On inspiration and being happy
WM: Tell us how Make Something got started.
DP: As you might know, I used to be the Drunken Woodworker. In 2011 I worked as a professional photographer and wanted to frame my work. Frame shops were too expensive, so I watched videos on YouTube to find out how to do it myself. Not only did I found out how to frame my photos, I also found a new direction in life. I thought, “I want to do what these people are doing - make videos and write blogs.”
One night around this time, I was hanging out in my backyard with a buddy. There's a fire going and we’re drinking, and my buddy jokingly says, “Let’s do one more shot and go to your shop and make a desk.” And I said, “Ha, the drunken woodworker.” And that’s how it started. With my marketing background, I knew a lot about how to shoot and how to promote. I started a Facebook page and came up with what I thought was a decent logo and color palette. People started liking the page. Then I started a YouTube show called The Weekly Wrap Up where I highlighted other people, because I didn’t yet have the confidence in my woodworking chops. So the show slowly garnered a following.
And then I changed my name to Make Something because it became my career. The whole Drunken Woodworker thing was a joke. I didn't know I was going to make my living from this. I was at a public event a couple years ago and this fifteen-year-old kid comes up to me and starts talking. He’s very excited, he likes my show. Then he goes and gets his dad, “Dad, this is the Drunken Woodworker!” I was so embarrassed by the name. I thought, “I'm changing it. As soon as I get back home, I’m changing the name of the show.” I chose Make Something, and here we are.
WC: So it came down to how you want to be perceived by people who see you as an influence.
DP: Well 60% of it came from that really embarrassing moment, 40% was that I wanted to remove woodworking from the title. I didn’t want to limit myself. I’m making titanium wedding rings. I’m doing leather work. And who knows, maybe I'll get more into metal working in the future - or electronics. I want to have a creative channel.
WC: So you consider yourself more a maker than specifically a woodworker?
DP: Even though 95% of what I'm producing is woodworking, I identify more with the maker crowd.
WM: Do a lot of people get into making through woodworking?
DP: I can only speak for myself. I would see my father-in-law make furniture, and I remember high school and shop class. Making a physical thing that you can put in your living room and look at everyday appealed to me. I don’t know that it's the gateway to becoming a maker. I think digital machines like CNC or laser cutters are the gateway, at least for the younger crowd.
WM: Do you consider yourself a teacher or an entertainer?
DP: That's a transition I’m working on. My videos used to be more about teaching: “This is how we're going to make this particular box. This is how you set up the table saw for this cut.” Even though I enjoyed making the videos, I found them a little boring. So I thought, “How can I spice this up?”
A lot of people watch house flipping and DIY shows not necessarily to learn, but to be entertained. So I’m trying that. The show’s direction is leaning toward having fun and entertainment rather than a step-by-step tutorial. Maybe you don't learn how to make a particular project, but you’ll get tips and techniques, and you’ll be entertained.
WM: What do you do to stand out from the many woodworking and making YouTubers and bloggers out there?
DP: I’m a musician and have played in bands for 20 years. To stand out, you have to sound different than everybody else. And that’s a hard thing to do. Yes there are a lot of people making videos. There are a lot of people writing articles or blogs. And it's pretty easy to make videos these days. You can shoot a video with your phone and you can get a WordPress site and start blogging. All for free.
I hired a camera guy, and on Tuesdays he comes over and we shoot a project. But rather than the typical close up shots on my hands building this thing with a voiceover, then a shot of the finished project, I talk to the camera. My face is in it because I have a camera guy there and I can interact with him. It's more conversational. I also try to showcase left-field projects. I don't want to build the typical old bookcase, or another box that some other people have made. I build unique projects and try for a different style to my videos.
WC: You produce two videos a week, you co-host a podcast and have written two books. How do you manage it all?
