Off the Cut Podcast

We are on the brink of Episode 200, but first, we are going to commit international hot dog crimes. We discuss the genius (and legality) of a "Hot Dog Arbitrage" scheme involving Canadian Costco memberships and a 53-foot trailer. We also dive into the nightmare of small business bookkeeping, why we lie about our invoice numbers to look more professional, and the struggle of using AI to w...

We are kicking off the new year by discussing our "resolutions"—specifically the struggle to actually finish a project before starting the next shiny one. We dive deep into the economics of injection molding vs. 3D printing (shoutout to Travis from ⁨@ShopNation⁩ and ⁨@PrintFarmAcademy⁩ for the breakdown) and debate whether scripting our videos too heavily is actually killing the fun of c...

We are closing out the year by debating the ethics of selling 3D printed "dragons" at craft fairs and discussing when a maker business should graduate from 3D printing to injection molding (the "MVP" strategy). We also dive into the reality of "Outlet Mall" quality, we suspect that brands are manufacturing intentionally worse products for discount stores. Plus, we bre...

We are wrapping up the year with the ultimate Showdown, a March Madness-style bracket to crown the absolute best power tool brand. We randomly assign brands to defend, forcing us to make passionate arguments for tools we might actually hate (looking at you, Powerfist). We debate whether a "lifetime warranty" is actually a scam, why Powerfist is the worst name in marketing history, and we...

It is finally time for the "Sawdust Showdown!" We turn the podcast into a Jeopardy-style trivia game where Eric and Zac battle it out over categories like "Getting Drilled" (identifying tools without logos), "2xForefathers" (woodworking history), and the surprisingly difficult "Hand Stuff." We also debate the best way to store ratchet straps (and whether the...

We are getting into the holiday spirit by discussing the beauty of "flat presents" (checks from grandma) and our secret strategies for dealing with terrible "throwaway gifts". However, the holiday season also brings out the scammers, so we dive deep into the sophisticated text and email scams currently plaguing creators, including a convincing Meta "Blue Badge" trap.  We also geek out on AI tools...

We are still recovering from Thanksgiving, which means we have strong opinions about leftover turkey and the tragedy of store-bought pies with lackluster crusts. We also dive into the questionable ethics of returning Black Friday impulse buys, debating whether it's okay to screw over a giant corporation versus a small creator. Last, we break down the art of the "listicle" video—how t...

We kick things off with a dental emergency caused by a bad habit before diving into a deep debate about shop safety gear—specifically, whether those expensive "space helmets" are actually worth it or if we just look ridiculous. We also discuss the "Nosy," a wearable air purifier that definitely exists (unfortunately), and question what materials we are using today that will be...

We are diving into the ultimate holiday gift guide for makers, but things quickly turn into a heated debate about shop organization. We discuss whether the expensive "Packout" systems are actually worth the hype or if there are better ways to store your gear without breaking the bank. We also break down our top gift picks ranging from the $20 essentials (like the humble Sharpie) to &quot...

Eric ran off to romp in the woods with his wife, so for Episode 190, we can do whatever we wanted all night long! We had a little fun, covering everything from: The iMac G3 Resurrection Zach shared his latest project: putting a modern Mac Mini and an OLED screen inside the iconic old, curvy iMac case. Once he figured out the right-click, it was smooth sailing Our YouTube Strategy: We talked about...

This week we dive into everything from viral content and controversial sports calls to tech upgrades, shop hacks, and the frustrations of Amazon! Tech and Tool Talk: The iPhone Camera Bump Solution- We solve the biggest problem with modern phones: the stupid camera bump! We pitch solutions to make your phone flat—and give you a 25% larger battery Mac Modernization- Zac reveals his latest crazy ele...

We are back with episode 188, Eric, Zac and Deric share their latest building blunders, biggest pet peeves and judge your house. Eric shares the dramatic tale of his oversized, custom-built closet cabinets. Due to the unexpected density of his plywood , the cabinets were nearly 300 pounds. In a wild twist of measuring tape versus reality, he had to whip out his multi-tool and literally cut a hole...

