After a serious neck and back injury, Tim Paul returns to the mic with Tyler Bonde for a real, grounded conversation about career pivots, the trades, and what keeps us going when life throws a wrench in the works.
After breaking his neck and back, Tim Paul is back behind the mic, this time from the couch, with longtime friend and machinist Tyler Bonde. In this episode of Chips and Tips, the two dig into Tyler’s winding path through the trades, what’s changed in the industry, and why storytelling matters in machining today.
“They’re giving me a shot. I’m going to take this as far as I can.” — Tyler Bondi
Tyler, now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, shares how his upbringing in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and a strong high school trades program set him on the path toward auto mechanics and, eventually, CNC machining. From rebuilding junk valve bodies at Saturn to moving cross-country nearly every year since 2018, Tyler’s story is one of adaptation and drive.
The two reflect on the power of mentorship and learning by doing. Tyler talks about how he first met Tim at a go-karting event in Southern California and how that camaraderie shaped his career. They discuss the surprising leap from applications engineer to regional sales, and what it means to help machinists not just buy machines, but buy them smarter.
Toolpath’s mission comes through clearly here: empowering shops with better decisions and fewer unknowns. Tyler’s experience highlights why conversations like these, unpolished, real, and grounded, are essential. Because at the end of the day, better tooling starts with better stories.
“I really believe that our industry is better when we hear each other’s stories.” — Tim Paul
If you’re in the trades or thinking about a new direction, this one’s worth a listen. Tyler doesn’t sugarcoat the grind, but he brings a kind of clarity you don’t often get in tech-forward conversations. It’s about people, parts, and putting in the work.