Leigh and Mush sit down to talk about the excitement involved in this year's Maker Camp! See you soon, East Durham!
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank The Maker Camp, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen. Thanks also to Afton Tavern for hosting our preview episode!
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
This is it: the final episode from WorkbenchCon 2025. Beyond the tools, techniques, and business side of things, WORKBENCHCon is and has always been about friendship, support, and the community that makes it all possible. So what better way to wrap it up than with three makers who represent the soul of this event:
Jessie (@building_jessie), who began woodworking in 2018 by building things for her farm and home and has found a home in the maker community
Becca (@SouthernPineDesignCo and @aCarpentersCross), who's a woodworker and a mom with an obsession for creating with tools and sharing each one as she learns to use it.
Kimani ( from @Vanstraydesigns @Vanstraytech for all the IT people out there), a girl dad to a peaceful 6 and a fiery 3 year old… and if his wife is listening he definitely didn’t forget about that thing she wanted him to make.
Leigh sits down with Jessie, Becca, and Kimani to wrap up and send off the conference this year, talking about how meeting like-minded people on the internet turned into lifelong connections and a second family; why sitting front row in your friends’ classes is just as important as teaching one yourself; and what keeps them coming back - the small moments that remind us why this maker world is so special.
Connect with our Storytellers
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Leah Houghtaling and Amelia Mighty are two incredible makers whose work is rooted in bringing happiness to others through woodworking, finishing, and content creation. As self-described multitools, they've been a dynamic duo for almost 30 years, working for themselves for over 20 years. Their chemistry as partners—both in life and in the shop—is undeniable, and their passion for what they do is infectious.
Leah has been a woodworker for over 25 years, crafting everything from furniture to small wares with a “leave no scrap behind” mentality. Amelia, her self-proclaimed “sidekick,” focuses on wood finishing—bringing out the beauty in every piece that crosses her path. Together, they create, laugh, and inspire.
But their story is so much more than making. It’s about choosing joy, sharing creativity, and, in Amelia’s words, recognizing that “joy is an act of rebellion.”
Leigh, Leah and Amelia sat down towards the end of Workbench Con to talk about the Power of Influence; how they use their platform to bring joy to others, including personal outreach to people who need a little light in their lives; and Dreaming Bigger – specifically, a potential road trip project where they take their creativity on the road to meet and connect with makers across the country.
More Leah & Amelia
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank WorkbenchConference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Morgan and Stone from Onefinity CNC have become the faces of Onefinity in the maker community, and get a chance to share what goes on behind the scenes of a CNC company that started from the ground up with makers in mind
Morgan and Stone don't just show up at Workbench Conference to sell machines: they’re deeply invested in helping people learn, explore, and push the limits of digital fabrication. From custom projects to supporting CNCs in education, their mission is simple: empower more people to make amazing things.
The four of us talk about The Onefinity Origin Story: how a small group of CNC enthusiasts turned an idea into a thriving business; how Onefinity is helping schools integrate CNCs into education and inspire the next generation of makers; the balance of classic and modern, why traditional woodworking and digital tools don’t have to be at odds; and what a typical day looks like when you’re running a CNC company with a small, tight-knit team.
More Morgan
More Stone
Onefinity
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
As podcast hosts, we've come to love the feeling of being completely blown away by unexpected stories, and this one is definitely up there: it's a story of innovation, persistence, and entrepreneurship, about a banker who's invented an industry-disrupting tool for a field in which she had virtually no experience. Friend of the pod Leah introduced us to Channon, the creator of the Morgan Square, who shared with us how she went from banking to inventing a tool that’s now taking the woodworking and construction industries by storm.
If you've ever wondered how a conversation with a friend can spark a life-changing invention, this episode is for you. From patent searches to trade shows, from skepticism to success—Channon’s journey is an inspiring lesson in believing in your ideas and taking action.
Mush, Leigh, and Channon talk about how a conversation about a late friend’s struggles led Channon to create something meaningful, the Challenges of Being an Unexpected Innovator, and what it's been like navigating an industry that didn’t expect a Black woman from banking to invent one of its most innovative new tools.
More Channon & The Morgan Square
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
While the official kickoff of Workbench Conference happens Thursday Night, the first big all-community learning experience happens during the Friday morning Keynote, where this year Ryan Drapela, the mastermind behind Cutting It Close, spoke. Ryan who has built a thriving woodworking business from the ground up—literally. His journey started as a teenager in his parents’ barn, working with a $75 miter saw and scraps of free wood. Now, he’s running a high-tech, CNC-driven woodworking operation, helping more people bring their creative ideas to life.
