A little while back, if you told Rachel Marshall that she would have a career in machining, she would have seriously doubted you.
There would have been some points in your favor. Her father and grandfather were each Northrup Grumman men. They passed their legendary work ethic, positivity and passion for making things along to her. Her husband, Luke, is a machinist and owner of
Excel Machine.
But Rachel was on a different path. Her time at Weber State University gave her a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Technical Sales. She was building a career in retail.
Still, if you looked closely, you’d see indicators that her path could change. For example, while working at Sephora, she realized the most fun she had on the job was when she got to visit manufacturer facilities and see how their products were made.
Then one day, Luke pointed her toward the
Lynx 2100 turning center and said, “You’re on the lathe, babe.”
The name stuck, and Excel Machine had its ultimate brand ambassador.
Complementary skills
When asked how she went from retail buyer to The Lathe Babe, Rachel credited Luke’s unflinching faith in her.
“It was like that from the get-go,” she said. “I was a little taken aback, but we have skills that go together as job shop owners. He’s the machinist, and he had me take on marketing. On social media, we show everyday stuff. Nothing too structured. How we banter, how I look at things from a woman’s perspective.”
The angle took off, and Rachel discovered a surprising truth. There are a lot of women in the machining community.
“They’re so smart, and they do it all. They’re on the shop floor, in marketing, in sales. A lot of them are higher up and leading their companies. That made me want to stay—and make sure I keep having fun at the shop.”
That trusty Lynx
Excel Machine is a
DN House, and Rachel says the Lynx 2100 turning center that she learned on will always be special to her. No service calls in three years, and still holding accuracy.
And even better is working with DN Solutions. “DN is forward thinking,” she said. “In their machines, their technology. We’re big fans of how involved they are in listening to customers and growing their company in ways that help us do our work.”
The surprising perks of a machining job
The best thing about the Excel Machine gig, Rachel said, is working with Luke.
“A lot of people are like, ‘How do you DO THAT?’ but it really is my favorite part,” she said. “We used to have two incomes apart from each other, but now we have the same goals, and we’re growing something together with work that we enjoy.”
Excel Machine was started by Luke’s parents at the turn of the century, and he and Rachel officially took the shop over on January 1, 2024.
“We’re very aware of the balance and flexibility we’re provided at Excel. Luke’s parents took on a lot of risk back in the day, and they worked hard to get it to where it is now. Hopefully we can steer it for another 25 years.”
As for Rachel’s advice, it’s universal for men and for women. “Be willing to learn, and willing to ask questions. More often than not, people in manufacturing get excited to share what they know.”
Lightning round!
First car: 2000 Ford Focus
Current car: Just had to get rid of my Nissan Frontier, it was a lemon. I have a cute Chevy Traverse now.
Dream car: I would love a red Mustang. Something sporty and muscly.
Last great movie or show you saw: Luke and I were really impressed with
Yellowstone. You don’t get many prequels that do justice, but that does. Beth is my favorite. Love Beth. I’m crying at the end of all these series. We both are. Sorry, Luke!
Best food in your neck of the woods: When we have a date night, Luke and I prefer bars to just snack on appetizers and get a couple drinks. There’s a place in Utah called Strap Tank, very vintage, old cars, motorcycles, really random stuff, nice old feel to it. You get shop towels as your napkins, so I think we feel at home there. A really unique place.
Drink of choice: Depends on time of the year. Summer: margaritas. Winter: whiskey sour.
Drink you’ll never touch again: Jäger. Easy choice. Peach schnapps, too.
You have 3 wide-open hours on a perfect Saturday. How do you spend the time? Go to the gym, get some uninterrupted time there. And I love to shop by myself. TJ Maxx, Ross, Home Goods, Rack. I like to look. If someone’s with me, I can’t look, you know?
