist, my limiting factor was always the ease and convenience of rough cutting stock.

Obviously, our favorite tools are CNC-related, but every shop requires a number of machines and utensils that don’t run on G-Code. Here’s a short list of a few of our favorite tools that aren’t CNC (in no particular order).