Have you ever woken up with the zeal to renovate your kitchen or make your very own funky neon sign board? Do you want to build a foosball table just like Joey’s? Has the lockdown got your creative brain swirling? Are you ready to learn some real-life crafting because we got a show just right for you!
I like to make stuff; a Do It Yourself (DIY) show hosted by Bob Clagett has been successfully streaming on YouTube since 2015 with 2.97million subscribers to date. The channel is an extension to Clagett’s website, (https://iliketomakestuff.com ) where he uploads digital plans for all his designs, details the projects, and sells some stunning merchandise. Started as a hobby to pursue his art of ‘making’, this show has become his full-time job where he works with his family on projects he is passionate about. Multi-talented father of four, Bob Clagett is the author of ‘Making Time ‘which comprises stories and experiences of his journey from a software industry veteran to being a full-time content creator. It is not an instruction book; instead, it talks about the process and pitfalls of self-employment and the choices he made to avoid them.
A typical episode of this channel begins with a straightforward introduction, ‘my name is Bob and I like to make stuff’, and dives directly into the week’s project. Whether you are an architect, a furniture designer, a home decorator, a fiction fan, or just someone looking to do something innovative and productive, this show ought to inspire you. Since the channel is so diverse that there is something for everybody. One can find a DIY on remodeling a washroom to designing a secret room to building a stunning arcade to making your very own lightsaber from your favorite star wars movie. Largely the channel is divided under titles like woodworking, electronics, 3D craving, prop and costumes, shop projects, arcade, and home. Under the home category, there are several Do It Yourself videos on home renovation, laying out the flooring, and designing your furniture, and many more.
A part of this channel is the series, Maker 101 curated for beginners, houses a collection of videos to understand the use of workshop tools and engineering techniques. After all one doesn’t need to attend college to learn basic real-life engineering; he can just watch a few YouTube videos. A recent addition to this series is an online tutorial course of a 3D visualization and rendering software fusion360 to aid the process of making.
Among the 367 videos on this channel, here are five highly rated and enjoyed episodes with their links which will encourage you to take out your toolbox and dig right into the crafting world.
- How to make a secret door or bookcase – https://youtu.be/V3NGBo2M1Ps
- DIY greenhouse – https://youtu.be/sQWPnaiixe0
- How to turn an attic into a playroom – https://youtu.be/r2HVspCoH84
- Designing a floating desk- https://youtu.be/-ihz6cLuPOY
- How to make an ocean table – https://youtu.be/xfqY0DTPlVg
Some of us like to dive deep, learn, and absorb everything we can on a subject and become masters. Some of us are versatile and have a wide range of skills. Both have their pros and cons. It’s important to understand how you learn, so you can use your strengths to your advantage and get help in the places where you’re not strong.
Bob Clagett, the host of the show is not professional, his entire process of designing works on experimentation, self-learning, and making mistakes which makes his channel very raw, engaging, and authentic. Not everyone can try out all his DIY because of the kind of equipment and tools involved in it but the way every project is made and presented one cannot help but binge on the show.
My favorite episode would be the DIY on the charging station. With the COVID 19 pandemic, we all have turned into netizens and all these electronic devices keep lying around the houses in a complete haphazard state. So actually this video of a device organizer cum charging station came quite handy and it inspired me to design my very own charging station with a little switch of materials and changes to suit my needs.
In Pablo Picasso’s words, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” The channel, I like to make stuff, fuels that hidden artist in you and incite to make your boldest stroke. In one of the interviews, Bob Clagett said “Don’t sweat the small stuff. And by small stuff, I mean anything that gets in your way of making progress.” Clagett’s way of demystifying the whole process of designing complex projects encourages one to build customized products for themselves. It is a must-watch for all the aspiring product designers. This channel brings to you a fun way of learning new skills and problem-solving, helping you to visualize and create better.
