‘You get to make stuff from scratch.’

NICHOLAS DUDA, WATER MILL

“I went into the Navy when I was 21 years old. My great-grandfather was in the Navy. My father was in the Navy. I joined in 2012, and I got out in 2016. I started school in 2018, and now I am a machinist businessman. I had always wanted to open my business because my dad had his own business.

“The Navy inspired me to become a machinist. The structure of joining the Navy helped my business, having a set schedule. When you are in charge of yourself, it is tough to stay on task. If you keep everything structured, it makes it a lot simpler to do.

“I loved working on the water. We went to all different places: Spain, Italy, Greece, Africa and Portugal. I started as an undesignated seaman. I did not have a job, so I was pretty good at the deck end. I was on lookout.

After I got out of the Navy, I always wanted to start my own business.

“While you’re on the ship, you get to know either position. I was able to work with the machinist. I didn’t even know what a machinist was. You get to make stuff from scratch. I fell in love with it. I kept doing it. I ended up getting a shore-duty job in the Navy, working on aircraft and helicopters, primarily working with the helicopters. I really learned a lot when I was there, machining whatever went broke, building whatever they needed. Keep everything flying.

“After I got out of the Navy, I always wanted to start my own business. I ended up taking a job where I got to learn. All the way, I ended up going to Suffolk [County Community College]. I had a shop out in Water Mill. I was working full time, going to school full time, and at night, I was running my shop. I was sleeping in my shop.

“I am a veteran machine shop owner [at Artisan Machining Inc.], and we make custom parts for various automotives. We work with customers and engineers to make parts for aerospace, parts on satellites, parts in the Navy.

“My dream is to start a mentorship or school for high school students so they could come to my workshop, and I can teach them. I want to bring more young people into manufacturing. I want to bring it to the schools. I want people to know more about 3D printing. It’s a great industry to be in. I don’t think enough people know about it.”

Interviewed by Christian Spencer