Rocket Engineering Co. Fabricates Vintage Race Cars Parts
While exhibiting at IMTS last year, we met racer, business owner, and machinist Mike Pistello of Rocket Engineering Company. This family-owned business specializes in fabricating parts for early passenger cars and early race cars—particularly pre-1930 models! Most of the parts the company works with no longer exist, so they have to reverse engineer them. Mike had us hooked with the words “race car,” and we instantly knew we needed to learn more about his story and how he’s putting the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine to use in the shop.
Pictured here are two Stutz Bearcats. The yellow car is a 1912 model and the black and red car is a 1915 model.
Founded in 1992, Rocket Engineering Company originally serviced the tool and die, automation, and racing industries as a contract shop. But as the company evolved, they began reverse engineering and manufacturing parts for vintage automobiles and race cars. The cars Rocket Engineering Company races are ones that would have run in trials, hillclimbs, open road, and speedway races. In the world of vintage motorsports, there are sanction bodies that cater to the races. Some events are for exhibition, while others are very serious competitions.
As the company has evolved, so has its shop. Mike is currently set up in his home with a 14’ x 14’ workshop where he’s made every inch of space count. The shop is outfitted with large milling machines, turning machines, surface and form grinding tools, 3D printers, and the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine. Here are some of the specifics Mike shared:
Hardinge Horizontal and Vertical Manual Mill
6x12 surface grinder with a Harig Grindall spin fixture
Clearview Wheel Dresser for intricate grinding
A fully equipped Sherline Lathe for miniature turning
Hermes Cutter Grinder to make customer cutters
DynaMyte DM 2800 Desktop CNC 3-Axis Vertical Milling Machine
Toolmakers Microscope
“We bought the Desktop CNC Milling Machine over a year ago to complement our other CNC mill, which handles the larger parts,” Mike explains. The Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine lets Mike and the team use the latest CAM technology. Because the G-code programs are so long, older CNC controllers often don't have the capability needed for certain jobs. The Desktop CNC Milling Machine and the Bantam Tools software allow Rocket Engineering Company to run these longer programs.
Additionally, in many cases, they only need to make one part or parts that fit in the palm of your hand. Although it isn’t a typical manufacturing environment where every second counts, the team still has deadlines to meet and needs to be mindful of their customers’ budgets. The team uses the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine for prototyping as well as machining finished products. Because they’re reverse engineering parts, Mike and his team often have to work through a number of concepts before fabricating the final part. “That's what’s nice about the Desktop CNC Milling Machine: You can run several setups pretty quick.”
Of course, the team still does plenty of jobs on their larger CNCs and manual machines. In many cases, manual operations are still the best way to produce the parts Rocket Engineering Company needs to fabricate. But being able to combine the old with the new empowers the team have a number of fabrication techniques at their disposal to prototype and manufacture precise parts.
“I’ve been around race cars my whole life. I'm a third generation racer,” Mike says. “My grandfather raced stock cars just after WWII, and while my father never drove, he was involved as a mechanic and other racing jobs. I’ve been a team owner and driver since 1989.” It’s clear that passion and work ethic are at the core of Rocket Engineering Company and it drives the team’s desire to revitalize the past, while continuing to push in-house manufacturing and prototyping forward. “There’s a skills gap that’s been talked about for years now… We have to start training these people to replace what you are going to lose in the next few years,” Mike says. But despite the dire statistics you’ll read, Mike sees a clear path forward for closing the gap. Learning the machinist trade is only the first step though.
To machinists at the start of their careers or those who are thinking about getting into the trade, based on his own experience, Mike offered this advice, “It’s really all about passion. If you have that, the rest of it will come to you. It can’t be all about the money. Keep working at it and never stop soaking up all the knowledge you can. After you get some years under you and you develop your reputation, the money will come and so will new opportunities. ”
About Rocket Engineering
Rocket Engineering Company does work in a variety of industries with a special focus on racing. They handle all parts of the manufacturing process from design to fabrication. They use the latest technology to produce parts. You can follow them on Instagram and connect with Mike Pistello on LinkedIn.
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