Essential Craftsman Podcast

In depth discussion of Essential Craftsman videos, related topics, and the spec house series. Also casual and deeper dive conversations with tradesmen, business owners, and lots of other experts across various areas of craftsmanship, hobby, and lifestyles.

Carpentry and Building Custom Doors with Don Rees

Learn more here https://www.instagram.com/realcraftusa

04-09
01:06:38

JK Boots On Customer Service, Ukraine and The Golden Rule

Nate interviews Tim from JK Boots! They talk about his home country of Ukraine, JK Boots customer experience and more.   0:00 Intro 2:12 Ukraine 15:26 Marketplace approach 24:01 Customer experience   Handmade Boots and the American Dream | JK Boots Factory Tour https://youtu.be/tfaNuXF6G_s Instagram: @jkboots Website: https://www.jkboots.com/ Podcast: Walking with JK Boots JK Boots interview with EC: https://youtu.be/ileZoGFFljM

05-18
48:38

Dealing with Risk as a Contractor: Dean Kilgore

Nate and Scott met Dean in the Essential Craftsman Academy twice monthly zoom chat. Dean is an attorney in Texas with decades of experience in litigation and is now working in mediation. He works with many general contractors and people in the trades and was willing to share a lot of information and tips for staying out of the court room.   0:00 Intro 2:20 Litigation & mediation 4:53 Handshake not enough 9:10 Details & quality matter 10:31 GC owns the risk 13:45 Sense when it feels risky 17:50 Spouse A & Spouse B 21:20 Lawyer advice on the front end 25:29 Documentation 28:18 Guessing & clarity 32:00 Job delay claims 36:08 Nate learns lessons 37:51 Protecting against the bad ones 39:54 Skilled insurance broker 41:53 Best time to pull payments 44:38 This makes me uncomfortable 46:40 Ultimate honesty & trust 51:55 Know these 3 things 56:01 In your wheel house 57:57 The process of mediation 1:04:30 Commercial detailed contracts 1:09:50 Evolution of your business risk 1:11:22 Do you have question for Dean? 1:13:44 Dean's blacksmithing projects

12-09
01:17:53

Some of the Great Blacksmiths Who Kept The Craft Alive with Bob Bergman & EC

Scott and Nate talk with Bob about his 52 years blacksmithing and running a sawmill. Scott and Bob have been friends for years and share many common interests. They discuss blacksmithing mentors and so much more.   0:00 Intro 2:00 Currently blacksmithing 3:10 VIP blacksmiths 27:37 Bragging rights 32:30 Sharing knowledge 36:44 Woodpecker sawmill 1:02:31 Forging an anvil 1:05:05 Visiting British blacksmiths 1:15:48 Where to find   Bob's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_evmRWLeXCghFPeuFvFdQ   https://youtu.be/dK13UFZ9xPQ

11-30
01:21:26

Grass is Greener, and Worms: Natalie Argo

Nate shares some thoughts about career paths and paradoxes, and changing seasons. Nate also chats then Natalie, and expert on worms, about worm castings, composting and all things garden.   0:00 Career Paradoxes 5:48 Change of Season 8:44 Worm castings 10:12 Composting components 12:07 Vermicomopost 13:13 Screening the castings 15:23 Natalie's background 16:26 Small spaces 17:43 Mass production 19:13 Worm species 20:41 Increasing food yields 22:23 Why worm castings? 24:41 Worm maintenance 26:20 Wood chips & soil 29:57 Worm myths & characteristics 32:28 Where to find   Instagram: @heyyitsagoodlife YouTube: Hey It's a Good Life Website: https://heyitsagoodlife.com/ The Gardener's Guide To Worm Farming Course: receive 30% off by using the code ESSENTIAL30 at check out.

09-26
33:24

Making A Living From Blacksmithing: Ryan Sanden

Nate and EC chat with Ryan about Stagecoach Farm and Forge (Ryan's blacksmithing business) the cookware he makes and how Ryan and EC both turned their blacksmithing hobbies into something much more.   0:00 Intro :43 Background 4:12 Cookware & gambling 7:36 Billable work 9:30 Cy & installation 10:55 Bidding iron work 14:18 Custom v repeat work 17:28 Creating & branding 19:32 High end work 23:40 Priceless & timeless 33:22 Hobby into business 40:32 Buying tools 45:07 Marketing 53:32 Wrap up   Instagram: @stage_coach_farm_forge Website: https://stagecoachforge.com/home-page EC videos mentioned in podcast: Making a Carbon Steel Pan with Stagecoach Farm and Forge https://youtu.be/DtrVC2i9yM4 Forged Pan and Blacksmith Course Giveaway https://youtu.be/bLeexhJweGk

