351: That’s it, we’re not going to finish.

Making It · 15 Apr 2022 · 57m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the realities of abandoning projects, with David detailing a catastrophic day making wooden coffee mugs where multiple tool failures forced him to quit. Bob shares his plans for a go-kart and a rowboat, while Jimmy reflects on his progress with a Karmann Ghia restoration and the psychological trap of considering buying a replacement car instead of fixing mistakes. The hosts also recommend books and YouTube channels related to making and creativity.

Mentioned

Companies
Bear Mountain boats, Harbor Freight, Lowe's
Tools
Helical Head, Forest Woodworker 2
Also
Perennial Seller, Tools: The Ultimate Guide, Lakeside Autobody, Omozoc, Moby

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Spark Gap · 38m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 23

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss their numerous unfinished electronics and maker projects, attributing the stalls to lack of time, space, and technical roadblocks. Carl details an unused robot arm with an Arduino, a stalled custom automotive gauge project limited by PCB size, and a frustrating emulation setup using an ECS Liva mini PC. Corey shares his abandoned rear-projection multitouch table prototype and a 3D printer enclosure project, while also noting his own stalled Christmas light synchronization system plagued by a hot microcontroller.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 10m

    186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor

    Indrek Rebane, CTO of Build It Hardware Accelerator and engineer at Hedgehog Engineering, discusses the realities of building physical products, from garage prototypes to mass production. He explains why Arduino-based prototypes often fail in manufacturing due to cost, reliability, and component availability issues, and emphasizes the importance of user testing and finding product-market fit before scaling. Rebane also shares insights on the Estonian tech ecosystem, the Garage48 Hardware & Arts hackathon, and the critical need for founders to avoid 'stupid money' and focus on making what customers actually want.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 50m

    41: Rejected Ideas

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss rejected product ideas, including a golf swing app, a Cosmonaut rocket stand, and a mini ice block machine, explaining that they were abandoned due to complexity, triviality, or small market size. They detail the decision-making process for a two-person team, noting that even simple products incur significant marketing and inventory overhead, which often outweighs the potential revenue. The conversation shifts to their pivot toward stationery, driven by customer surveys, and concludes with a segment on Apple's laptop ecosystem and the challenges of professional docking workflows.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 05m

    STL342: What We Wish We Knew

    Bridgid Gruber of Dinkle's Woodshop joins hosts Ben and Amanda to discuss what she would tell her younger self after starting woodworking eight years ago. Gruber, a former engineer turned video editor, shares advice on avoiding niche jigs like router dovetail jigs, understanding power tool physics, and the value of taking classes or joining maker spaces. The conversation highlights her work editing workshops for Fine Woodworking and Lost Art Press, emphasizing that making woodworking accessible and overcoming the fear of mistakes are key to growth.

  • Shop Talk Live · 57m

    STL 105: Why We Build What We Build

    Host Tom McKenna and editors Mike Pekovich and Matthew Kenny discuss their current home shop projects, including Pekovich's drop-front desk and Kenny's sugar bowl, while answering listener questions on tool selection, scraper usage on black acacia, and joinery for tapered legs. The hosts share their all-time favorite tools of the week—Kenny's jam chuck, Pekovich's routing jigs for half-mortise locks, and McKenna's Record block plane—and address wood color changes in cherry and juniper.

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.