Microsoft Millionaire starts Machine Shop

[Ries]

Sunday Buzz | Sunday Buzz: Microsoft researcher on the cutting edge with vintage machinery | Seattle Times Newspaper


Just think- if he had hired Brian, from VersaMill, and paid Brian a hundred thousand dollar consulting fee, he probably could have set up a bigger, better, shop, for about 20% of what he has spent.

 

[Milacron]

Not a good sign that he was dumb enough to buy something from Washington Machinery...

But after Boeing shifted certain work to Wichita, says Kajiya, the huge D.E.A. machine wound up at an Eastern Washington equipment dealer who "stored it in a potato shed."

 

[motion guru]

Gotta admire the fact that he is putting his money where his dreams are - but I wonder if this guy ever considered who might be his competition in the local market?

Janicki Industries is only about 75 miles away and is far more capable with far bigger / better machines and metrology equipment and continues to expand with a new plant planned in Utah.

Peter Janicki was about the only person I knew who told me to take the plunge and start a business doing controls. When I started my business, he had 3 employees and was just getting started himself.

I have done 5 of his 5-axis machines and he now has an engineering group and machine design group larger than my entire company. If I were to decide to jump into starting a machine shop catering to large / accurate work - I'd look long and hard at Janicki before I sunk that kind of money into my "dream"

Janicki Industries | Capabilities - Facilities & Equipment

 

[Ries]

I do respect him for putting his money where his mouth is.
And I am happy he is putting it into machining, as opposed to just buying enormous toys like some of the other microsoft people- giant yachts, endless homes, $40,000 ice cream machines in their home kitchens- There is plenty of excess in the overgrown and rich teenagers that are plentiful up here.

And I hope his plan works, and his shop makes money, and makes THINGS, in the USA.

If you look here-
Large 5 Axis Machining | Tolt Machine Works
you can see that a lot of the money is going into the buildings, infrastructure, and concrete- just check out the foundation for the 5 axis machine- but it still seems to me like he is spending more than he has to, given the deals out there.

I just saw some pics of the shed that CMM came out of- everything in it is covered in pigeon poop and rusted. All listed by George Washington Machinery as "excellent condition, ready to make parts".

 

[Shirokuma]

I wonder what "new physics" he is talking about. If you could call "spintronics" the new physics, I still don't see how that applies to large machinery.

Laser micromachine? We used one for cutting polymer sheet, but it appeared to be more suited for scribing serial numbers on diamonds (when you ask, "What else is it good for?!").

Good luck!

 

[donie]

"Not a good sign that he was dumb enough to buy something from Washington Machinery..."

Really Milacron, why would you say that? Do you even know these people?

 

[Milacron]

Really Milacron, why would you say that? Do you even know these people?

As Ries says - I just saw some pics of the shed that CMM came out of- everything in it is covered in pigeon poop and rusted. All listed by George Washington Machinery as "excellent condition, ready to make parts".

I've seen his ads in west coast publications many times, I've read numerous accounts like Ries's over the years about the place...including accounts of folks that drove long distances to view something and no one was there....enough to know the guy is FOS. Guy sounds more like a "hoarder" than an actual machinery dealer. So, that's "why I say that"...any more questions ?

 

[bryan_machine]

I think I've met, but not really spoken with Jim. But articles elsewhere focused more on changing technologies, EDM (he bought an entire EDM shop apparently) and the like.

I think there's a fair amount of "learn by doing" and "go for the big play" going on here.

We'll see, won't we?

(And Ries - there's a reporting effect going on - when some ex-MSFT type, often one who was kind of obscure inside the company, does something weird - that makes the paper. When they start schools, or start real businesses, or sail nice but normal boats, or start charities, or... Those don't make the paper. So the reporting can be quite skewed.)

 

[donie]

I have not seen, heard any such accounts as this "Ries" individual is claiming.

It appears you are going by hearsay, and have no experience yourself.

In fact your are expressing an opinion not based on any facts.

You have no clue on how they do business, and seem bothered that they have vast amounts of equipment.

My experience dealing with the 2 Johns is much different then what is being indicated here.

I knew you couldnt back your statement yourself, instead relying on some ass kissing buddy.

Milacron, degrading others in business, does not reflect good upon you.

 

[Nick Mueller]

To me, that sounds like someone bought the biggest and the smallest. That's all about the "plan".

Man walks in ...
"I want the best machine, money doesn't matter".
"Wooot!?"
"Your biggest machine!"
"Oh, we have that rusty ... er ... experienced Waldrich horizontal borer"
"Is there a bigger one?"
"Not in the USA"
"I buy it. ... Wait ... does it have a laser?"
"I'm sorry, no."
"So I need a machine with an laser"
"Well ... um ... um ... to make really small parts with ..."
"Exactly! Miniature parts! That's a perfect fit for the Waldrich, so we cover the whole spectrum".