DP: When I was a teenager, my sister would make fun of me for being lazy. That stuck with me and I guess I’m trying to make up for that now. In my 20s, I worked a job just to work a job. Then a few years ago, a switch flipped in my brain and I wanted to create all the time. And when you work for yourself, you absolutely have to work all the time. But I’m looking at it as an opportunity to be creative. I always want to work. I always want to shoot the next video. I want to write the next blog, design the next project, and interact with people on social media. It’s fun. I wake up and can't wait to get to work. I don’t even consider it work. I can't wait to play. I go, go, go until bedtime, and I can't wait to do it again the next day. That fun motivates me to put out two videos, to do a podcast, to write the books, and to go to the next event.
WM: So it's not a matter of trying to manage it all, it’s simply a passion.
DP: Yeah. And the truth is that I have to hustle all the time, so I can pay the bills. I still don't make as much money as when I worked in marketing. I'm constantly hustling and pushing as much content as I can. I’m trying to make the next viral video, at least in this arena.
I'm excited by what I get to do every day. I have this conversation with my wife every couple days. I still can’t believe that when I wake up, I don't have to go work for somebody else. I get to do this. I'm always in search of having fun and trying to find things that make me happy. I don’t make as much money now, but I'm much happier and stress-free.
WC: Have you experienced a significant change in your audience over the years?
DP: There are places to leave feedback on my website, and of course, YouTube. And people these days are not afraid to express their opinion. When I dropped the name Drunken Woodworker, I also started to run advertisements in my videos. People were pretty vocal about me “selling out”. But when I made that change, the quality of my videos also got better. As the show developed its personality, some people stopped watching, but others said that they liked the new format and that they watch with their families. So with every change, I’ll lose some people, but I’ll gain some too. I’m trying to be entertaining and to show that anybody can be creative.
WC: You’ve produced a couple videos about your gear. Have you considered producing videos on how you monetize something like this?
DP: My love of photography predates my love of woodworking. I've been a professional photographer for 15 years. I want to make more videos about photography and video-making, but when I do, the response is poor. I love talking about my process and how I do what I do - behind the scenes stuff. We do talk about some of that in the podcast (Making It). It's possible that I might do that stuff on a second channel. Or that could be the next book: Living the content creator life and what it takes.
But that type of book is only relevant for a couple years. It would have to be really good due to a limited shelf life. The woodworking books will outlast me.
WM: How has the reception been on your books?
DP: They were released about a year from each other and the sales have been great. I think The New Bandsaw Box Book is one of the bestselling books at Spring House Press.
Spring House had the idea for Make your own Cutting Boards. They said, “Hey, there are no cutting board books and we think it would be a huge hit. Do you want to do it?” I said yes and then we designed 15 cutting boards. The reception has been good. I sold out of the cartons that I had. I’m assuming that they’re selling well in the stores.
It's really cool to say that you wrote a book. When I showed that first book to my family, they said, “Oh, now I see what you do. You have a real job. You’re not just playing on the internet all the time.”
WC: What’s your next big goal?
DP: I don't look too far into the future. I only look a few weeks or a few months ahead and right now I want to make better quality videos.
I want to have the best woodworking videos on the internet. And there are a handful of other people that I really admire. I think what they do is so cool. I want to be better. That drives me.
And the internet changes so fast. Who knows where YouTube will be two years from now? What if it is a completely different thing? What if it gets shut down? What if they take down my channel for some reason? I don't want to have a five-year plan for something that might not be here in five years. That's why I have these different outlets. I have my books, plans and patterns on my website, and sponsored content and ads through the channel, so I'm not completely dependent on one thing.
WC: What tool gets the most use in your shop?
DP: This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but my favorite tool in the shop is my computer. I love the designing part of what I do. I’ll start with a sketch on paper and then build the full 3D model on the computer. I love that. And I think proper planning puts you on the path to success. One time we were working on an end table for the show and we didn’t have any plans - we just winged it with the material we had in the shop. So we were shooting this video and I had to step back and pause several times, because I didn’t know what was next. I wasn’t feeling confident in the project. It turned out fine, but since I didn’t have the proper planning, it really slowed down the process. It took away the confidence. As a graphic designer, I love designing and planning, so the computer is my favorite tool in the shop.
