FAQs

What table saw do I use? I purchased the SawStop 3hp Professional. When I was upgrading my saw I decided to buy my last saw first instead of stair stepping up to it. It was also a graduation present from my husband. : ) I had my sights on it because of the safety feature it comes with. If you are interested in buying a good table saw but don’t have the money for a SawStop I would recommend checking out the website lumberjocks.com. They have plenty of great discussions on which table saws are recommended.

What power tools do I use? I use Triton Tools. They are one of my sponsors but I only agreed to work with them because they produce some outstanding tools. I highly recommend them if you are in the market.

What tools do I recommend for a beginner to start with?  This is hard one because everybody who gets into making/building is going to be doing different things. I always recommend to buy things as they are needed instead of purchasing a bunch of tools right off the bat and just guessing at what you’ll need. This is the method that I used and it worked out great for me. I started with a drill, a circular saw, and an 18 gauge nailer. I did so many projects with just these three tools, then eventually when I ran into a project where I needed a sander, I purchased one. Then I needed a jigsaw so I purchased one…and so on. What you don’t want to do is go to the store with your entire budget and buy things that you think you’ll need, but then find out you need something else for the first project you pick. Plus the great things about tools is there is (typically) always more than one tool that can get the job done. For example: If you don’t have a table saw, then a circular saw will work. If you don’t have a circular saw, then a jigsaw; and if you don’t have that then even a good ole fashion handsaw works. The biggest tip I can give you, if you are just starting out, is be resourceful. It will be the tool that will become your biggest asset.

What kind of camera do you use? I started off using my iPhone then upgraded to using the Nikon D3200. It had an accident and broke so at that time I decided to switch to the Canon T3i. Both cameras are great but the big reason I switched to Canon is because their DSLR has a flip out screen which makes staying in the frame a whole lot easier. However, if you purchase a camera that doesn’t have a flip out screen you can always add one that’s aftermarket. My advice to you for buying filming equipment is to purchase it online. The camera body and lens at BestBuy cost more than buying the camera, lens, SD card, two extra batteries, a remote, a mic, and a three year warranty through Amazon. 

Do you have a remote/wireless mic setup? I don’t mess with wearing a lav mic, however when I purchased my Canon camera I also purchased a Rode mic that goes on top. For my voiceover mic I purchased the Yeti. 

What computer and software do you edit with? I have a Macbook Pro and use the free editing software (iMovie) that comes with the computer. If you have a windows computer I would recommend starting with free software for Windows. There is no need to purchase editing software when you are getting started. I’ve been making videos for two years now and still use the free software.

How do you get sponsored? To get sponsored you will first need an audience. Once you grow a sizable audience, it will only be a matter of time before companies start reaching out to you. All the companies I work with (at the moment) have approached me. 

Help with your project: I get lots of people asking me to help with their specific project, and as much as I would love to help everybody out I simply don’t have the time. What I do in my own projects, is I just keep trying things until something works out. It might be the long way around, but it’s been really effective for me. Also the site Lumberjocks.com that I mentioned earlier is a great resource to use.