Episode 052: Looking back, Looking ahead (again)

Making It · 1 Jan 2016 · 1h 06m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto reflect on their 2015 experiences and set goals for 2016. Diresta discusses building a custom fantasy knife, learning to manage heat in metalworking with bandsaws and milling machines, and his transition away from installation work toward branding and YouTube revenue. Clagett shares lessons on managing audience expectations, the emotional ups and downs of full-time content creation, and plans to expand his shop. Picciuto recounts building his first guitar, identifying wiring and routing mistakes, and resolving to increase his video output while saving money for a home purchase.

Mentioned

Also
Arduino, S Wing Hammer, Grizzly, Harbor Freight, Baldor, Miller 211, Tractor Supply, Crimson Custom Guitar, Purgatory Ironworks, Tested, Star Wars, Phil Tippett

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 49m

    134: Kevin Kelly Remains Undefeated

    Dan Provost, co-founder of Studio Neat, discusses his new custom guitar company, Offkilter Guitars, detailing the transition from hobbyist to small business, including sourcing parts from Warmouth and managing a fragmented manufacturing process. Myke Hurley shares insights from his successful Kickstarter campaign for 'Designed in California,' a historical podcast series with Jason Snell, explaining how pre-selling memberships helped fund ambitious production goals and overcome subscription fatigue.

  • Being an Engineer · 58m

    S2E41 The Hacksmith | James Hobson

    James Hobson, founder of Hacksmith Industries, explains how he transitioned from a mechanical engineering student to running a YouTube channel that builds functional prototypes of fictional items like the Iron Man helmet and Tesla Cybertruck. He details the company's growth from a solo hobbyist project to a 23-person team operating out of a 13,000-square-foot facility, highlighting the role of viral hits like the Captain America shield in driving sponsorship revenue. Hobson also discusses the technical challenges of building the Alien Power Loader, the importance of in-house manufacturing tools like fiber lasers, and his philosophy on self-taught engineering.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 00m

    STL250: Catching up with Ed Pirnik

    Ed Pirnik, the former senior web producer and creator of Shop Talk Live, joins host Ben Strainer to discuss the podcast's origins, including its early live-streaming experiments and the organic development of the host dynamic with Mike Pekovich and Matt Kenney. Mike Pekovich also appears to promote his new book and online course, 'Foundations of Woodworking,' which focuses on core joinery skills like mortise and tenon, dovetails, and dados. Pirnik reflects on his career transition from international photojournalism to woodworking media, his current projects including building a cherry cabinet and a custom Telecaster guitar, and the technical evolution of the show from manual RSS coding to third-party distribution.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 35m

    Theater, MMA, and Starting a Manufacturing Web Series with Eddie Saunders Jr. Of Flex Machine Tools

    Eddie Saunders Jr., Creative Director at Flex Machine Tools, explains how his background in theater and MMA influenced the creation of his web series, Flex & Friends, to humanize the manufacturing industry. He details the strategic decision to interview industry leaders rather than focus on self-promotion, aiming to elevate their stories and build brand relevance through authentic connection. Saunders shares actionable advice for manufacturers starting content, emphasizing the importance of defining intent, reverse-engineering successful models, and overcoming insecurity to achieve a return on effort. He highlights that while ROI is hard to quantify, the show generates tangible business opportunities by creating instant relevancy with prospects who recognize the content.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 02m

    Shop Talk Live 9: Four Finger Swipe

    Asa Christiana and Matt Kenney of Fine Woodworking magazine discuss their career paths, the challenges of balancing safety with realistic shop photography, and practical advice on buying lumber and selecting routers. They also address listener questions about lacquer finishes and explain why they discontinued the video podcast format due to low viewership and production effort.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Making It. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.