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In the final episode of 2025, Alex Duffey and Alex Adams take a trip down memory lane to recap a massive year in the maker community. Alex Duffey shares his experience visiting the Next Wave CNC headquarters, offering a sneak peek into his factory tour and a major upcoming announcement. Meanwhile, Alex Adams detail his "ordeal" of milling a massive walnut tree and the meticulous process of removing buried nails to save his blades.

The hosts dive into their Best and Worst of 2025, covering everything from the triumph of the 27 church pews project and the redesign of the light-up UFOs to the disappointment of overproduced items like wooden notebooks and cheese knives. They also look ahead to 2026, setting ambitious goals for YouTube content, expanding retail partnerships, and making the pilgrimage to Maker Camp.

The episode wraps up with a huge thank you to the patrons who have supported the show's first year and a look at upcoming events, including the 2026 CNC Summit and Papa Chad’s spring event.

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This week on Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams talk theatrical sets and props with special guest Danny Van Meter of Upper Room Creations! Danny, a retired firefighter and experienced prop master, shares how he got into the unique business of building and renting out set pieces for local schools and community theaters. He gives insight into the logistics of creating custom items like the Cinderella carriage, dealing with storage for large, bulky props, and the revenue model of renting versus selling show-specific items.

The hosts also catch up on their week: Alex Duffey is in the final stage of his shop rebuild, installing faux wood paneling on the walls, and is officially done with his holiday markets, being down 20% year-over-year but up 7% in transactions (selling out of D&D boxes and pocket cribbage boards). Alex Adams has been upgrading his 3D printing setup with a filament dryer and new PETG filament for outdoor projects.

In "Whatcha Watchin'," they spotlight fellow makers making awesome creations, including a walnut and ash river hutch, a stop-motion Gumby interview, and a terrifyingly realistic dead mouse stuck in epoxy (with hilarious community responses).

Tune in for a fascinating look at a specialized niche of woodworking, tips on liability and pricing in the rental market, and a reminder about the Woodworkers with Disabilities fundraiser.

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On episode 25 of Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams tackle a core topic for any woodworker: the pros and cons of sourcing wood rough versus pre-milled (S2S, S3S, S4S). Alex Adams explains his preference for rough lumber due to the flexibility and cost savings when dealing with thicker slabs and figured woods, noting that processing rough stock is necessary to access larger and more unique material.

Alex Duffey discusses his transition to buying milled lumber for production runs on his CNC, valuing the efficiency and time savings. The hosts share crucial advice for buying any type of wood, emphasizing the importance of asking sellers about drying methods (kiln vs. air-dried), being wary of movement and warping when buying pre-milled stock, and letting new lumber acclimate in your shop for at least a week before cutting.

The hosts also catch up on their busy week: Alex Duffey is in the final stages of his shop upgrade, assembling a new mobile bench, and a successful but slower holiday market weekend. Alex Adams is troubleshooting PETG bed adhesion issues due to winter temperatures and is focused on building up stock of popular 3D prints for upcoming charity donations and holiday markets.

Tune in for tips on setting up a lumber sourcing database, best practices for dealing with wood moisture, and how to be a "small cookie" when visiting professional lumberyards.

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This week on Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams welcome special guest Jessie from Building Jessie for a deep dive into home renovation! Jessie, a co-host of Sawdust Talk and experienced renovator, shares her advice on tackling DIY home projects, stressing the importance of knowing when to call a professional for structural, plumbing, or electrical work. She offers insight on simplifying large projects, overcoming the challenge of tedious tasks like drywall, and utilizing resources like YouTube University and knowledgeable friends.

The hosts share their busy week: Alex Duffey is deep into his third annual shop tear-down and rebuild, installing faux wood flooring on his walls for a better video backdrop and getting a rush custom order for Columbia Footwear templates. Alex Adams is fighting cat pee damage on his hardwood floors with a hydrogen peroxide concoction, troubleshooting his 3D printer's AMS unit, and preparing for his local holiday market with 3D-printed ornaments.

In "Whatcha Watchin'," they spotlight fellow makers doing incredible work, including Albert A. Klein's masterful marquetry, Gepetto and A Weezy's epoxy-coated Pokemon card guitar, and the epic reel of Slab Shucker finding a whole dead mouse in his epoxy pour.

Tune in for practical renovation wisdom, shop insights, and a reminder that 290,000 Americans visit the ER annually from DIY projects—so wear your PPE!