08-30
55:47

Engineering in the U.S. Coast Guard: Jeff Zamarin

Nate met Jeff during a Live Chat inside the Essential Craftsman Academy. In this interview they chat about engineering, the pros and cons of serving in the Coast Guard and much more.   0:00 Intro 3:22 Background 8:33 Merchant 9:44 Responsibilities 14:12 Agreements 15:41 Academy & training 19:13 Types of engineering 26:16 Overlap with trades 30:27 Ship operations 37:58 Pros & cons 45:23 Career now 48:20 Resources & advocacy 52:55 Naval architecture 55:36 Fork in the road 57:38 Craftsmanship & mentor 1:01:42 gocoastguard.com   gocoastguard.com

08-23
01:03:48

Interior Design - Making Beautiful Rooms: Kaitlyn Wolfe

Nate talks with Kaitlyn about some basic advice for interior design, how to avoid trends and much more.   0:00 Intro 2:31 Copy cat 3:35 Contractors & design 5:31 Outdated 6:47 Photos 8:12 Opinions 11:42 Basic advice 15:38 Balance 17:59 Trendy v classic 23:43 When to hire 27:38 Trial & error 30:17 Aesthetic 32:00 Having favorites 34:41 Current projects   IG:  @iconic design build  Website: www.iconicdesignbuild.com    @Light and Dwell Interiors   @amberinteriors  @cailtinwilsondesign @the_fox_group

08-10
37:38

Massive Career Changes - Blue Collar to White

My apologies to Sam and EC for my blunder is losing the audio to this interview. I will work on getting them back in here to try again!

08-05
11:07

Epic Gardening: Kevin Espiritu

Nate talks with Kevin about the ins and outs of gardening in any climate with any skill level.   0:00 Intro 2:28 Kevin's books 4:47 Writing 6:02 Reading 11:49 Public speaking 16:28 Gardening basics 20:16 Satisfaction 24:12 Harsh climates 27:13 Space 30:02 Bees 30:50 Current projects 34:19 Trouble shooting 38:50 Collaborations   IG:  @Epic Gardening  Website/blog: epicgardening.com YouTube: Epic Gardening Podcast: Epic Gardening Daily Tips & Advice

07-26
42:43

Understanding Drainage: Shawn Villalpando

Nate talks with Shawn about water drainage and the efficiency of french drains.   0:00 Intro 3:59 Beginnings 6:35 Biology & ecology 8:08 Real estate 8:55 Contractor 10:15 College 11:39 Drainage styles 13:10 Installation = longevity 17:06 Video footage 19:08 Soil 20:38 Clean outs 23:09 Permits & inspections 24:47 Niche 27:09 DIY drainage 28:44 Straw & moss 31:30 Equipment & skills 38:26 YT & comments 49:49 Filter fabric 55:07 Where to find   YouTube: Gate City Foundation Drainage

07-20
58:12

High-end contracting and working for wealthy clients: Ted Bainbridge

Nate chats with Ted about Build Magazine and the opportunities he has to photograph trade work all over the world. 0:00 Intro 2:00 Print industry 6:49 High end mindset 10:45 Portfolio 12:33 Jobsite photos 15:29 The Wealthy 18:14 Luck/preparation 20:34 American dream 23:19 Success mindset 26:02 Reading & optimism 28:05 Travel & water 38:18 Architectural Impact 40:11 European cabinetry 43:37 Tool narratives 47:22 Construction trends 50:54 Where to find   Podcast: Friends of Build Magazine IG: @buildmag_official   https://members.essentialcraftsman.com/academy

07-05
53:37

Diesel Creek- Fixing and Filming Heavy Equipment...Career, YouTube, and More...

Nate talks with Matt about how from the time Matt was a child, he loved to fix everything he could get his hands on and how that led to the success of his YouTube channel Diesel Creek. 0:00 Intro 0:53 Craftsmanship 2:31 Part of the job 4:20 Background 5:50 Kindergarten 7:14 Strategy 11:33 Career path 14:28 Pipeline 20:21 YouTube 25:13 Introvert 27:01 Equipment 31:17 Restoration mindset 39:29 Next projects 40:19 New Shop 49:59 Where to find   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DieselCreek

06-28
52:06

Innovation for Pouring Concrete Footings: Dwight Lamm

Nate talks with Dwight, the inventor of the Accu Footing, a concrete brace footing. They talk about the tool, how it's used, and Dwight's career.   0:00 Intro 2:48 Background 4:02 ICF forms 10:14 Redi mix 13:13 Confidence in styrofoam 15:48 Training wheels 17:05 Distribution 27:38 Customer service 32:43 Process/ wet set 35:07 Competition 40:11 How to order 43:36 Slinger trucks 48:50 Where to find   Installation video for AccuFooting braces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku5vmmfseMQ&t=7s Website: www.accufooting.com

06-21
49:56

Do Contractors Need A Website: Tim Brown

Nate talks with Tim about the possible unknown advantages for contractors to have a website.   0:00 Intro & ECA 3:28 Growth hacking 7:02 Purpose of websites 13:46 Outsourcing 16:36 'How To' content 18:22 More than referrals 25:17 Build your own website 32:49 Not about you 38:17 Size of contractor 40:42 Website craftsmanship 45:28 Pride in work 48:07 Costs 52:41 Customize/Call to action 55:01 Finding employees 1:01:23 Opportunities   IG:  @Hook Agency  Free help: hookagency.com/audit tradesindemand.org  