Besides that, it’s a tie between the table saw and the bandsaw.
WC: The computer is a great answer. What software do you use?
DP: SketchUp is great, but recently I’ve been using Fusion 360 by Autodesk. There are so many advantages to using it. But it's a completely different program so I'm taking baby steps to learn it. SketchUp and Fusion 360 are both free for students and non-professionals. If you're just getting started and want to design in a 3D world, I recommend Fusion 360. I use Adobe Illustrator for simple projects or certain parts that don’t need to be modeled in 3D.
WC: Do you have a favorite technique or jig?
DP: My crosscut sled is the most used jig in the shop. I get asked all the time, “When are you making a video on the crosscut sled?” I'm finally going to make one. But my sled isn't much different than anybody else’s; I'm just applying techniques I’ve learned.
WC: Do you have tips for people just starting out?
DP: Sure. Watch my show. ;-)
Seriously, watch videos, read magazine and books, read blogs. Educate yourself and absorb as much as you can. What helped me was I was watching advanced woodworking videos and buying advanced woodworking books. I was not near that skill level - and I’m still not - but it helped me better understand simpler procedures and showed me the right way to do things.
Don't go out and buy all the tools just yet. You don't know what tools you need. Decide what you want to build, and then buy the tools necessary to make that project. If your first project is a birdhouse, maybe all you need is a circular saw and drill. Just buy those things and build that project. Eventually another project will require another tool, buy it, and then build that project, and so on. That way you’re not racking up an expense and buying tools that you may never use. A few years ago I thought I needed a scroll saw, so I bought one and then never used it. The space was more important to me, so I gave it away.
Also, it's important to calibrate your tools, so that you get square cuts and flat boards. Your projects will go together much easier down the line. If you’re new to woodworking and your project hasn't been going together, it will frustrate you. You don't have to have expensive tools necessarily; you just have to calibrate your tools correctly so that you're getting perfect 90-degree cuts. Obviously the more expensive tools are easier to calibrate - and stay calibrated longer. So there is an advantage with the high quality tools. Don’t blame the tool either way. You’re responsible for making the project. And you can make good stuff with inexpensive tools.
WC: Do you have a favorite woodworking destination?
DP: My wife and I love antiquing. I draw a lot of inspiration from the pieces I see. I like to snap photos of things that I like. One thing that I am drawn to is old stereo consoles from the fifties and sixties. TV consoles are huge pieces. I’m sure I’d never make something like that, but they are a source of inspiration for me. I pull design elements from stuff like that and put into my own work.
WC: Who are your influences?
DP: My woodworking influences are people who have a “style”. When you see one of their pieces, you know that it belongs to that person, or that team. Like Sam Maloof. I love his stuff. I love his attitude towards woodworking and furniture-making. I've never made a Sam Maloof-inspired piece, but I’m inspired by his uniqueness and creativity.
Also Charles and Ray Eames are a huge influence on what I do. I'm a fan of mid-century modern. Charles and Ray Eames were extremely creative and really good at problem solving. They made a bunch of plywood furniture in the fifties and had to get around limitations. They had to learn how to form plywood in different shapes to get the furniture that they wanted and then have it mass-produced. They had a great sense of design.
WC: Who should we interview next?
DP: You should chat with my podcast co-hosts, Jimmy DiResta and Bob Clagget. I draw inspiration from things outside woodworking and that's what makes my work unique. I'm inspired by people who are good at what they do. Bob is really good at what he does. I'm not going to make the next Stormtrooper costume, but I can apply his techniques to my work. Jimmy is jack of all trades. And that's important because it allows him to make whatever comes to his mind. I'm inspired by their creativity.
