In this episode, I build an arched-top, custom built-in bookshelf for my Colorado Springs Client. The frame and shelves are made from walnut, while the back walls and sides are painted with reflective paint that reflects the LEDs integrated into the bookshelf’s frame. Summary Arch Top Bookshelf Construction Process Brian discussed his project of bu…

In this episode, I build a custom floating Shelf with a live edge for a Colorado Home. The shelf is made from a walnut slab and is adorned with ebony bowties inlaid into a defect in the slab. Summary Walnut Shelf Creation and Inlay Process Brian discussed his process of transforming a walnut slab into a floating shelf. He detailed the challenges he…

In this episode, I make 3D wooden puzzle cubes for Stocking Stuffers. One of my kids’ toys inspired the design, and I thought I could make a fun version for all ages. If you are interested, you can purchase a 3D Puzzle Cube or Build your own; plans are available. Summary Building 3D Puzzle Cubes for Christmas Brian discussed his recent project of b…

In this episode, Greg and Brian discussed their experiences mentoring interns and apprentices in their respective woodworking and architecture businesses. They discussed the potential benefits and challenges of hiring an intern, with Brian stressing the importance of fair compensation. Hosted byBrian Benham Portfolio: https://www.benhamdesignconcep…

In this episode, I built a custom fire-rated door for my Colorado Springs client. Now, to build a custom fire-rated door would be pretty expensive because I would have a ton of hoops to jump through and get the stamp certifying it as fire-rated. So, it is not feasible to do a one-off piece. However, talking with the builder, we came up with the ide…

In this episode, I build a whole house of Modern Contemporary Doors featuring a stainless steel accent. My Colorado Springs Client was remodeling their entire house and wanted me to make all the doors. They were going for a contemporary, modern feel, so the doors I came up with were pannel-style, with each panel divided by a stainless steel band. I…

In this episode, I Built a Modern Contemporary Bench for a client in Telluride, Colorado. One of the great things about building custom furniture in Colorado is visiting all the beautiful mountain towns. This client wanted a custom bench with a mitered corner so the board’s grain flowed along the top and down the side. The Bench is made from walnut…

In this episode, I built a Mountain Modern Entry Door for a Colorado Springs client’s home. The door was inspired by the Mountain Contemporary Modern Style and featured some timber-framing architectural stylings. The custom door was sized to fit the home’s extra-large opening. Summary Woodworking Project: Custom Door Construction Brian discussed hi…

In this episode, I build a rustic-style barn door for my client’s Denver home. I used authentic barnwood reclaimed from a 100-year-old barn. The client loves the gray-weathered look. To create the door, I made a welded steel frame to hold the barn wood. This was a great way to create a custom door. Summary Creating a Reclaimed Wood Door With Steel …

In this episode, I build a custom asian inspired keepsake box. The Keepsake box sides are made from bamboo, and the top and legs are cherry. If you are into woodworking and want to make this box, I do have “How To Plans” available for this project. Summary Building Japanese-Inspired Keepsake Boxes Brian discussed the process of building 30 boxes us…

In this episode, Brian and Greg talk about how they set up their tools in their shop and how important it is to set up tools accurately They then share a few tips on tool setup. Hosted By:Brian Benham Portfolio: https://www.benhamdesignconcepts.com/custom-furniture-colorado-springs/ Brian’s Woodworking Plans: https://www.digitaldesignconcepts.art/ …

My Denver, Colorado, Client had a beautiful handpainted screen that she wanted built into a custom headboard. So I carefully took the screen apart to extract the art. I then built a frame around each piece to incorporate it into a custom headboard. Summary Headboard Project Creation and Joinery Techniques Brian discussed the process of creating a h…

In this episode, we talk about people we follow for design inspiration. Some of them might surprise you, as inspiration can come from anywhere. For a full list, check out our show notes Hosted byBrian Benham Portfolio: https://www.benhamdesignconcepts.com/custom-furniture-colorado-springs/ Brian On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benham_design…

The guys talk about staying safe in the shop, how to stay safe, wanting to look out to keep you safe, and developing good shop habits. They finish the episode by sharing some of their horror of unfortunate shop accidents; the end gets gruesome, so you've been warned! Hosted byBrian Benham https://www.benhamdesignconcepts.com/custom-furniture-denver…

In this episode, the guys talk about their experiences at tradeshows, art galleries, and arts and crafts shows. They talk about what they do to make the show successful and things that are challenging. Hosted byBrian Benham https://www.briansbenham.com/ Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/Brian_Benham Brian On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be…

Today, we take a break from discussing designs and making topics and talk a little about what we have going on in our shops: current projects, new projects on the horizon, and the daily grind of being a maker. Show Notes Brian has a large steel table base in the shop, working on new patination processes. The sheer size makes him wish he had a shop …

Curt creates handmade pens from Titanium that are precision machined in his home workshop. He got his start from his curiosity in machining and CAD. He created a pen for himself and started carrying it around with him, and people noticed and commented on the quality. It wasn't long before he was able to quit his job and make pens full-time. You can…

Today, we talked with Custom Drum maker Bryan Bales. Bryan got his start in drum making from his curiosity of wanting to learn how to make drums and his love for making things. Bryan can be found on Instagram at Bales5000, his YouTube is Bales5000, and he is active on Instructables, sharing his drum and prop builds, When he is not building crazy ex…