Ryan is a maker, entrepreneur, and relentless problem solver, known for his no-nonsense approach to business, his love for the craft, and his drive to keep learning and growing. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to bootstrap a business, take smart risks, and push yourself to new heights, this episode is for you.
We talk about Ryan’s journey from a $75 miter saw to a shop with over $840,000 in equipment; convincing his girlfriend’s parents to co-sign on his first CNC purchase—and making it pay off; the “Figure It Out” mentality and why Ryan believes failure only happens when you quit; and what it looks like to pass it on: teaching his son to be creative, why imagination is the most valuable skill, and how to ensure the next generation keeps building.
More Ryan & Cutting It Close
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Colton Hagler's (@coltcrit) path has taken him through unexpected viral success, hard-earned business lessons, and now, a furniture repair career with his sights set on ownership. He's also a host of the woodworking and goodtimes podcast Beat Around the Bench.
Brendan Pozsgai (@varnishandgarnish) blends woodworking with barware, creating custom charcuterie boards, bottle openers, and other home goods with a nod to craftsmanship and hospitality. He’s also balancing real estate, marathons, and a corporate IT career, proving that the maker hustle can take many forms.
We talk about accidentally selling $60K of product overnight; what happens when demand outpaces production and the reality of running a small business sets in; Building a Side Hustle with Purpose; and How WorkbenchCon, Maker Camp, and finding the right mentors have shaped their careers.
More Colt
More Brendan
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
One of the best parts of getting to meet new folks in the Maker Community is hearing stories of makers who’ve taken the leap into full-time creativity. This time, we’re sitting down with Yesi, a woodworker and DIY enthusiast, introduced to us by our good friend and friend of the pod Jpaul.
Yesi’s story is one of transformation—what started as home projects turned into a career shift from the legal field to full-time woodworking. From learning the trade out of necessity to turning it into a thriving business, Yesi embodies the heart of the maker movement. And, of course, we’ve got JPaul along for the ride, making sure we don’t miss a great story.
The three of us talk about how Yesi transitioned from a 20-year legal career to woodworking full-time, the Power of Learning by Doing, the story of Yesi’s dad’s hammer and how family legacy shaped her path; and how now Yesi’s daughter is getting involved in the shop (for the right price!).
More Yesi
More JPaul
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Workbench Conference, Total Boat, and Kutzall for all that you do to support and uplift the Maker Community, as well as for helping make this chapter happen.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Mush and Leigh sit down to recap Maker Camp 2024, and to get excited about what's next (spoiler alert: it's Workbench Conference!!).
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
This is it—the final episode of Maker Camp 2024. The bonfires are burning low, the Maker Swap is done, and we’re winding down one of the best weekends of the year with a conversation that I think covers what this community is all about: mentorship, legacy, and the joy of passing skills forward.
Joining us are Erik Curtis and Nancy Drumm—two makers who embody what it means to give back through craftsmanship and community.
Erik is a woodworker, furniture maker, and a lifelong builder who started in the trades, framing houses and wiring buildings before falling in love with furniture design. He’s spent years refining his craft, but he’s also just as passionate about helping others find their way into making, whether it's through the Restoration Station at Maker Camp or simply sharing wisdom with the next generation.
Nancy grew up on a farm, where fixing things was just part of life. What started with duct tape and necessity has turned into a full-fledged passion for woodworking, tool restoration, and mentorship. At Maker Camp, she’s become an integral part of the Restoration Station, where makers of all ages—from kids to folks in their 80s—learn how to bring old tools back to life and then walk away with the confidence to use them.
In this episode, we talk about:
More Eric: Instagram
More Nancy: Instagram
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
It’s Sunday at Maker Camp, and before the weekend ends, we're getting to hang out with Sam (DIY Huntress) and Danie (DIY Danie)—two incredible makers who prove that DIY is about way more than just building things. It’s about confidence, creativity, and fully embracing your weird.
Sam, aka DIY Huntress, is a powerhouse in the world of woodworking, home renovation, and making things ridiculously fun and accessible. She’s spent the past few years renovating her home, building custom furniture, and now, she’s diving into a new adventure—converting a Ford Transit into a full-blown camper van (which, yes, she’s bringing to Maker Camp next year). She started DIY Huntress while balancing a PhD in Psychology (nbd), and now she’s making woodworking approachable and empowering, especially for women who might feel intimidated picking up power tools.
