First things first: how did Silver Tool get its name? “In the mid 1980s, silver prices were high,” said James McCloskey, Owner and President of Silver Tool. “My dad sold a few bars of silver, bought a Bridgeport knee mill, and started a shop. The rest is history.”
Fast forward to today, and Silver Tool is a thriving high mix, low volume (HMLV) job shop based just outside of Dayton, Ohio. After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from Wright State, James started working full-time at the company in 2001 and took over for his father in 2012.
Silver Tool is a full-service shop, but they specialize in tight tolerance fixtures and gages. In addition to milling and turning, they also offer design services, EDM, jig grinding, and more. They are true craftsmen, and are always looking for like minded toolmakers to join their team.
“We run differently than other shops; we’re more flexible with our team and approach,” said McCloskey. “We have flex shifts, and guys can set their own schedules as long as they’re getting the job done. And people tend to stick around; we’ve had guys here for over 30 years.”
Customers tend to stick around, too. Silver Tool has been in business for over 40 years, and still does work for some of their original customers.
In addition to the flexible schedule, Silver Tool gives their machinists the freedom to program and make parts their own way. “We give them the part print, and expect them to get it done,” said McCloskey. “We’re not like other shops with programmers in front and machinists in back. Each part is handled by one guy.”
Silver Tool has almost two dozen Hurco mills and lathes in their shop, which are ideal for this approach. Machinists have the option to program parts in Fusion 360 on workstations on the shop floor, or use Hurco’s conversational control and program directly on the machine. McCloskey estimates that his team uses conversational programming about 15 to 20 percent of the time.
“Guys will share programs, and we have a standardized system of programming and notes so that another machinist can pick up the same job in the future. We use a standardized tool library that everyone has access to as well.”
Five years ago, Silver Tool took the plunge into 5-axis machining. “We did our due diligence and looked at machines from other builders,” said McCloskey. “But our guys love Hurco, and we stuck with them.”
They bought a VMX30U, an integrated trunnion table 5-axis vertical machining center. It went so well that they bought their second VMX30U less than a year after. Featuring a 12,000 RPM spindle and capacity for parts up to 440 lbs (200 kg), the VMX30U is one of Hurco’s most popular 5-axis mills, ideal for the small- to medium-size parts that Silver Tool’s customers demand.
“It’s absolutely elevated our game. We’ve taken cycle times for some parts from seven hours down to an hour and a half. And going to 5-axis went smoother than I thought. We started by running 3+2 machining, but now we’re doing true 5-axis with Fusion 360.”
Silver Tool doesn’t just hang onto their customers and employees. They hang onto their machines, too. A tour of their shop tells a multi-generational story, with brand-new Hurco mills and lathes working alongside Hurcos with decades of chip making under their belts.
“We still have every Hurco that we’ve ever bought, save one,” said McCloskey. “A few years ago we retired an old BMC30 that we bought in 1997.”
The oldest machine currently on the floor? A TM8 lathe that’s been going strong since 2007. “It still holds two tenths,” said McCloskey. “It just works.”
Silver Tool’s machines are kept running thanks in large part to support from their local distributor, Reynolds Machine. “The service has been great. It’s the biggest thing for me. Reynolds has kept our machines going, there’s never been any extended down time. Whenever there’s an issue, they’re here within 24 hours.”
We asked McCloskey why they’ve tallied almost two dozen Hurco machines over the years. He gave a simple and powerful answer: he’s seen the business grow consistently over the past 25 years with Hurco spindles doing the job.
“The machines pay for themselves,” he said. “I keep investing in them, and they keep being worth every penny. Rinse and repeat. They just work.”
Want a machine that just works, and lets your machinists make good parts their way? Talk to your local dealer or request a quote for that next Hurco machine.
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