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This week on Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams delve into the massive undertaking of shop layout transformation! Alex Duffey details the organized chaos of tearing down his old workbench and implementing the fourth layout of his garage shop to maximize space and efficiency. He explains his decision to move his lathe into storage, prep his CNC for a movable base, and ultimately plan for a two-CNC production and content system.

Alex Adams shares his own journey of reclaiming his workspace and discusses the principles of shop flow, using height for storage, and the necessity of discarding unused tools to avoid "hoarding."

The hosts also catch up on their week: Alex Duffey gives a detailed recap of his record-breaking holiday market (despite being down year-over-year) and shares his bestsellers (D&D dice boxes and pocket cribbage boards) versus his slow movers (coffee scoops and bookmarks). Alex Adams finishes restoring an antique table leg, overcoming drilling and veneer challenges, and deals with a faulty dehumidifier and cat pee damage to his hardwood floors.

In "Whatcha Watchin'," they spotlight fellow makers creating incredible 3D carved dragons on redwood, elaborate segmented jewelry, and high-quality mosaic panels.

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Get your shopping lists ready! On this special holiday-focused episode, Alex Duffey and Alex Adams dive into their ultimate recommendations for tools to buy for the holiday season. They offer a comprehensive list of tools at different price points—from stocking stuffers under $20 to major shop upgrades—that any maker would love to receive.

Alex Duffey shares his budget-friendly picks, including the must-have silicone glue pot and the CNC bit-saver clamps, while Alex Adams focuses on quality-of-life tools like the ergonomic sanding block and the Drill Guide for perfectly straight holes. They also discuss major purchases, with Alex Duffey detailing the value of the WEN mobile base and oscillating spindle sander, and Alex Adams advocating for the Benchcrafted Moxon Vise and the versatility of Besse Parallel Clamps.

The hosts also share their busy week: Alex Duffey gives an exciting recap of his record-breaking first holiday market, detailing surprising bestsellers like the D&D boxes and the new herb strippers. Alex Adams, meanwhile, is focused on restoring a table leg and troubleshooting a failed film finish attempt. The episode concludes with a spotlight on fellow makers preparing for Cutting Board Awareness Month and a reminder about the Vectric User Group Meeting for CNC enthusiasts.

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Episode 21: This week on Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams are joined by special guest Braden of Littlebug Woodworking from Another Wood Shop Podcast for a masterclass in making content deals! Drawing on his extensive background in recruiting and buying, Braden shares his strategies for reaching out to brands, negotiating partnerships, and proving value—even as a smaller creator. They discuss how to shift the conversation from "send me free stuff" to "how can I help achieve your marketing goals" and highlight the importance of personal relationships and knowing a brand's needs.

Hear about Braden's hilarious, last-minute approach to craft fairs (where he sells whiskey smokers faster than he can make them!), and Alex Duffey's rigorous 10-week holiday production schedule. The hosts get real in "Whatcha Breakin'," with snapped bandsaw blades, shattering storage totes, and a close call with a powerful flush trim router bite.

Plus, they shout out fellow makers creating impressive custom hatchets, unique table designs, and a shout-out to Xyla for her incredible work fighting for mental health for pilots. Tune in for invaluable business advice, behind-the-scenes podcast talk, and plenty of laughs!

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Episode 20: This week on Whatcha Makin', Alex Duffey and Alex Adams dive into a sticky topic: adhesives in the workshop! They break down the different types of glues, from standard PVA wood glue and its necessary clamping pressure to the brittle vs. flexible bonds of CA glue (super glue) and E6000 (or "Shoe Goo"). Learn when to use the right adhesive for the job, whether you're securing magnets, filling a knot with epoxy, or working on delicate joints.

The hosts share their favorite tips, including the trick of mixing sawdust and wood glue to create a seamless putty, best practices for preventing air bubbles in an epoxy pour, and why flexible glue is the secret weapon for components that experience wear and tear.

Hear what the guys are making, including custom epoxy river cribbage boards, Sasquatch figurines, and holiday production runs of herb strippers. Alex Adams shares his troubleshooting woes with a three-day-delayed epoxy mix and his continuing turning projects. Plus, they discuss the hilarious but serious issue of an IP infringement on a public domain game.

Tune in for practical advice, chemistry lessons, and all the sticky details on making sure your projects hold up!

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