Danie, aka DIY Danie, is a self-proclaimed curious creative and DIY oddball who thrives on experimentation and storytelling through making. From building out a three-tiered dream studio to tackling full-blown home renovations, she’s all about helping people build confidence through creativity—whether that’s in their homes, their projects, or just how they carry themselves. Oh, and she’s currently crafting cosplay weapons for her D&D character, because why not? Her philosophy? “Love your magic.” Your magic is your creativity—so own it, embrace it, and don’t be afraid to be a little weird.
In this episode, we get into how Sam’s PhD in Psychology unexpectedly shaped her approach to making; Danie’s journey from Lord of the Rings superfan to full-time creator; the Craigslist ad that kickstarted Sam’s woodworking career; why showing mistakes on social media matters more than getting things perfect; and how finding your people in the maker community changes everything.
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
It's the end of night two of Maker Camp, and over at the Total Boat tent, the glow sticks are flying and the cyberpunk glasses are glowing. In the Martini Bar (commandeered this weekend as the Storyteller's Tavern), we’re sitting down with Justin “Call Me Mabie” Mabie and Larissa Huff, two makers whose paths took unexpected turns into woodworking, filmmaking, and teaching.
Justin is a documentary filmmaker who specializes in short-form films about makers—woodworkers, metalworkers, and anyone who crafts with their hands. You may have seen his work on YouTube, Roku, or even Amazon, but tonight, we get to dig into the stories behind his storytelling.
Larissa, on the other hand, started as a math teacher but took a leap into woodworking after answering a Craigslist ad for an apprenticeship. That decision led to 13 years of furniture-making, a thriving career, and a passion for teaching hands-on skills in craft schools across the country.
In this episode, we talk about why applied math is the secret ingredient behind great woodworking, the growing presence of women in woodworking and why representation matters, and the unexpected magic of bar crawls leading to lifelong collaborations.
More Justin
More Larissa
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thankTotal Boat,Kutzall,The Tasting Lab, andThe Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support onPatreon.
Day one of Maker Camp 2024 is winding down, and what a day it’s been—rocket launches, axe crafting, welding, forging—everything that makes Maker Camp, well, Maker Camp. The sun was shining, things were made, and now, we get to wind down with some incredible conversations.
In this episode, we’re joined by two truly inspiring guests: Tamara Robertson and Kelly Combs. You might know Tamara from MythBusters, but here at Maker Camp, she’s leading the charge with Makers for Jessi, carrying on the mission of Jessi Combs—a force of nature who believed fiercely in breaking barriers and getting more women into the trades. And alongside her, we have Kelly Combs—Jessi’s brother—who’s here for his first Maker Camp, seeing firsthand the incredible community his sister helped shape.
Over the past five years, the Jessi Combs Foundation has awarded nearly a quarter-million dollars in scholarships to help young women enter the trades. But more than that, it’s been building a movement, a legacy, and a support system that lifts everyone up.
This conversation is packed with stories—about Jessi, about the impact she had, and about the future we’re all trying to build. Please enjoy it’s a special one.
More from this episode
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Alright so this is a bit of a different episode. A little bit of background: if you're even tangentially involved in the Maker World, you've seen someone with a stunning black and white photograph that somehow perfectly captures their whole essence. The brilliance behind all of these photos is the one and only Mark Adams, who we were so fortunate to talk with last year - you can listen to it here. Earlier this year, Mark - with invaluable help from Jason Russell Nix - published a book almost 400 portraits taken over the course of five years of Maker Camp - essentially a love letter, yearbook, and time capsule all rolled into one. If you've not yet gotten a chance to check it out, you can get a copy here (or even better, snag one from Mark directly).
Early Saturday morning, Mark, Leigh and I sat down to talk about the book. We take time to read through the introduction that Mark wrote, before talking more about its inception, creation, and some of the specific portraits within. If you do have a copy, be sure to grab it now so that you can follow along with us.
