"We ran around from granite shop to granite shop showing people how we could cut out a sink in 10 minutes with no skill. From that point, I ... sold several hundred of those to various distributors."
In addition to simplicity in his designs, York strives to create tools that are easily repairable and do not use proprietary parts. "Everything I design is off the shelf. The Diamond Back Splash machine basically a flat polishing machine that use a $15 velcro pad."
In 2010,York developed his Renegade Gantry Saw, which is suited for dimensioning of stone slabs for counter top work. "I designed the saws so they'd be easy to install, easy to operate and easy to maintain. One thing I found out in granite was that George Jetson and Fred Flintstone just don't get along. Our philosophy is 'keep it simple, stupid.'"
The design of the Renegade is the case in point. "It's simple and uses less gizmos," York said, pointing out that an operator can move the bridge of saw by hand. It would be possible to motorize it, but York said a skilled operator can move it into place faster.
It was this philosophy that allowed York to find his niche. Although other manufacturers were churning out programmable, highly automated tools, there was a lack of simple, dedicated tools on the market, he said. "Nobody was going the other way. Nobody was saying let's keep it simple and durable."
There is a definite advantage to the approach, York said. "I don't get warranty calls."
Working through distributors allows York to concentrate on what he does best: design tools.
"A lot of my ideas come at 2 a.m.,"York said. "I can walk in here with a drawing on a napkin and..."
Machinist Teddy Bradley, an employee of Knoxville-based Dempster Machine Shop, and York's field technician interrupted York to say that, to be specific, the initial design for a new stone cycler had been scribbled on a Burger King napkin.
York turns to Dempster to bring his designs to life. "He's the man with all the ideas," Bradley said. "We just make them work."
York has worked in the stone industry for about 10 years. He attended Purdue University where he studied electrical engineering. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, York worked for a company where he designed equipment to eliminate redundant work in factories in order to prevent repetitive motion injuries.
One advantage that RYE-Corp. has is the fact that York has experience working with stone. "I know how to fabricate granite. I've polished edges, cut out sinks, and installed vanities. I know how to template."
"That's one of the things the customers love the most," Bradley said. "They've got someone who has been on the use and the installation side designing (the tools)."
Calling himself a jack of all trades, York said his background in electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic engineering has served him well.
"I'm trying to develop something that fits a niche in the market. That's been our whole business plan. Everything we've done is for a niche. That's why we're still in business."
In the end, the simple and dependable nature of RYE-Corp.'s products are their biggest selling point, York said. "My philosophy is I'll build a good reputation and the money will eventually follow."
For more information on RYE-Corp. or the Renegade and Fab King, visit the websites www.rye-corp.com and also www.braxtonbragg.com for videos of the machines in action.
Top and Bottom, Left: Ted Bradley lends a helping hand as a RYE-Corp. field technician, and in his position as a machinist at the Dempster Machine Shop, is the source of many of the fabricated parts York uses to build his machines. "He's the man with all the ideas. We just make them work," says Bradley.
Center and Bottom Right: Using a Fab King Work Center, Bill Hickey Braxton-Bragg Director of Sales knocked out a bowl cut in about 6 minutes. Hickey was a first-time user, demonstrating the ease of set up and use of the Fab King. A standard plexiglass vanity bowl template was used for the cut out. Using the same Fab King and a finger bit set-up, Rod York tests a Viper® Antiquing Brush mounted on a Stone Pro spring-loaded head. Using a series of antiquing brush grits, York produced a textured vanity top in about 10 minutesand this was the first time he'd tried an antiquing procedure.
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