Eric gets the cops called on him while attempting to repair his iPhone 12 mini, Zac calls the cops on his neighbors and Deric has to pick a new tool right now or else Eric and Zac are going to call the cops on him!  Cut too: The 3D Printing Market: Debating the difference between the Bamboo Lab X1C and P1S/P2S printers; noting the X1C seems to be running sales to clear out inventory, suggesting a...

Deric was MIA this week, but Zac and Eric partied like it was 2022 and managed to pull off an entertaining show for you all the same. Not to worry, we still get off topic and dive into things like arbitrary titles while also discussing how to effectively stack and process mass quantities of sheet goods in a garage shop. Can you put navigation in a 90s BMW? Should you? Do you use Apple Car Play or...

We’re back with Episode 185, and this week we're diving into the madness of Amazon's multiple Prime Days, don’t people just buy what we need anyway? Instagram's glitchy nature is getting under our skin, every new "feature" seems to break another one. Zac details his battle with a thief who is seeing more success re-editing his content and getting more views on TikTok than Zac...

Another week in the shop and another episode of the Off The Cut Podcast, we welcome special guest and sponsor Bill Burkel from WTB Woodworking. We dive deep into Bill's journey, from starting a small Etsy business to opening a full-fledged retail store and showroom in under 10 years. We discuss the business struggles he's faced along the way, including a significant amount of online fraud...

We're coming to you, just a few weeks before Zac’s wedding, and we're not stressed at all... mostly. We dive into the world of 3D printing, sharing some great tips we've learned and why some of us are ditching PLA filament. Eric also gives us his unfiltered thoughts on jigsaw blades after putting a bunch of them to the test. Plus, we're talking about the ridiculous product naming c...

This week Deric recaps his experience at the Texas Woodworking Festival. Sharing who he met, the interesting products he discovered, and the value of attending conferences like this one. Our usual personal stories and tangent conversations, including Zac's last-minute special effects prop build for a Star Trek TV show🖖, a discussion on the struggles of sharpening tools, and a quick rundown of...

We've been making some big moves lately, including getting the podcast listed on IMDB and launching a new Spencley Design Co. Shopify discount code for listeners. We also had to do a redraw for our monthly KM Tools gift card winner after our previous winner, Neil Heslop, generously passed on his prize due to shipping costs to the United Kingdom. Big congrats to Built by Gus on winning the $50...

We delved into Zach's current project, an educational course on console modification. He plans to make the course engaging but not boring, much like a YouTube video. We also discussed the challenges of creating a course, such as balancing the need for comprehensive information with keeping people's attention. The episode wrapped up with a discussion about the new H2S and H2C 3D printers fr...

We're talking about YouTube's new "Hype" button, the frustrations of IT support, and why trusting a handyman from places like Angie's List and Task Rabbit may be a gamble. Episode Highlights The Hype is Real (or is it?) : We dive into YouTube's new "Hype" feature, a way to boost smaller creators, and debate whether it's a game-changer or just another button to smash. Find out what a "small creator...

We dive into the wild world of online scams! We're talking about everything from ridiculously professional-looking emails from "Sony" that want you to download files on a Windows PC (yep, a very specific scam that almost got us!) to companies that stiff YouTubers on payments after their ad reads go live. We'll also tell you about our own run-ins with scams and discuss why we'...

On episode 177 of the Off The Cut podcast, we go shot for shot, we jump right into some hot topics from the tool and content creation worlds. Kicking things off by talking about J-Katz new video and the importance of content warnings for, well, graphic injuries. Then, we got to the news of the week: Kreg is coming out with a new line of cordless power tools, including a cordless pocket hole joiner...

The full crew is finally back! In this week's episode, join Zac, Deric, and Eric as we dive into a wide-ranging discussion covering everything from our latest projects to the business of content creation. Zac shares his journey of switching his entire cordless tool collection to DeWalt, revealing the strategic deals he's making on Facebook Marketplace. This sparks a lively debate on the pros and c...

This week, Eric is on vacation and Deric gets big thanks for his genius idea that helped Zac perfect his 3D-printed soldering fume extractor, making it solid and adjustable with just 2 thumb screws. Zac is also deep into a tool-buying spree, playing "day trader" on Facebook Marketplace to switch all his tools to DeWalt. Did he make the right choice? We dive into the world of tool reviews...