Parts Department
Justin Brouillette (Portland CNC) and Jem Freeman (Like Butter) discuss CNC machines, their product design and manufacturing businesses, and every kind of tool that they fancy.
Justin Brouillette & Jem Freeman
Show overview
Parts Department has been publishing since 2022, and across the 4 years since has built a catalogue of 190 episodes, alongside 2 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 150 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 42 min and 53 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Business show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 22 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Justin Brouillette & Jem Freeman.
From the publisher
Justin Brouillette (Portland CNC) & Jem Freeman (Like Butter) discuss CNC machines, their product design and manufacturing businesses, and every kind of tool that they fancy. Show Website - https://dept.parts
Latest Episodes
View all 190 episodes188 - Steel dreams and spider screams
187 - Is this your vasectomy app?
186 - Slashed Shopify by 99%
185 - Rearranging racks at midnight
184 - Everything's an (AI) Hammer
183 - Hoarding unfinished projects
182 - Droppin' drawers & doors
181 - Please vibe responsibly ft. Justin Gray
180 - 50% up, scattered AF
179 - Bill me later, daddy
178 - A popup worth thousands
177 - Chippy, don't do it
Ep 176176 - We don't sell to inch people
Justin hires his first office employee, Jem catches up on emails using Cursor, and both discuss the challenges of delegating tasks in their growing businesses of delegating tasks in their growing businesses. They cover AirShop new features and a big milestone, 3D printer mishaps, expensive robot maintenance, profit-first accounting discipline, and building new custom product configurators.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a Topic577 daysStrict 7-day flow working wellCursor inbox catchupDelegation (email?)The Shelves draftedJustin hiring?PS2 Boxed UpRobot service in progress, they old---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 175175 - Trenchcoat tool tags
Justin and Jem weigh up if expensive trade shows are worth the $15k entry or if walking the floor with a "trench coat" of products is the smarter play. Between squashing bugs in the kitchen and mourning 62% price hikes on magnets, they tackle the absolute loop of shittness that is FedEx losing custom plywood shelves. Plus, Justin notices used Mac prices are on the rise and orders a cardboard shredder.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicTool Show FUThick dentistBuy Kitta Parts in US [PLACEHOLDER]Buy Macs, like holding goldMatthew's Simple Wood Goods Edge SanderYoutube Playlist of our SongsBenn Jordan audio prompt injectionCardboard Expander---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 174174 - Spreadsheet Queens
Jem and Justin chat about complicated speaker parts, CAM programming headaches, and why wood routing feels less reliable than metal work. They geek out over Joe Roggenbuck's knowledge-sharing channel, discuss Jem's new Profit First spreadsheet rebuild (RIP Laura), and explore hiring challenges for a growing team. Plus: trade shows, work stops, and late-night coding sessions as a form of meditation.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicTwo Years of Profit FirstSpreadsheet rebuild, first AI redundancyCobra HQ Plus - good simple machine shop content from Joe Roggenbuck @cobraframebuildingKittaParts Builder v3 - test deployed hereTrying to consolidate or just making excuses?AirShop Start a Trial now availableAirShop to Fusion in 2-clicksGoing to tool shows?Mercury bank---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 173173 - $65,000 and a brick
Jem quoted big this week while glued to his desk, ditching ChatGPT for Claude and getting his staff into Cursor. His parkour bricked iPhone became surprisingly zen. Justin scored a Tormach autosaw from Seattle, and he's hiring a Shop Coordinator. Both are wrestling with Xero bookkeeping.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicSoggy phone delights ꘎Dumping Chatty GNew role at PDX CNC - Shop CoordinatorJustin steals a bandsaw - Tormach AF50+Reconciling should be automatic by now surely!?Robots via Cursor?Getting staff into AI workflows - Jon into CursorAirShop - Bulk imports, quote billing new---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 172172 - One-click kanban glory
Jem's rocking top-tier muffs that isolate a screaming spindle while the guys talk one-click Kanban card glory. They discuss the magic of good- documentation, fighting AI amnesia with markdown, and the logistics of shipping PS2 kits to the States. From bike-ride domain buys to handling trade apathy, it's a heavy look at refining the systems that keep a modern shop running.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicCommunication in the trades, what the actual fuck? ꘎Are you driving Cursor remotely? ꘎Dylan got good muff recommendation ꘎Gemini Lead Interview Youtube @Justin Brouillette HA Dashboard for Bambuinput.buttonAirShop upatesNew Docs site 😍6 months 50% off currently!Kanban carding / printersQR Scanners are amazingPS2 Launch---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 171171 - Slag on my parts
Jem's dialed-in tumbler workflow is pumping out thousands of little widgets with barely any intervention, while Justin redesigned the Fang clamp packaging to keep up with demand. They swap war stories about terrible powder coaters, Jem races his cousin vs Cursor on a Raspberry Pi battery project, and Justin finds a surprisingly old-school solution to stop Slacking across the shop.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicEngineer versus AI in modbus solution ꘎Clawtastic ꘎Love of tumbling ꘎Cursor is king ꘎Package Redesign for FangsLocal Open assistantsOpen ClawQuality issues other vendorsMicroscope 10 inchIntercoms---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 170170 - Sticker Licker 3000
Justin literally sold a room of his shop. Jem's questioning if his furniture business is secretly a tech company, someone stayed up til 2am installing sketchy AI agents, and plumbing codes make a surprise guest appearance. Also Fusion's new file types are confusing everyone.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicPraise for Jonny ꘎Are we a technology company? ꘎Who buys the stuff?Backflow preventer for coolantJem's new KittaParts Gallery 👈Dexter Room 👋New Jem Robot ContentBig Fusion workflow shakeup - Kevin's explainer🟧 AirShop Updates <> Help ScoutOnboarding Tour and Checklist - little steps to get startedHelp Scout integrationOpenClawHacksmith tour by Grimsmo---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links
Ep 169169 - Scripting Blender like a coward
Jem's dealing with wrong-white paint drama and bushfire heat waves while Justin finally cut steel and loved it. They nerd out on slitting saws, spindle grippers, and robot pick-and-place logic. Justin's close to launching AirShop billing, got a tenant for his extra shop space, and is scheming ways to script Blender renders without learning Blender. Classic shop talk with a side of automation dreams.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicCharged 70% less, cost wage ~$25/hr 😂Justin cut steel 🤦IPA vs EthanolSubleasedReally excited about Gimbel UMC automation - WafflesandpremixSaunders Expanding PinsRobot Probing ideaBlender automation renderings?New Hoffmann Slitting Saw---Profit First PlaylistClassic Episodes Playlist---SUPPORT THE SHOWBecome a Patreon - Get the Secret ShowReview on Apple Podcast Share with a FriendDiscuss on Show SubredditShow InfoShow WebsiteContact Jem & JustinInstagram | Tiktok | Facebook | YoutubePlease note: Show notes contains affiliate links.HOSTSJem FreemanCastlemaine, Victoria, AustraliaLike Butter | Instagram | More LinksJustin BrouillettePortland, Oregon, USAPDX CNC | Instagram | More Links