Five Years - Maker Camp Portraits on Amazon
@markadams on Instagram
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Long time listeners of the show, or at least anyone who listened to the Maker Camp '23 Chapter, will recognize Emmett Newsome and Ethan Carter from a bit of an off-the-rails episode hosted by Leigh and beloved friend of the pod Leah Hartmann. Without giving away too much of what's about to transpire, this follow-up episode was kind of inevitable. You don't have to, but you may want to revisit that whole episode before tucking into this one - Check out Chapter 4:5 with Emmett and Ethan here.
There's not a ton more to set this one up - just make sure your bespoke leather accessories are fully buckled, and as a heads up - there are some swears, perhaps even from a surprising source - in this episode. Oh, and some moists. Sorry everyone, they're back!
Emmet: @deadrisewoodcrafts
Ethan: @ethancarterdesigns
Leah: @leah.learning
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp.
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Leigh and I had lunch with the dynamic duo of Lindsay and Eric - married makers with amazing stories to tell. From her energizer bunny enthusiasm to his calm, collected wisdom, their partnership is proof that opposites not just attract, but thrive. As we mention in this episode, Lindsay was our first guest in the Tavern lo some many years ago, and it was so great to not just sit down again with her, but for Eric to join as well.
Stories include what happens when you want to surf but need to be able to be paged, the cool parts of working with your spouse, and Jarvis Boards. LOTs of Jarvis Boards.
More Lindsay
More Eric
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
For our first story, we had the pleasure of sitting down once again with the incredible Jimmy DiResta and, for the first time, the talented Derek from Malden.
Jimmy’s influence on the Maker Community is nothing short of legendary. His dedication and passion have shaped the culture and inspired countless people to create and grow.
Derek, a craftsman and content creator, is known for his beautifully crafted furniture, signs, and other handmade treasures.
Both of them are part of the team behind the Netflix series Making Fun, and it’s clear from their dynamic that their friendship is as genuine as it is entertaining.
We recorded our conversation upstairs in Jimmy's Leather Shop, which at the time, had just been sided and was still a huge, beautiful, open space - you can hear just how big it is in the recording. You can even hear the Total Boat crew sneak in and say hi at one point.
We talk about How a Drunken Afternoon Sparked a Maker Movement, Trash to Cash and the Power of Friendship, and The Case for Welding Over College.
There is a minor hiccup in the middle of the episode where I had to splice two tracks together. Hopefully, it’s seamless enough that it doesn’t take away from your experience.
Just as a heads up: there are some swears in this episode.
More Jimmy
More Derek
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Total Boat, Kutzall, The Tasting Lab, and The Maker Camp
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
Leigh and Mush sit down to talk about what they're most excited for for this year's Maker Camp, reflect on Maker Camps of years past, and share their love for the Maker community at large. This is a great episode for newbies or those who were on the fence about attending this year. Can't wait to see everyone soon!
WORKBENCHCon weekend, as with all weekends, had to eventually draw to a close, but Leigh and I were so fortunate to be able to get to sit down with Xyla Foxlin, who has (among other fantastic things) created a YouTube channel to showcase her love of engineering challenges, problem solving, and teaching. The three of us got a chance to talk more about Xyla's move from making strictly educational tutorials borrowing friends' proverbial hats; the value of learning from your peers and community; and the importance of representation and role models in STEM fields, or put another way, the burden and blessing of becoming a superhero.
Episode Trivia Minigam! Can you name the actors who played Dr. Dana Scully, Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan, and Angela Montenegro?
Notable Quotes:
More Xyla:
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Kutzall, Total Boat, and WorkbenchCON
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
There are some faces you see when you go to a Maker Event as a newbie and you just know are the ones who will welcome you in. Alma of Pink Soul Studios and Steph of Uncommon Outpost are two of those people who we had seen all over the place but had never gotten the pleasure and privilege of getting to know - until this year's WORKBENCHCon. Leigh and Mush got to sit down with them and catch up on their take on the magic and the purpose of WORKBENCHCon from their roles as advisory board members. As Leigh puts it in this episode: "if somebody wants to know why they should come to workbench con, they should just listen to this episode."
We weren't able to do our regular intro in this episode, as we were talking a mile a minute pretty much as soon as we sat down. We found a good place to fade in on our conversation, so we jumped in from there!
We had some tremendously generous support in making this Chapter of The Storyteller's Tavern possible, and we'd like to thank Kutzall, Total Boat, and WorkbenchCON
The Storyteller's Tavern is made and hosted by @TheTinkerTeacher and @MakerMush. Please consider subscribing, reviewing, and rating. We welcome your support on Patreon.
