Hi, I'm Josh Bailey, and welcome to The Maker Dad.
For close to a decade, I was immersed in the world of live streaming. I started by sharing family-friendly games with my daughter, moved on to reviewing indie games, and eventually spent nearly three years exploring and sharing alternative streaming platforms. From Owncast to Peertube and many others in between, I loved discovering these hidden gems and helping other creators find their way beyond the major platforms.
But something shifted. Over the past several months, I found myself struggling to stay on schedule and, more importantly, struggling to find joy in what I was doing. When I took an honest look at where my passions were leading me, the answer was clear: out to the garage, working with wood.
From Pixels to Sawdust
Woodworking snuck up on me. What started as a few simple projects turned into something I couldn't stop thinking about. The storage cabinets and Murphy bed you might have seen in my streaming background? I built those. My custom desk? Another project where I took purchased plans and made them my own. Each piece taught me something new, and with every mistake and imperfection came the incredible satisfaction of creating something real and tangible.
I started all of this without much woodworking knowledge, learning as I went. And that's exactly the journey I want to document here.
What The Maker Dad Is About
The Maker Dad is my fresh start. This is where I'm documenting my journey as an up-and-coming woodworker, sharing my thoughts on the creative process, learning what it means to be a solopreneur, and being intentional about every piece of content I create.
I'm keeping things minimal and getting back to basics. I'll be recording videos on my phone out in the workshop and posting them to my YouTube channel as vlogs. Here on the blog, you'll find my deeper thoughts on making, creating, and navigating this path.
Why "The Maker Dad"?
Because that's who I am. I'm a dad who makes things. I'm someone who believes in the value of working with your hands and creating something that didn't exist before. I'm learning, growing, and documenting every step along the way, imperfections and all.
If you followed my streaming journey, I hope you'll stick around for this next chapter. And if you're new here, welcome. I'm glad you're here to share in the builds, the mistakes, the lessons, and everything in between.
Let's build something together.
Josh