Is social media still a viable way to promote your business, or is the new business model to be a content creator, making products secondary? Today, we talk about our past successes and our future strategies for getting our products out in front of people. Show Notes Instagram Top 9 in the hashtags, is it still a thing Brian says Social Media no lo…

Tonight, we talk about how to price your work so you can run a successful business and put food on your table. Whether it is pricing a custom piece or a mass-manufactured piece, we've got you covered with a few tips you can implement today to price your work for success! Hosted by Brian Benham https://www.benhamdesignconcepts.com/ Greg Porter https…

The Unhealthy Pursuit of Perfection, we have all been there. Every one of us who makes things tries to make it perfect, but perfection is a fool's earned and unattainable. The more you know, the more you know you don't know. In this episode, we talk about how the pursuit of Perfection can reach unhealthy levels and what we do to stay sane and conti…

This is a common issue for creatives that make things. We all have active imaginations; we can visualize lots of things. Then the distractions come into play. We are drawn to the new shiny project or derailed by a project that we have to do to make money to keep the bills paid. https://www.themakersquest.com/how-many-projects-are-too-many-projects-…

In this episode, the guys talk about the power of staying curious and how it will help you stay creative in your journey as a maker. Show notes: https://www.themakersquest.com/how-to-stay-curious-to-stay-creative Hosted by Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregsgaragekc/ YouTube: https://www.you…

In today's episode, Brian and Greg Talk about different techniques for gathering inspiration for their designs and then iterating from basic design principles to more abstract concepts and techniques. Show Notes: https://www.themakersquest.com/gathering-insperation-for-designs-ep15 Hosted by Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instag…

In this episode, Brian and Greg talk about how learning new things by learning how to learn. Setting aside preconceived notions about what you think something is about will help you approach learning with an open mind. Then they talk about Chat GPT and how to use it to help us learn and become better critical thinkers. Show notes: https://www.thema…

In this episode, we talk about how makers handle challenges. We talk about acquiring tools, acquiring skills, acquiring new clients, and how social media algorithms are diluting creativity. Website: https://www.themakersquest.com/ Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregsgaragekc/ YouTube: https:/…

We Talked with Eric Gorges about designing and building Motorcycles and his show on PBS, The Craftsman's Legacy, where he seeks out other master craftspeople to get at a taste of their craft and learn from their experiences. Show Notes https://www.themakersquest.com/building-motorcycles-with-eric-gorges-from-the-craftsmans-legacy-ep12 You can find …

In this episode, we talk about the phrase by Microsoft Manager Paul Maritz. Eat Your Own Dog Food. You should use and live with your own designs to know they are good. Test your design out, and iterate on better versions. Full Show Notes https://www.themakersquest.com/eat-your-own-dog-food-to-design-better-ep11…

In this episode, we talk with Bernie from @WorksbySolo about inventing with a creative mind. You Can find more about Berni at https://www.worksbysolo.com/ Your Podcast Hosts are: Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregsgaragekc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SkyscraperGuitars YouTube: https:…

In this episode, we talk about how to get the job done with the tools and skills we have on hand, even if they are not right for the job. How Notes Make it Work With What You Got Hosted by Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregsgaragekc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SkyscraperGuitars YouTu…

In this episode, we talk with Andy Birkey, who works as an Architectural Restoration Specialist, restoring old churches and gothic-style buildings in central Illinois. He has a wealth of knowledge, skill, and a loving spirit for all things. Andy Birkey's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/andy_birkey/ His YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/…

In this episode, the guys talk about The Fudge Factor and allowing for accumulative error in both your work and planning out your work. Where do you hide the attentional errors or discrepancies, and how to prevent them? Website: https://www.themakersquest.com/ Greg Porter https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g…

In this episode, we are joined by a professional machinist From Hillview Wood & Metal, Tony Rouleau. Tony designs and manufactures heirloom tools for all types of craftspeople, from woodworkers to other machinists. His dedication to quality, style, and a high level of functionality in the tools he makes is unmatched. You can find out more about him…

In this episode, we talk about developing new design ideas and how we present them to our clients. https://www.themakersquest.com/Von Brian Benham & Greg Porter

In This episode we talk about the book by Betty Edwards, Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain. How to turn the left side of your brain off so the right side can show through and be more creative as well as learn to draw better. Show Notes www.themakersquest.comVon Brian Benham & Greg Porter

In today's podcast, we talk about the oversimplification of Malcolm Gladwell's theory that you need 10,000 hours to master a skill. It is more complex of a theory than you think.Von Brian Benham & Greg Porter

In this episode we talk about turning points in our journey as makers, touching on several topics about how to price your work better, stop doing bids for free, and invest in yourself to increase your skills and shop infrastructure. https://www.themakersquest.com/Von Brian Benham & Greg Porter

Welcome to the Maker's Quest Podcast. This is our first episode, so please join us to find out more about who we are, what we make, how we make, and our quest to make more. Please visit our blog for the Show Notes How We Became Makers - EP1 Website: https://www.themakersquest.com/Von Brian Benham & Greg Porter