April 11, 2025 Benchmark Abrasives

Rich P. Miflin (Slice and Dice Choppers)

Welcome to this week's #benchmarkspotlight (formerly the #weldershowcase) - we had the opportunity to sit down with Rich from @richpmiflin and talk a little shop.

If you would like to be featured in our weekly spotlight (100% FREE) and have a chance at winning one of our Grinder Hoods please send us an email to leo.benchmarkabrasives@gmail.com to get you scheduled in an upcoming week. And for those of you that take the time to share your story with us, we'd be happy to provide a free BA banner. These spotlights are intended to highlight your skill, your business, and your tips and tricks. Most of all it's to have a little fun!

Name: Rich P. Miflin

Business Name: Slice and Dice Choppers

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Socials: IG: @richpmiflin TikTok: @richpmiflin69

YouTube: Slice and Dice Choppers

Specialties: Custom metal fabrication/finish, illustration

Tell us about yourself - what inspired you to get into your trade? And how long?

Yo! I'm Rich, (R.P.M.). I'm a custom motorcycle builder/artist. I first got into building these old school choppers after wandering into the Eazy Co's shop many years back, and walking out convinced to cut my first sportster in half haha. That was about 6 years ago now, and I've been going full speed ahead ever since.

What keeps you motivated throughout the day?
I absolutely love creating things. Whether it be through metal fabrication, painting, music, even creating fun memories. I'm always looking forward to the next thing that I can create!

What is your favorite shop tool and why?
Might be an unconventional answer, but I really love my 8" round file. My current file is getting old, and I actually just ordered another one from Benchmark. But I do a lot of blending here, and my round file works great for taking down those tig welds, so I can continue to blend easily.

What's your favorite piece that you've worked on?
That's a hard one to say, because the parts I make don't really work well as standalone pieces. But for this question, I'll consider a whole bike as a "piece", and say my 1962 Panhead chopper featuring many of my own hand made parts.

If you could have any job as it relates to question 1 what would it be and what would you do with that?
Well it isn't really much of a "job", but I'm currently living the bike builders dream being an "invited builder" for Born-Free show. Born-Free show is truly the pinnacle here in the U.S. for custom motorcycles, and I'm honored to be a part of it! But the ultimate dream I suppose would be to also get paid handsomely to do it, haha.

What BA product is your favorite and why?

Without a doubt my favorite BA products are the 6" hook & loop sanding pads. I use them on a lot of parts here, and having those discs readily available in every grit I need makes my life way easier!

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What BA product surprised you in terms of quality - what about it set it apart from the competition?

Certainly the 4.5" flap discs. I was a servant of Harbor Freight abrasives for a
long time, and the quality and durability of the BA flappers is truly night and day.

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What tips and tricks do you have for us that might be different or eye opening for others to try with BA product?

This is probably a bad answer, but after a dirty day at the shop I've been cleaning my face with the Scrubnutz hand cleaner haha. I'm not sure if you're supposed to put it on your face, but I've been doing it, and it sure does clean me up well! (Proceed at your own risk).

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If there was one person you could collaborate with - who would it be and why?

I'm not a huge fan of collaboration on things like building choppers admittedly. I think choppers are such a unique representation of an individual, and everyone who builds them wants to put all their own ideas and emotions into their creations. That being said, I truly do love having friends over the shop to help out and hang. I'd love to collaborate with Billy Strings and write a bluegrass song though haha.

Do you have any advice for the next generation that you wish you had when you first started?

This might be controversial, but don't go to art school haha. My personal story involves a year wasted at art school, and I truly believe that if you want to pursue a creative outlet as a career that it can absolutely be done without the necessity of an art degree. I'm proof of that!

What are your future plans for your shop?

I'm planning on expanding my machining room, which currently consists of just a drill press and a bench top lathe. But I'd like to upgrade my lathe setup, find a nice Bridgeport mill, and get a nice frame jig so I can confidently do everything I need here in-house.

Thanks for sitting with us and sharing your story with the community - is there anything you'd like to add?

No problem! I'll say this; if you can envision it, you can do it. Thank you to Benchmark for supporting my passions!

A Note From Leo

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Rich! I can 100% agree with you on not wasting your time going to art school! I wasted several years of my life and got a degree that means absolutely nothing now! haha