Machine Shops: Old - New - Professional - Hobby

[searcher]

He Built a Precision Machine Shop on a Working Cattle Farm | Shop Tour

Jul 9, 2026 #MachineShop #CNCMachining #manufacturing
Jeff Lewis was born on 380 acres in Cox's Creek, Kentucky. He started by welding broken farm equipment in a tobacco barn. Today, Integrity Tool occupies that same property, machining die inserts to four-tenths tolerance for major automotive OEMs — all while Jeff and his family still work the land and run cattle out back.
In this shop tour, we walk the floor with Jeff and his team: die insert workflow, Schunk zero-point workholding, five-axis and horizontal machining, wire EDM, and custom automation design-build. We also meet the next generation — Jeff's son and daughter — and an 89-year-old mentor who shaped how Jeff thinks about skilled trades and the people who do them.


21:29

 

[nickndfl]

I worked in a machine shop while finishing high school and part of college. We had lathes, a wet saw, drill presses, a kick press, and welding equipment.

We built replacement parts for car washes and entire systems. I learned a lot and worked with some talented people with severe character flaws.

At the minimum we would drink beer at lunch while half the group also smoked a joint. In hindsight that was dumb and dangerous. Somebody could have been seriously.injured not to mention changes in behavior.

Two of the workers there came from famous families, but ended up in a 2-bit shop. One had a hangover from fighting in Nam and the other turned into a hard drug addict when crack hit the streets in the 80s. He was so bad he sold the wheels off his van to buy crack.

You make a lot of mistakes when you are young. I had zero guidance other than instinct which is a tough way to learn sometimes. I saw good there too. That was a long time ago and the world is different now.

 

[searcher]

Welcome to It'll WorkShop | Shop Tour