526: Maybe It Doesn't Really Matter

Making It · 22 May 2026 · 1h 00m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their current projects, including Diresta's El Dorado emblem casting and go-kart build, Clagett's pool house interior and climbing wall, and Picciuto's art show preparations. The conversation shifts to time management, with the hosts sharing struggles with distraction, notification overload, and the anxiety of forgetting commitments. They explore coping mechanisms like using dumb watches, writing notes on hands, and prioritizing family over productivity metrics, concluding that missing minor deadlines often doesn't matter in the grand scheme.

Mentioned

Products
El Dorado
Tools
Infinity, Notion
Materials
VHB
Also
TP Tools, Harbor Freight, Neistat Brothers, Make With Miles, VidIQ, Andy Anderson

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Being an Engineer · 10m

    Mini Episode | Time Management

    Aaron Moncur, founder of Pipeline Design & Engineering, outlines a time management system for engineers that begins with establishing long-term goals to guide weekly SMART goals and operational tasks. He recommends using tools like Airtable to capture a running to-do list and scheduling specific calendar blocks for each task, prioritizing high-cognitive work in the morning. The episode emphasizes minimizing distractions by silencing notifications and leaving buffer time in the schedule for unforeseen issues.

  • Ep. 9 - Time Management

    Stephen Hawes and Lucian JFAR of Opulo discuss time management strategies for small hardware teams, contrasting Stephen's rigid Notion-based planning with Lucian's reactive, conversation-driven approach. They cover prioritization frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix, the importance of preventing burnout by recognizing personal limits, and the shift from individual contributor to manager. The conversation also details their production planning methods, including using Shopify data to forecast labor needs and managing tech debt in their custom 'Gundam' testing software.

  • Shop Talk Live · 42m

    STL359: Making the Most of Shop Time

    Mike Pekovich, Vic Tesla, and Amanda Russell discuss strategies for managing limited shop time, emphasizing the use of detailed checklists and 'order of operations' to minimize setup friction and decision fatigue during short work sessions. The hosts address how to handle interruptions in large projects by breaking tasks into small, definable steps and using visual markers like grease pencils to track joinery locations. They also debate the value of deliberate practice, suggesting that building functional, low-stakes items like trays or boxes is more effective for skill acquisition than repetitive drills on scrap wood.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 26m

    Is This A Show?

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones host Chris White and Alicia White of Embedded.fm to discuss the 256th episode milestone, the challenges of producing technical podcasts without visual aids, and the state of hardware conferences like Solid Con. The group debates the user experience of smartwatches, specifically the Pebble Time, focusing on the lack of out-of-the-box functionality and the industry trend of shipping incomplete firmware. They also touch on the importance of product management in ensuring quality and the frustrations engineers face when their technical concerns are ignored by management.

  • Shop Talk Live · 49m

    STL214.5: The one with no questions

    Hosts Ben, Barry, and Anisa engage in a casual, question-free discussion about their current woodworking projects and industry observations. Barry details his experimental process for steam-bending ukulele linings and his struggles with a job-site table saw while building a farmhouse table for his brother. Anisa shares her experience sourcing liquidation lumber for a treehouse project and discusses the nuances of working with tracks versus wood. The group reflects on the reality of master woodworkers, concluding that their expertise lies in the ability to recover from mistakes rather than avoiding them entirely.

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.