Off the Cut Podcast

Deric took the week off, leaving Zac and Eric to hold down the fort. We're diving deep into Zac's newest obsession: desktop CNC milling. He's been trying to mill a custom copper water-cooling block for a PlayStation 5 mod and snapping plenty of bits along the way. We discuss the unique challenges of cutting metals like copper, the fluid dynamics of turbulent flow for better cooling, and the steep learning curve of finding the right...

We are tackling the harsh reality of desktop metal milling and the even harsher reality of doing favors for family. Zac is diving headfirst into the learning curve of his new desktop CNC mill, attempting to carve custom aluminum water blocks without turning his shop into a glitter bomb hazard zone. Meanwhile, Eric is fighting for his life against burned MDF edges and tiny laser-cut letters for a wedding sign side-quest that spirale...

We've got a packed shop this week, literally. Eric managed to cram his router so full of sawdust it might be reclassified as a dust collector, leading to a deep dive into the fatal design flaws of router table intakes. Zac spent days wrestling with forms for a $40k Canadian government creator grant, which naturally led us down a rabbit hole of how to hypothetically game the system and hire each other. We also tackle the massive imp...

We’re kicking things off with a collective wince as Deric details the agonizing slow-motion drop of his main camera while building a toy box. We debate whether shop cameras should be cared for like fine chisels or rental cars, coated in drywall mud and epoxy. Zac gives us the rundown on his ambitious plan to CNC mill a copper water block to overclock his new stripped-down PS5 hardware, which sparks a massive debate on digital...

We are adding a few questionable corporations to our permanent $h!t list. We break down the absolute worst customer service experiences, from sunglasses trapping us in support-portal purgatory to banks willing to lose customers over a hot dog. We also take a hard look at the predatory nature of default opt-in check out options like shipping insurance and the ridiculousness of offering financing on a four-dollar purchase. It’s...

Scott Walsh is hanging out with us again to tackle the creeping "enshittification" of modern woodworking machinery—because apparently, someone out there really thinks you need Wi-Fi and a touch screen on every tool. We wade into the completely rational and not-at-all-angry waters of using AI in your creative process, and debate the harsh reality that being an incredible craftsman doesn't automatically mean you have any busine...

We're missing Zac tonight, and despite the offers to get sponsored by an AI company, we will not be replacing him with an AI clone—unless they take our F*off price. We break down the real cost of chasing perfect video B-roll, the magic of using AI for lazy infomercial graphics, why everyone insists on trying to reinvent table saw safety and how some mistakes are permanent. We also dive into the new Harvey "Dream Saw" with its...

You won’t believe the ridiculous lengths we go to for a good shot—including Zac securing a suspicious amount of sparkly pink costume hair just to test out a robot vacuum. We cover a lot of ground, from Deric burning 6,000 calories doing yard work on the hottest day of the year in Texas, to the grim reality of completely losing all passion for a build the second it sits idle for more than a day. Zac is losing his mind, a...

We kick things off with a well-deserved grievance about heavy-breathing audiobook narrators before spiraling into the golden age of flipping Laserdiscs and debating if 4K Blu-rays are actually worth the hassle. Don’t worry, we talk shop at some point too. Zac shows off his new 3D-printed GameCube mod. We pull back the curtain on tool reviews—specifically stacking the $500 Kreg Edge against the $1400 Festool Domino&mdash...

We are diving headfirst into the latest YouTube monetization panic—because who doesn’t love casually discovering that the watch-hour requirements just doubled? We also tackle the wild conspiracy theories about "stealth ads" in videos. Spoiler alert: brands aren't paying us thousands of dollars to subtly show a product in our videos; they are control freaks and bureaucratic to the bone. Zac is knee-deep in his modern Gam...

We’re back and somehow Deric survived driving through the absolute chaos of Midtown Manhattan without getting a single New York honk. While Deric was out dodging rats and locked-up CVS candy bars, Eric managed to accidentally launch a full-scale manufacturing facility in his closet. His new Glue Dock went so incredibly viral that he had to nearly buy out the local Best Buy's stock of 3D printers just to keep his head above wa...

We dive headfirst into the ongoing nightmare of managing a 63,000-person email list and how sending out a free tool list is a surprisingly great way to figure out who is actually paying attention. Zac shows off his custom clear Nintendo Switch case, and we debate if it's better to 3D print it yourself or just pay a professional to do it.

Things get a little unhinged as we confess to chopping up old, unneeded furniture projects for f...

Deric left us unsupervised this week, and frankly, it took us almost a full human minute just to figure out how to start. Once we finally got the episode rolling, we went straight down a rabbit hole analyzing the absolute insanity of financing small purchases. We navigate the murky waters of creator motivation, sharing our personal strategies for breaking through creative roadblocks when you'd rather do house chores, or watch someo...

We somehow survived the melting point of summer to bring you another round of tool talk, tech rants, and questionable homeowner decisions. Zac gives us the lowdown on the Fantic electronic screwdriver and Eric dives deep into the infuriating world of proprietary flashlight chargers. We take a hard look at obsolete tech—RIP Yellow Pages and dashboard Garmins—before venturing into the awkward social dynamics of hiring a h...

We’re back at it and diving into the most polarizing topic on the internet: how to pronounce tool brands. Whether you’re Team Blum or Team Bloom, we've got thoughts. We also debate the merits of hiring out chores—is paying the neighborhood lawn guy or a dog walker worth the money, and more importantly, do you actually tip them? Because tipping culture is the wild west of financial gratitude.

Then, we share our favo...

Grab a seat and a cold drink; you’re right on time. We're back in the shop and diving straight into the usual chaos. Deric is healing up nicely from his surgery, sporting a fresh medical-grade WWE championship belt and plotting some 3D-printed accessories. Meanwhile, Eric takes us on a trip down memory lane to recount the sheer terror of meeting a girlfriend's dad at fifteen—a man who casually challenged him to a duel w...

We are thrilled to report that Deric is back. He’s fresh out of the hospital after an emergency surgery. While he was stuck in a hospital bed eavesdropping on a mysterious old lady who woke up with a broken hip, Eric has been watching the charred remains of his neighbor's house get picked apart by a ServPro investigation team. We've got some serious concerns about local construction safety after Eric witnessed a roofer being ...

With Deric out sick, Eric and Zac are left to hold Off The Cut together on their own, which goes about as smoothly as expected. This week, they talk course launches, woodworking content, Gorilla Glue, CA glue storage, and the chaos that happens when the tech guy is missing.

Eric also shares a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo where he watched someone ignore every survival instinct and pet a cheetah through the fence. Naturally, that leads...

We're breaking down the unspoken rules of hobbies—like why rolling up to a hockey game with white gloves or carrying a pristine, scratch-free skateboard automatically makes you look like a total noob. We vent about the absolute misery of video editing software when it inexplicably pauses your render at 12% for days, eating up 40+ hours of troubleshooting to no avail. We also dive into the absurd hoops you have to jump through...