MMI founder Dan Murphy was Southern California kid interested in building things. The family business of professional drag racing gave him "the bug".  So on every weekend he could get away... he was found with friends competed in local motocross and desert racing events.  He paid for his racing and developed his skills by working in nearby motorcycle shops.

In 1976 his interest in "Faster / Better" lead him to open "Performance Fabrication" a small shop specializing in motorsports related fabrication. Also during this period he took his racing more seriously. Dan competed in professional off-road racing events in vehicles fielded out of his shop. Racing created his long-standing connection to the film industry when he was hired to prepare and maintain vehicles for stunt department use.

During the late 70's he began working in the field of  packaging equipment maintenance, fabrication and maintenance supervision. He enjoyed the challenges working in large commercial bakeries, an international shipping company and finally the nations largest brewery. He was recognized for his skills as an innovator and troubleshooter with many of his ideas becoming company standards.

In 1996 he again answered the call of the film industry. To the present day he still works on many of Hollywood's biggest films as a Special Effectsman, Pyrotechnician or Propmaker. 

In 2006 the unstable nature of the film industry combined with his free spirit inspired the opening of Murphy Metalworks Inc. Although still active in film, Dan enjoys opportunity to create for his diverse client base.

Tip:  On repairs of existing items there are things you can do to save money.  Bring the item into the shop clean. We cannot (and will not) weld over paint, rust or other grime.  Next is be prepared to provide a good description of the needed repair.  Bring a photo, manual, measurements or a sketch of the item as it should be.