Happy National Give Something Away Day! On this episode of Whatcha Makin', Alex and Alex are sitting down with Tracy, the creative force and self-proclaimed "trash panda" behind the Michigan-based MNT Woodworks.

Tracy shares what it’s really like to run a garage shop as a dynamic duo with her partner, Mac. We dive into the logistics of dividing workspace, coordinating tool handoffs, managing ADHD in the shop, and how they turned a literal "flying fuck" into one of their best-selling products.

Plus, Alex Adams finally installs his massive neighborhood dining table (and pays the price with a sore back), Alex Duffey gears up for a massive museum restock, and the crew tackles a wild week of shop breakdowns—from fried 3D printer boards to mysterious CNC e-stop failures.

What We’re Talking About Tonight:

• What You Makin’: Big museum orders, custom cutting boards, and the final installation of the legendary walnut dining table.
• What You Breakin’: Mysterious e-stop errors, bandsaw blades, and a 3D printer board bypass that left Alex Adams incredibly pissed.
• What You Selling: Highs and lows from a $1,700 Fourth of July market, and recovering from accidentally leaving your website in maintenance mode.
• Main Topic: The secrets to successfully sharing a small shop space with your partner without killing each other.
• What We’re Watching: Creators who build farting trash cans, elvish glowing doors, and some incredible scroll saw art.

On today’s episode of Whatcha Makin', hosts Alex Duffey (Duffey Woodcraft) and Alex Adams (Type A Furniture) dive deep into the world of entrepreneurial woodworking. If you've ever wondered how to transition your CNC hobby into a profitable side hustle—or even a full-time business—this is the episode for you.

We are joined by the OG of CNC woodworking on YouTube, Andy Bird of Andy Bird Builds. Andy shares his incredible journey from a specialized career in turf grass management to launching into the full-time making world in 2020. He breaks down how he batched out wholesale products on an early desktop machine, landed high-profile clients like Clint Harp, and eventually grew a viral YouTube channel with over 500 videos.

Together, the guys discuss the realities of selling online versus locally, why Etsy might be a "race to the bottom," and the ultimate power of finding a highly specific niche.

• Alex Duffey talks about his newly completed and custom-modified Next Wave Shark 644 (now a sleek 4x3 rail system), the pains of tramming a rail machine, and hitting the production line for a massive wholesale bookmark order for the Columbia River Gorge Museum.
• Alex Adams shares his tedious progress on a massive walnut dining table frame sourced from his neighbor's tree, edge-sanding end grain, and scaling up his 3D-printed inventory for upcoming Fourth of July markets and car shows.
• Andy Bird shares his current design roadblocks for a custom 3x6 ply runabout boat for his son, and previews an upcoming YouTube series called "Will It CNC?" testing non-traditional materials like slate tiles, soap, and even pool noodles.

• Air Art and Airplanes (@airartandairplanes) – For a breathtaking, 30-inch mosaic and textured elephant wall art piece utilizing a century-old barnwood backing.
• The Forged Fox (@theforgedfox) – Beautiful, highly detailed layered wood and acrylic retirement signs for first responders.
• Calypso Glasgow – A hilarious, functional stained-glass recreation of a classic SpongeBob SquarePants scene.
• North Country Craft – A gorgeous, rock-inspired Mancala board using polished river stones.
• Naughty Bits Machine – A massive, beautifully texturized 35-inch inlaid Porsche plaque.
• Sepulveda 41 (@sepulveda41) – A stunning 3D wooden manta ray featuring tribal patterns integrated seamlessly onto a metal tail stand.
• The Wood Carving Man – Entertaining reels featuring hand-carved, dyed Pokémon figurines.
• Steve Makes Everything – Prolific laser tutorial and review content on YouTube.

• Proudly Sponsored by Next Wave CNC: Looking for the best CNC on the market? Check out the Shark series at Next Wave CNC and message them on Instagram to learn how you can submit a "Project of the Month" to earn an extra $500!
• Connect with Andy Bird: Visit andybirdbuilds.com to find his YouTube channel, courses, and the CNC Moneymaker Membership (where Alex Duffey is a coach!).
• Upcoming Events: Catch Andy at IWF Atlanta (Aug 25-28) in the Vectric booth and the Vectric User Group Meeting in Nashville (October). Catch Alex Duffey teaching at the Texas Woodworking Show!

In this episode of Whatcha Making, hosts Alex Adams (Type A Furniture) and Alex Duffy (Duffy Woodcraft) catch up on all things happening around their benches—from tracking an 11-foot walnut dining table crosscut to shipping out a fleet of custom 3D-printed articulated dragons.

Then, the boys welcome a special guest: the king of Etsy woodworkers and co-host of Another Wood Shop Podcast, Daniel Dunlap (Daniel Dunlap Woodworks). Daniel dives deep into how he successfully scaled his business to over 10,000 sales on Etsy since 2021, shifting from custom bow ties and zero-clearance inserts into high-end, luxury space-saving furniture.

• The "Glorious Hole": Daniel breaks down how he and Braden (Little Bug Woodworking) recently hacked his CNC bed to allow for vertical wood holding, paving the way for flawless, dog-bone-free finger joints.
• Etsy Ads & Strategy: Why Daniel believes spending money on ads is a requirement for Etsy growth, how to avoid the "race to the bottom," and why you should design your products around standard box sizes.
• The Power of the $5 Impulse Buy: Alex Duffy shares how adding simple laser-engraved fridge magnets to a sandwich board netted him $700 in a single weekend.
• Capitalizing on Captive Audiences: Alex Adams talks about making $400 in a single Saturday by setting up 3D printers and selling custom fidget toys to desperate parents at his son's swim meets.
• Maker News & Shoutouts: A look ahead to the Pinewood Derby at the Texas Woodworking Festival this September, a massive congratulations to Yesse (@KnockOnWood) for her new HGTV gig, and why you should check out Scrollsaw and Scribbler, Keys Carvers, and Chad's Custom Creations.

Support the Show: Want more behind-the-scenes content, exclusive perks, and early episodes? Join our community over on Patreon at patreon.com/whatchamakingshow.

Whatcha Making is proudly sponsored by Next Wave CNC.