Failing Your Way to Success

 Insights from Makers Brian Benham and Greg Porter"

In this episode of the Maker's Quest Podcast, hosts Brian Benham from Benham Design Concepts and Greg Porter from Skyscraper Guitars delved into the often-overlooked reality of failure in the creative process—especially when turning ideas into marketable products. Both seasoned makers shared candid stories of their struggles, lessons learned, and how embracing failure is a non-negotiable step toward innovation and profitability.

Hosted by Brian Benham from Benham Design Concepts

https://www.benhamdesignconcepts.com/ Brian Benham on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/benhamdesignconcepts.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXO8f1IIliMKKlu5PgSpodQ

Greg Porter from SkyScraper Guitars

https://skyscraperguitars.com/ Greg On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregsgaragekc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SkyscraperGuitars  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GregsGarage

 

The CNC Learning Curve: Speed Isn’t Always King

Brian Benham, a furniture maker and CNC enthusiast, kicked off the discussion with his early trials on his new Avid CNC machine. His goal? To efficiently produce a yin-yang wine bottle holder. But his initial excitement was tempered by a harsh lesson:

"I watched YouTube videos where people said, ‘Why are you running so slow? Crank it up!’ So I did," Brian recalled. The result? Broken tabs, a mangled workpiece, and a smoking spindle. The high feed rate and aggressive depth of cut destroyed the part mid-operation.

Greg Porter, a guitar maker and CNC veteran, nodded in agreement. "Dust is bad—you want chips," he explained, emphasizing that proper chip ejection prevents heat buildup and tool wear. Both makers stressed the importance of balancing speed with precision, especially when working with different materials like cherry (softer) versus walnut (denser).

Workholding Woes and the "Maker’s Dozen"

Brian also shared a mishap where inadequate hold-downs led to a shifting workpiece, ruining a cut. His solution? Nesting parts efficiently and pre-drilling problematic areas to avoid tab failures. But the bigger takeaway was his "Maker’s Dozen" philosophy:

"Make 12 units at a time. Price for 10, because two might fail. By the next dozen, you’ve optimized the process," Brian said. This approach minimizes waste and allows incremental improvements without massive sunk costs.

Greg added that for high-value materials (like exotic guitar woods), salvaging is worth the effort. But for sheet goods, sometimes tossing a botched piece saves more time than fixing it.

3D Printing: Prototyping’s Best Friend

The duo pivoted to 3D printing, where Greg showcased a gear assembly that took a dozen iterations just to fit a timing belt correctly. "Fail fast," he advised. "Get the mistakes out early."

Brian echoed this, describing how he prints small test sections (like threaded parts) before committing to long prints. *"A 30-minute test beats a 3-hour disaster,"* he said. Both praised modern printers for reliability but acknowledged that vibration and material quirks still demand patience.

Scaling Up: Robots and Revenue

Looking ahead, Brian envisions his CNC as a cash-flow generator. Inspired by a photographer who sold everything from keychains to $5,000 prints, he plans to offer small, accessible products (like $25 cribbage boards) alongside high-end furniture. "The $25 items keep the lights on; the big commissions are the dream," he said.

Greg, who runs multiple machines simultaneously, laughed: "When all three robots—CNC, laser, mill—are humming, I feel like a factory." But he cautioned that optimization is key. His "RTM" (Ready to Manufacture) files undergo dozens of tweaks to shave seconds off cycle times.

The Bottom Line: Failure = Progress

Both makers agreed: Failure isn’t just inevitable—it’s necessary. Whether it’s dialing in feeds/speeds, salvaging scraps into new products (like Brian’s failed cutting boards becoming trivets), or accepting that some ATMs (products) will stay unplugged, the path to success is paved with missteps.