Found this song today!

I read this today and it profoundly struck me… “When systems fail, guides become essential.” We are living inside a profoundly broken system.

Quick poll: If I ran a hands-on maker skills program, what would you want to learn first? A) Woodworking fundamentals B) Metalworking basics C) Both together

New video is up on YouTube! How to Read a Tape Measure with Confidence — No More Guessing

Been heads-down the past few weeks building something… I’ve been teaching maker skills on YouTube for 2 years now… 80+ videos, 1200+ subscribers, but it’s all been scattered. So I’m creating a structured curriculum. Hand tools → woodworking → metalworking → CAD → designing for manufacturing. The full path from zero to making real things... More soon. Cheers!

I’ve put together my first short field guide for woodworkers who are starting to think about a real shop and buying their first stationary equipment. What tools really matter first, what can wait, and how to avoid wasting money. It’s based on decades in my own shop and the same kind of perspective I share on my YouTube channel at Fabricator’s Field Guide. Not affiliate lists or how-to instructions, just practical guidance to help you make confident decisions. You can check it out here:

Fabricator's Field Guide -

Essential Wordworking Machines Landing Page - Fabricator's Field Guide

A Clear, Practical Guide to Buying Your First Real Shop Equipment — Without Wasting Money or Overbuilding Your Shop For woodworkers who are getti...

This Texas lady is badass!

Safety rules are training wheels… When you’re new to the shop, safety rules aren’t just about protecting yourself… They teach you to notice hazards and think ahead. Following a simple framework helps you start developing awareness… Which over time becomes intuition. Beginners often don’t realize this until they’ve had a few “aha” moments of understanding risk. If you’re just getting started, I break this down in my latest video. Watch it here: #grownostr #tools #woodworking #metalworking #diy

Safety rules train awareness… That awareness creates safety.

Just a boring Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas nostr!

Latest video is up! Cheers!

I’ve spent the last few weeks outlining the adult shop class I’ve been talking about… Getting clear on the structure helped a lot. It’s focused on hands-on skills you can actually use, including how to use tools safely, work with materials, and put things together. The outline maps a path from beginner projects all the way to more advanced projects that teach how things are designed and built in manufacturing. This outline will also guide some upcoming videos, so it’s becoming a foundation for a few different things I’m building… Still early, but it finally feels solid enough to build from. I’ll keep sharing progress as it comes together. #grownostr

TOOL TIP TUESDAY: The combination disc/belt sander is one of those tools you don’t think about much until you really need it. Then it becomes the hero of the shop! It handles quick miter touch-ups, rough sharpening on knives or chisels, and freehand shaping on wood handles. Not flashy, rarely talked about, but incredibly handy when the moment hits. #Woodworking #DIY #ToolTipTuesday #FabricatorsFieldGuide #grownostr

I’ve been slowly building an e-book since the summer, and I made some great progress on it this weekend. It’s now sitting at about 40 pages. It’s a beginner-friendly guide to the main woodworking machines I use in my own shop, written from my real experience. Every tool in the book is one I actually own and use, and the photos are all from my shop. The goal is to help new woodworkers figure out which machines really matter and how to build a capable home shop without wasting money. Getting close to wrapping up the draft. More updates soon… #woodworking #diy #grownostr

A lot of people never got the chance to take a real shop class. To learn how to use tools, work with wood, or fix things confidently. I would like to put together some small, hands-on Zoom classes to bring that kind of learning back. The idea is to help people feel capable again, whether that’s an adult who wants to build something real or a homeschool parent who wants their kids to learn practical skills alongside academics. Here are the three ideas I’m testing: A) Adult shop class: learn tools, materials, and small projects that build skill and confidence. B) Homeschool shop curriculum: a hands-on series that covers woodworking and tool use safely at home. C) Pre-engineering STEM class: practical skills that connect to science and design thinking. (The stuff they don’t teach you in engineering school) Which one would you or your family be most interested in? Reply A, B, or C, or share your thoughts below. 👇 #grownostr #asknostr

Got a great reply on my last post… someone said their kids are carving wood and totally stoked about it. That’s what learning should feel like. Somewhere along the way, we replaced curiosity with worksheets. What’s one project or skill you think every kid should experience before they graduate? What do you think? Comment below.👇 #asknostr #grownostr #diy

Lasers on woodworking tools? It’s a gimmick, to upsell the tool. I have yet to see a laser on a tool that really helps… Then they go out a year later. Do you like lasers on tools? Comment below 👇 #woodworking #grownostr

What the hell happened…