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Computer controlled robots took up most of the early 80's and the popular press declared "The robots are coming". Along with my partner Rick Maningas, we almost went public as a penny stock. The recession trashed those plans and I ended up building CNC milling machines and lathes before they were in common use.
In the mid 80's I began to make some headway in the machining business and finally moved out of my mothers basement into a real shop. As a job shop I was dependent on only a few customers to keep me in business. A few months after moving into the new space I lost a major customer and faced moving back to the basement. In desperation I went to a local supplier of paintball equipment and suggested making a plastic facemask for them. This set the company off in the direction it would follow for the next 16 years. I developed multiple paintball products for consumers, police and military. Along the way I somehow managed to get a reputation for producing quality stuff. The best thing to happen in the 80's was my wife Carol who has seen me through thick and thin.
![Technicor Industries SCARA robot 1981](/images/scara1_sml.jpg)
![The basement where it all started](/images/basmentz_sml.jpg)
![Basement production 1985](/images/housings_sml.jpg)
![Computer controlled flame cutting 1983](/images/flame_sml.jpg)
![Dominator Water Skis 1985](/images/ice_sml.jpg)
![Coupon manufacturing machine 1988](/images/folder_sml.jpg)
![Custom silk screening machine 1984](/images/silkscreen_sml.jpg)
![First paintball product a full face mask 1987](/images/mask_sml.jpg)