Yeamans Machine Shop Celebrates 50 Years!

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 25, 2024
- 10:29 am

Yeamans Machine Shop Owner Pat Yeamans stands by one of his computer numerical control machines. Saturday, Yeamans Machine Shop will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

Yeamans Machine Shop, 162 East Gate Dr., will celebrate its 50th anniversary Saturday. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

When Yeamans Machine Shop first opened in 1974, it operated from Bill Yeamans’ garage on Arizona Avenue. The first two tools purchased included an oxy-acetylene torch and a bandsaw. Fifty years later, a lot has changed. The machine shop now occupies an entire building at 162 East Gate Drive and houses rows of computer numerical control machines.

The business may have evolved but some things remain the same; for instance, it is still a local, family-owned business. Three generations of Yeamans have owned and operated the machine shop. The newest owner, Pat Yeamans, bought the business from his father Andy, in 2021.
Needless to say, there is a lot to celebrate with the business’ upcoming golden anniversary. As a result, a party will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at the shop. The public is invited to attend. Barbecue will be served, a machine demo will be available to view, and the band, Syzygy, will perform.

Yeamans explained the shop’s main customer is Los Alamos National Laboratory. His business produces prototypes for many different groups within LANL.

“We have been a part of some neat projects over the years,” Yeamans said.

These notable projects include prototypes for the Mars Rover and for nuclear nonproliferation.

He added that his business has worked with different groups within the laboratory’s research and development.

Yeamans himself worked at the laboratory before taking over the reigns of the family business. He was a laboratory employee for seven years before working at the machine shop starting in 2014.

Yeamans said he learned the ropes from his father.

He also participated in the laboratory’s machinist apprenticeship program.

There are many perks to being your own boss, Yeamans said.

“I really love the freedom of setting my own schedule,” he said. “I also love the freedom of choosing which jobs to do. I get to make those decisions.”

Plus, Yeamans is still able to work on the floor and isn’t stuck behind a desk.

“I really just enjoy making parts. It just delights me,” he said.
The longevity and success of Yeamans Machine Shop is attributed to several factors.

Yeamans pointed out that there are three other machine shops in town and the laboratory has enough work for all of them.
Additionally, Yeamans benefits from a good team of employees.

“We’ve had some really solid employees,” he said. “I attribute a lot of our success to folks who have worked with us over the years.”
He added several have been long-time employees; one has worked at the business for 24 years.

Looking to the future, Yeamans said expanding the shop’s services into 3-D printing is being considered as a possibility along with automation.

While the business continues to evolve, some things will remain unchanged.

“We always maintain a customer focus,” Yeamans said. “… we always do our best to ensure that what we provide to the customer is exactly what they asked us for.”

They never compromise on quality, he added.

Yeamans is a Los Alamos native; he graduated from Los Alamos High School in 2004. While he is the owner of Yeamans Machine Shop, Andy still weighs in on the business occasionally.

“My dad expressed his confidence on moving the business forward and keeping us current with technology,” Yeamans said. “I think he is pretty proud to see where we are at today.”

For more information about Yeamans Machine Shop, call 505. 662. 9313 or visit https://yeamansmachine.com