Howlett Machine Works

The guys at Howlett are top notch. This is a tried and true machine shop that truly knows how to «get the job done.» Their shop is large, filled with the quality vintage tools, presses, brakes, and other machines that they just «don’t make like that anymore». I went in with a very easy request (needed a piece of flat bar stock with 90 degree bends in it straightened) and they knocked it out while I waited. Ah, the joy of having a 30 ton press at your disposal!
When you go, spend some time chatting with Mike. He’s a very knowledgeable and nice guy who has been running Howlett for 35y+. Being new to the area, he provided quite a bit of color to what was (and still is) in the neighborhood.
They don’t do automotive work, which is usually my need for machining. However, it is a welcome change to see a a shop that isn’t littered with valves, short blocks, and the general grease and filth that comes with both.
If you need any kind of machining done — big or small — go see Mike. I promise he won’t disappoint.

Howlett Machine Works is a gem. To call it a «shop» seems too ordinary, though I’m sure the craftsmen there would be too straightforward to call it anything else.
These gentlemen are impeccably experienced, and admiring the collection of machinery there is worth a visit in itself. They do everything from Caltrans contracts to making custom hand tools for anyone with an idea for one.
I came to them needing some custom fabrication for a motorcycle project. I needed a stem swapped from one bike’s triple tree to another’s, and they came up with a wonderfully elegant and absolutely reliable solution.
These are trustworthy professionals in every sense, and I could not recommend them more highly.