25 Jun 57 Years of Machining: Mike Wolter’s legacy as Regal’s First Employee
A Legacy Begins
Mike Wolter started his journey in manufacturing over 57 years ago. Along with nearly six decades of manufacturing experience, Mike has the honor of also being the very first Regal Research employee. He joined our organization when it first started back in 1979. Mike’s legacy and impact on the Regal brand cannot be overstated. He is officially retired as this article is written and subsequently published. As our Creative Director, I had the privilege of capturing some of the last parts Mike ran at Regal, including a part that he’s been running for 45 years, and sitting down to ask him a few questions about his journey and experiences as a machinist.
The Early Days of Regal Research
Principally, Mike shared with us the timeline and history of Regal Research and details regarding its founding, early years, and its growth and evolution. Regal Research started as a small machine shop in North Texas and quickly grew in size and reputation. Mike recalls how the shop filled up so rapidly with machinery that it got to a point where, when they would interview someone, he would ask how big their toolbox was to make sure they could fit it into the shop.
Built on Principle
As Regal grew, so too did our reputation and identity. JB, Regal’s founder, made it known to everyone he hired what Regal Research was about, and through the parts they produced, our customers also came to understand our identity and quality. When it came to hiring machinists, “JB always hired the top ones,” says Mike. He explained that though they may cost more initially, they are ultimately the cheapest, as they don’t scrap as much, get the job done quickly, and don’t have problems. “Regal developed a reputation as being the premier machine shop, and that was because of JB,” says Mike. He noted that the foundation of Regal’s reputation came from JB’s perfectionist attitude. JB believed in getting parts to the customer on time, without quality issues, and in a way that looked exceptional.
Growth and Transition
When Regal first began, we were predominantly a machine shop. However, JB eventually decided that the time for transition was necessary, taking the organization to the next level as we began working with CNC and sheet metal. Mike noted that sheet metal began to grow in prominence, driven by the new class of engineers graduating at the time and the emergence of the dot-com era.
In the early to mid-80s, JB needed to step away from Regal, and this was when Mike Powell and Gayle Glosser took over ownership of Regal Research. This marked a new era in Regal’s legacy, and Mike remarked that he still remembers the exact day they first came to look at the shop. He continued to work with Mr. Powell and Mrs. Glosser throughout the rest of his time at Regal Research, helping make the brand a success and continuing to shape its legacy. “We were a very elite group,” says Mike.
Learning from the “Greatest Generation”
At the foundation of Mike’s illustrious career is the knowledge and experience instilled in him by the “greatest generation of machinists,” those who learned the trade during World War II. Mike remarks how it was a very different shop and a different way of building back then. Everything was hand-drawn and hand-built. If you needed a tool for a job, you didn’t pull out the insert tool catalog, instead, you made what you needed. It’s a “lost art,” says Mike.
Along with learning the trade in a very manual context, Mike also noted that he has always had the ability to think outside the box. “I didn’t color inside the lines of my coloring book when I was a kid,” he said. He believes that the objective of any job a machinist receives is to make sure the “part meets the print,” and that it doesn’t matter how you get there, as long as it meets the print. “You don’t just look inside these lines, everything outside the lines is fair game if that’s what it takes to get to the end of a job.”
His Machinist Mindset
As Mike reflected on his journey, he shared insights into what makes a brilliant machinist and how one can grow their knowledge and skill. He noted that you truly “never learn everything, every day you’re going to get a job that’s different,” and that one handles such constant novelty by “falling back on your past knowledge.” For Mike, the challenge that comes with every new part he makes is simply “part of the fun of it.” His passion for machining stems from a love of making things.
He also believes in doing the very best you can when building a part and being proud of what you’re building. “It’s not a job, it’s something that you’re proud of doing.”
Listen to Your Machine
A big part of how he approaches production is staying focused on his machine during a run. Every time he teaches someone on the lathe, he tells them, “listen to the lathe, she’ll talk to you.” He believes it’s possible to hear the machine in a way that communicates when something isn’t quite right during a run. Learning and identifying the sounds a machine makes is essential. Mike also noted that it’s necessary to have someone looking over your shoulder. He recalled times when he asked a fellow machinist to check his part and would hand over the print, laying it down so it appeared backwards. As soon as Mike saw the print backwards, he would immediately recognize where he had made a mistake.
Supervising the Shop Floor
As a working Machine Shop Supervisor, Mike had much to share about how he handled checking parts and assigning work to his team. After getting everyone started and beginning his own work, he would make rounds around the shop. When it came to checking parts, he would stop two to three times a day to check in with each machinist. Rather than discuss the job directly, he would make light conversation while quietly checking parts with his calipers. They knew he was checking, but he wouldn’t say anything unless something appeared off. If a number appeared wrong, he would simply ask them to double-check the measurement. This approach helped create respect on the shop floor while maintaining strong rapport and preserving confidence among his team.
When it came to assigning work, Mike noted that these daily check-ins allowed him to understand each individual’s capabilities, which was essential in determining who should take on each job. This insight helped him decide who could successfully run a part and who could be challenged with something more difficult, allowing him to build both skill and quality across the team.
He also used these walks to track progress. If someone was nearing completion, he would place the next job on their workbench in advance. This minimized downtime, allowing machinists to prepare before finishing their current work.
A Legacy Beyond Measure
Mike has always been in Regal’s corner, not only producing quality year after year, but helping the company navigate difficult times. He shared countless occasions where he stepped up to ensure Regal had work and could keep its doors open. Regal Research’s enduring legacy is due in large part to the tenacity, spirit, and passion for craftsmanship that Mike Wolter has helped embed in its DNA.
We wish Mike a happy retirement and are proud to call him part of the Regal family.
More information about the company is available at www.RegalResearch.com. To learn more about exciting career opportunities at Regal Research, please submit your resume to our HR department at careers@regalresearch.com.
SOURCE: Regal Research and Mfg Co, LLC