Hey! Welcome in!

I have wanted to create a website / blog (or something) for a long time where I can just document things as I go.

So here's where I am at...

As you may already know (or not know) I am a professional full time woodworker. That is my job.

I have been building things my whole life. The story will unfold as this thing develops, which will be nice, because for me, building and designing has always been something I've always “just” done.

Since I was a kid I would get an idea for something and try to make it.

Growing up I always had legos, crayons, toy pottery wheels, electrical circuitry toys, chemistry sets and anything else that would be deemed nowadays “maker-ish.”

Woodworking is the passion and luckily where I landed.

Thinking out problems and figuring out “the HOW” is the part that I really enjoy.

"The WHY" for me where the real magic happens.

So here's the thing:
I have multiple products I want to design and bring out into the world.

This is the place where I can share the process. A place to hopefully inspire others and I’m just gonna put it all out there.

This is my digital notebook / scratchpad / journal.

Thanks for stopping by!

This is going to be fun.

-Brian Lee

ps... We made that door in the picture above.

Here are the legs that I use and that are featured in the YOUTUBE VIDEO.

If you have a Corded Router the 8" Legs work great.

If you have a Battery Router get the 12" Legs.

Here is the Link:
https://amzn.to/4qN381W

*Please note I do get a small kickback for any qualified purchase as an Amazon Associate.

Bricker is a real one...

We are having a giveaway and this is how that all went down...

At some point we started following each other.

When I first launched the BLDblade he was one of the first ones to order! We had never spoke or DM'd or anything. He was a customer at the time and when I saw he placed an order I was like "Damn. Bricker! That dudes famous! Right On!"

At this point he was a maker supporting another maker. And I shipped his order.

This is where it gets all sideways...

A few days go by and I get a dm on insta. He's like, "Hey man, theres a problem with my order. I ordered a complete because I don't have a 3d Printer and I was shipped a "Maker Blank Set."

At first I was kinda bummed that I messed up an order... double bummed it was a famous dude.

So I checked the order and sure enough I messed up. This was the first week I set up my shopify store so the orders come in a little different than I'm used to (not an excuse just a mistake). Me knowing he was a woodworker and following his page for a while I just got crossed up and sent him the wrong thing.

I respond with an apology (not an excuse) and let him know I was going to ship him his actual order as soon as I got home from work.

He says no "No Problem."

Not wanting the "Maker Blank Set" go to waste, I told him to find someone to gift it to with a 3d printer and I'd be happy to reimburse him for the shipping. Kinda a pay it forward idea.

He then responds that maybe he had an idea to use them to make BLDblades with wooden handles and was going to come up with some cool way to mount it.

I was like, "Damn, Well that's rad..." My idea was to make wooden handles for em at "some point" and this dude just totally beats me to it. Right on!

The idea of "Maker Blanks" were made for this sort of thing. This dude saw the potential in the thing and was gonna tackle it.

Quite some time goes by and he messages me every so often and I am like, "Dude, no pressure. I sent you these things... do whatever you want with em." I was just stoked to have the relationship with this guy. He seemed rad.

Then he delivers... Wood Handle BLDblades that LOOK. SUPER. COOL!

Next he decides we should do a giveaway with those BLDblades being the grand prizes... Trying to sweeten the pot I say I'll add 5 "Completes" (with 3d printed handles) for runner ups .

He then comes up with a badass giveaway and we are announcing the winners tomorrow 10.13.25 at noon.

The post has 3,859 views - 150 Comments and 32 Shares.

In my eyes this giveaway was a total success. He killed it and I'm just happy I got to be a part of it.

So long story short - This rad dude ordered something, I shipped him the wrong thing, he made a super cool thing out of it and the rest is just the beginning.

I guess the moral of the story is - Some people stumble and fall. We took this stumble and turned it into a beautiful, beautiful dance...

That might be a stretch... but it sounds nice. Mistakes happen. But it did however open up the door for something cool to happen and a friendship to develop.

I just wanted to let everyone know BUILTbyBRICKER is rad and you should do yourself a favor and check him out on INSTAGRAM -@builtbybricker

Woodworking in a garage shop can be many things.

Sometimes it's beautiful.

Sometimes it's a struggle...

However you look at it, by design, woodworking in a garage shop is lonely... But it doesn’t have to be.

Or it can be if you want it to be.

Sometimes I like to be in the shop alone. Put on some music and get in the zone. It can be therapeutic.

I am proud to have collected the tools I want/need to create the things I want to make.

On the other hand, I also like having friends stop by and hang out in here too. Have some laughs. Visit.

At one time I was a full-time one-man-garage-shop.

Building cabinets and built-ins all by myself. My dad is retired and sometimes would come by and hang out while I worked on client projects. It was really nice to just have someone to work with and talk ideas through.

And it was quality time with my dad which can be few and far between at times...

As I was working through these projects I would post instagram stories of the building process. Especially if the client follows me on Instagram.

This does two things: gets the client stoked on what they are getting, and shows others what I am capable of building to hopefully become future clients.

So in the midst of posting on instagram you end up getting followers and you end up following some people.

Sometime those people end up being "Internet Homies."

These are people I have never met in real life but after a few DM's either initiated by them or me, a conversation starts and it's cool… Or I guess refreshing to know that there are others out there outside of your garage doing the same kinda thing you do - making cool stuff.

Maybe it’s not the exact same sort of stuff I was building, but still cool to watch them do it.

Social media is a weird one... some people blow up and really "make it." A Bajillion Followers, Sponsored Posts, Free Tools, Trips, Maker Camps, and what seems to be some really cool perks.

For me I use it for inspiration. Back in the day, before social media became the advertising monster it is today, there seemed to be a lot more variety in the feeds.

You would see stuff and be introduced to a lot of new things. I don't want to blame the algorithm but it seems you get kinda jammed into a box where you really only see the same things over and over.

Sorry. That was kind of a rant.

So Internet Homies are the people you see online and even though you don't know them in real life you actually really like their stuff and have a relationship with. Not just a "like" here and there but there is some back and forth in your messages and there would be a real connection outside in the real world.

When you have a question you reach out to the Internet Homie directly and not just a quick "that's awesome!" in the comments.

Maybe you noticed them not posting much lately so you check in.

Even though social media is really just a barrage of nonsense, it is still a way to connect with some really cool people on the other end of the screen in a garage doing the same kinda things we do.

So thank you Internet Homies. I appreciate you.

Your Internet Homie,
Brian Lee