Call Me Mabie

07/23/2026

The Honest Hands Studio documentary is live and this felt like a great behind-the-scenes follow-up. James and I secretly have a lot in common but on paper couldn’t be more different. He’s a professional maker creating incredible tattoo-inspired art in Alberta. I’m usually the guy behind the camera trying to tell stories like his. Every once in a while, though, our worlds overlap- whether it’s an interest in traditional tattoos, a shared appreciation for making things, tummies easily getting upset, or lacing up the same pair of Carolina boots before heading into our respective shops.

Huge thanks to Carolina Shoe Co. for supporting independent storytelling and the makers who inspire it. James and I are rocking the Carolina Amp 6” Jackbolt.

If you’ve already watched the documentary, what was your favorite moment? If you haven’t... it’s waiting for you!

07/22/2026

I know... we’re about to talk about model trains. Somewhere in documenting makers for a living, I also managed to become the kind of guy who mails an HO scale locomotive across the continent so another grown man can make it look 50 years older. I swear I’m super cool in-person though. Anyway, when I filmed Ryan Haasen from Civil Craft Studio, one of us joked that he should weather the trains on my layout. Then the joke became a real plan. So after I got home, I packed up my locomotive and a handful of freight cars and sent them north to Calgary. Ryan didn’t just weather them... he gave them history. Every rust streak, oil stain, and faded logo tells the kind of story that makes a model stop looking like a toy and start looking like something that earned its miles (okay, relax). The coolest part is that every car already meant something before the weathering. The locomotive is modeled after the engine that rolled past my window twice a day when I lived in Rhode Island. The Wheeling & Lake Erie car was a gift from my dad because my great-grandfather worked as a ‘Fire Man’ on that railroad. The Lone Star Beer car reminds me of my time living in Texas. And while we were filming together, Ryan took me to a local train shop and surprised me with a Canadian Pacific boxcar that’s now become part of the story too. Now he’s packing everything up to send it back, and before long it’ll all have a permanent place on my layout... just as soon as I finish repairing the damage the movers did.

It’s funny. I set out to make documentaries about makers because I wanted to preserve people’s stories. I didn’t expect yet another one of those makers to quietly add another chapter to mine.

Thanks, Ryan. I can’t wait to get these home.

•

07/20/2026

NEW MAKER DOCUMENTARY! Honest Hands Studio!

When James MacKeigan of Honest Hands Studio found himself strugglin...

07/20/2026

The Honest Hands Studio documentary is officially live. James and I spent an entire day filming, woodworking, and making each other giggle with belly tickles. After the cameras stopped rolling, Carolina Shoe Co. sent him some fresh boots to put to work and considering James practically lives in sneakers, I’d say they made a pretty good impression.

Huge thanks to Carolina for helping support independent storytelling and the makers who make these films possible.

James is rocking the Carolina FLATIRON 6” Work Boot.

Have you watched the documentary yet? If so, what was your favorite part?

07/19/2026

⚡️NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO⚡️ The James MacKeigan | Scroll Saw Artist maker documentary is live (the link is in my profile). From battling struggles with his mental health to building a business around handcrafted, tattoo-inspired artwork, his story only has so much to do with a scroll saw and everything to do with purpose. The full documentary is live now on YouTube. I hope you’ll spend a little time getting to know James. And a huge, loving ‘thank you’ to James for trusting me with your story, welcoming me into your shop, and for making me giggle harder than I have in a long time. It was an honor.

07/16/2026

The feeling on the other side of frustration is addictive. Every project has moments where nothing goes right. Tools tend to fight you, plans change, you question whether it’ll ever come together (or is that just me?). But Ashley has always had a way of embracing those moments because she knows the feeling on the other side is what makes the work worthwhile. Since we filmed her documentary, she’s continued to level up in the most impressive way. Watching her skills, business, and confidence grow has been genuinely fun, not just because she’s an incredible craftsperson, but because she’s an even better human. So... should I head back to Pennsylvania and film a follow-up with Ashley?

07/14/2026

The question I probably get asked the most is “how many miles are on your truck?” And, well, that’s personal.

I got stood up halfway to Philadelphia like a total nerd. But the truck still had a great day.

07/13/2026

You’ve never seen go karts like this before… DIRESTA KART 2026 🏁🏎️⚡️
•
Thank you as always to Jimmy for bringing us all together.
•

07/10/2026

So many makers I’ve ever filmed have had one thing in common before I showed up. They wondered why anyone would care about *their* story. Not because they lacked confidence but because when you’ve lived your own life every day, it doesn’t feel all that remarkable.

You’re just building furniture. You’re just forging steel. You’re just restoring old tools. You’re just taking photos. You’re just making another project.

But from the outside, those “ordinary” days are fascinating. After filming over 40 documentaries, I’ve realized that the projects are rarely what people remember most. It’s the setbacks, the weird detours, the moments of doubt, the friendships, the reasons they started, and the reasons they kept going.

That’s the part I’m always chasing. The sawdust, sparks, and finished pieces might get people to click but the human story is what makes them stay in my opinion.

Who’s someone in the maker community you think has a story worth telling? Tag them below.