06-14
01:05:07

How to Not Get Screwed as a Contractor: Karalynn Cromeens

Nate talks with Karalynn about the obstacles contractors face legally and what they can do to stay out of trouble.   0:00 Intro 1:27 Craftsmanship 2:31 Front end lawyer 4:21 Contract modification 6:10 Flat fee 6:41 Scope & bid 8:17 Res vs commercial 10:46 Background 12:15 Not getting paid 14:13 Filing liens 15:54 Automated 18:15 Subcontractor institute 22:42 Covid & contracts 24:30 Legal customers 25:38 Cool your jets 28:57 Mediation 33:24 Satisfaction 34:51 Successful transition 36:34 Negotiating 41:27 Local lawyer 45:22 Where to find   Subcontractor Institute: https://subcontractorinstitute.com/contact-us/ Quit Getting Screwed book: https://amzn.to/39I3wwI Website: https://thecromeenslawfirm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cromeenslawfirm Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/cromeenslawfirmpllc/

06-07
46:57

Born and Raised Outdoors: Kody Kellom

Nate chats with Kody about hunting, fishing, and all things outdoors. They talk about Kody's YouTube channel and how to get started if you want to experience the outdoors.   0:00 Intro 1:02 Background 5:50 Hunting culture 9:50 Kids & hunting 13:23 Hunting styles 14:37 When Where How 17:11 Steps & expectations 19:32 Turkeys 22:54 Video & content 24:40 DVDs & YT 28:41 50 videos 50 days 31:47 Workspace 33:42 New frontier 39:24 Hatchery 42:19 Fire impact 44:22 What's next 50:26 Mentor 52:17 Locals   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BornAndRaisedOutdoors1 Podcast: https://bornandraisedoutdoors.com/pages/podcast Website: https://bornandraisedoutdoors.com/ IG: https://instagram.com/bornandraisedoutdoors?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

05-25
55:42

Making Big Bucks with Welding: Danny Keiderling

Nate talks with Danny about the amazing benefits of getting a welding education at Western Welding Academy.   0:00 Intro 3:08 Western Welding Academy 4:58 Options 6:52 Types of welding 9:53 Pipelines, oil, gas 15:28 Repair work 22:04 Student experience 24:08 Application process 26:20 6 months 27:21 Income 32:12 Welding trucks 35:05 Danny's background 41:24 Producing content 43:36 Beards 44:56 Who excels 49:42 Flat welding hoods 52:50 The Puddle 56:01 Future projects 58:08 Where to find Website:https://www.applytoweld.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WesternWeldingAcademy Instagram:  @Western Welding Academy  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@westernweldingacademy?lang=en

05-10
01:01:00

How to Start: Learning New Skills and Crafts: Nick Sansone

Nate and Nick discuss the best ways to acquire basic tools and knowledge needed to get started creating and building projects.   0:12 Intro 1:23 Mailing list 4:58 Welding 6:35 Engines & equipment 7:59 Junk drawer 9:32 Wood working 11:48 Intro to Nick 13:24 Wood working 15:27 1 car garage 18:03 Buying used 21:42 Table saw/track saw 23:50 Chainsaws 25:00 Startup tools 25:48 Quality wood 29:37 Current projects 34:05 Podcast 36:06 Weekend warriors 42:09 Blacksmithing 45:10 Maker Community Project https://www.themakercommunityproject.org/ Instagram: @sawdustpodcast @npgcreations Safety videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/StumpyNubs https://www.youtube.com/user/MicroJig

04-29
50:00

Ultimate DIY: Alex Mazhukhin

Nate talks with Alex about building his YouTube channel, his philosophy of work and family, and his current projects.   0:00 Intro 2:11 Current projects 5:37 Take it apart 10:46 Learning in public 13:46 Risk 16:42 YouTube 20:34 Satisfaction level 23:30 Bigger better 28:52 Behind the scenes 31:29 Uncertainty 33:32 Philosophy of work 36:28 Family business 39:30 Hire out 42:01 Log cabin 45:53 Idaho 52:34 Evolution 59:19 Where to find   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBuildit?app=desktop Instagram: mr.build_it Podcast: Next Door Neighbors: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-door-neighbors-podcast/id1529671855 https://open.spotify.com/show/58NgtzLwjZ8ljU1m8HdLn4?si=u5OhByRJQyerdl8XOjayUQ&nd=1 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9IZy-zrbUfFEOKgoVFXUg A True History of the United States: https://amzn.to/3vknZ1K

04-18
01:00:31

Joshua Mirelez

Love the podcast guys , keep it up.

05-27 Reply

Lee Marchant

https://youtu.be/1SCqUtdBkuc AVE Learning Curve Video

02-13 Reply

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