Maker Ranch

On this week's episode I am sharing my thoughts on whether it is cheaper/better to build a home from scratch or buy one. Also, progress update on the MOOSE ANTLER chair! My sister Jesse and I are tackling cutting boards; refinishing them, and sharing my general thoughts on building and maintaining them. Jesse and I discuss the 700 lb walnut stump we dug up from the backyard of our childhood ho...

Maker Ranch Ep 02Week 2! This week we discuss creativity, and if it is a skill that can be cultivated. We also discuss new alternative building materials, like Superwood and Polycarbonate, and if any of them are practical or interesting to use. I show my new DIY weight bench with powder coated weights. I take a look at cheap building materials like Douglas fir, and how I have been able to make a s...

Maker Ranch Ep 01I am back! It’s been a long couple of years working on the hotel but that is done and I am getting back to my old ways in my new house, Maker Ranch 2.0. This show will be a weekly hang where I show what I am working on and chat with Shane about what’s on my mind. We want your questions and topics so let us know in the comments. We are experimenting with formats but are committed t...

This is the first episode in a series where I discuss my personal favorite designers. What is so unique and unusual about Enzo Mari is that his work is not incredibly remarkable or clever. What influenced me so greatly was his career as a whole and the ideals that drove his publishing methods. When I learned about Enzo Mari as an undergrad I was astonished by how basic his work was. It was his bro...

What was it like being Home Schooled? In this episode Ben talks about his experiences as a home schooled kid from kindergarten to 11th grade. Ben talks about the challenges home schooled kids face when trying to get into college and socializing with peers.

This week Ben discusses what he has learned from his experience attending Architecture School and if it is worth it these days. With such a complex question, context matters. Ben also discusses the topics of artificial intelligence, the architecture job market, developing technical acumen, design software, as well as how to adapt and apply the skills one learns in university to other interests and...