Nick

 

[Milacron]

I knew you couldnt back your statement yourself, instead relying on some ass kissing buddy.

I have backed up my statement.... search old posts if you like. It's you that provides zero backup. If you have a pleasant experience with them, then tell the tale now...i.e. provide some backup. Of course it will be "hearsay" even coming from you, but at least it will be in writing.

 

[Milacron]

To me, that sounds like someone bought the biggest and the smallest. That's all about the "plan".

Man walks in ...
"I want the best machine, money doesn't matter".
"Wooot!?"
"Your biggest machine!"
"Oh, we have that rusty ... er ... experienced Waldrich horizontal borer"
"Is there a bigger one?"
"Not in the USA"
"I buy it. ... Wait ... does it have a laser?"
"I'm sorry, no."
"So I need a machine with an laser"
"Well ... um ... um ... to make really small parts with ..."
"Exactly! Miniature parts! That's a perfect fit for the Waldrich, so we cover the whole spectrum".




Nick

LOL... I had a similar reaction... like he somehow needs a CMM large enough to probe a jet but then talks about making minature parts.

But it's true, at least he's doing something interesting with his money instead of the usual excessive consumption (like yachts that are burning hundreds of gallons of fuel per hour with 5 people on board)

 

[donie]

Milacron says
"I have backed up my statement"

No you have not.
You are the one that seems to have some problem with GW and you have zero experience with them, and do not even know them.
Yet you must degrade others, to feel good.

You can keep up you nasty attitude, toward others you do not know or understand, possibly feel threatened by, that is a well known.

Pretty bad!

 

[adh2000]

Well FWIW I've been to GW machinery and it's exactly as Milacron describes. Huge warehouses with the sheet metal siding blowing off, took forever to find anyone, then the guy turns out to be a head case.

-Alan

 

[donie]

Explain that in more detail Alan.

 

[Ries]

I am this "Ries" individual.
And what I am "claiming" is that a certain "Doug" individual, who posts here on PM and also posts on our local email list about machining, just posted pictures of the EXACT shed this CMM came out of. Doug went over there to look at a machine. The picture I saw online this morning shows a row of machinery, sitting in the weeds, rusting, covered with pigeon poop, where the roof fell in on that particular shed.

I said nothing either positive or negative about the owner of this business- but I have heard a LOT of stories from potential buyers who found the machines to be less than as advertised. I dont know the guy, he could be a prince among men. But I do know what the pictures looked like that I saw this morning.

As for Microsoft Millionaires- I do know a few of em. Went to high school with the big dogs, Gates and Allen, but I havent seen em since. But I am totally aware of all the good things the microsofties have done around Seattle, things like rebuilding the Paramount Theater.
However, compared to people with similar and, indeed less, wealth in other parts of the country, the Microsoft people, (aside from the Gates Foundation) are not particularly big givers to charities or the arts- I know a lot of people in the arts, for example, in Seattle, and Microsoft money is seldom flowing. Plenty of yachts, porsches, and expensive houses, though, most of which do NOT make the papers- I know about them thru fellow tradesmen, and other people I know, some of whom have signed non-disclosure agreements.

Gates himself is to be praised for the amount of money he is giving away. But dont get me started on Paul Allen, and his Vulcan Properties, and what they are doing to urban planning and the cityscape in Seattle....

 

[motion guru]

This feels like the playground in 8th grade -

Looks like Donie AND Milacron have been on this page before . . .

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/visit-george-washington-machinery-96745/

 

[donie]

Ries,

What you have seen is the machines that do not sell.
What you have not seen is the good machines that move quickly.
Many times, the better machines never hit the ground, or are bought very quickly.
I have never seen either John intentionally misrepresent equipment.
I also have never heard either of them say anything bad about others in business.
Neither one of them are experienced machinist, so, they really cant make exact determination as to condition.
That is in this circumstance, the buyer needs to know what they are doing. They never test anything.
I had been in this area all my life, there never was a perfect machine dealer, Seattle had Hallidee and West whatever, Spokane had Bixby.
I have bought equipment from all, but more from GW, simply because of price and perhaps a better business relationship.
I just find Milacrons statement that its dumb to buy a piece of equipment from them not founded in fact.
I ask Alan to expand on his experience there, mostly on the "Head Case" statement.
Ries, if you have been there, you may know why I find that disturbing.

 

[John Welden]

I hope this guy succeeds with his new shop.

That is quite a foundation they're pouring.

 

[Milacron]

You are the one that seems to have some problem with GW and you have zero experience with them, and do not even know them.
Yet you must degrade others, to feel good.

You can keep up you nasty attitude, toward others you do not know or understand, possibly feel threatened by, that is a well known.

Pretty bad!

donie, cut the pychoanalysis and personal insult bullshit, and just tell your story of good experiences with this guy or shut TFU.