Join us for an episode that shatters the misconceptions surrounding sales, revealing its true essence as a journey of connection and meaningful experiences. Our guest, Lisa Proeber, founder of The Middle Six, brings over two decades of experience to the table as she challenges the outdated notion of sales being a dirty word. Together, we explore ho…

Welcome to "Lattes and Lasers," where creativity meets innovation! In this episode, hosts Holly McCaig and Amy Kant are diving into the intersection of technology, creativity, and the human experience. In this episode, titled "Maker Gains with AI," Holly and Amy are joined by first responder and AI student Jake McCaig as they explore a topic at the…

In this episode of "Lattes and Lasers," hosts Holly McCaig and Amy Kant dive into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and its crucial role in elevating online businesses. From seasoned sellers to novices, understanding SEO is paramount in navigating the competitive online marketplace. Join Holly and Amy as they unravel the mysteries of SE…

In this episode of "Lattes and Lasers," we explore the world of laser maker trends. From personalized keychains to intricate cutting boards, the industry offers a plethora of opportunities and challenges. Discover the benefits of embracing trends, from increased visibility to expanded market reach, while acknowledging the risks of following the cro…

In this episode of Lattes and Lasers, hosts Holly McCaig and Amy Kant dive into the essential yet often overlooked world of crafting a robust web presence. But first, they indulge in the delightful Bones Coffee’s Cookies and Dreams roast, a heavenly blend that transports you to a world of chocolate cookie sandwich and vanilla ice cream flavors, all…

Join hosts Holly McCaig and Amy Kant as they blend together the perfect brew of coffee culture and laser business adventures. In this episode, Holly and Amy take a sip of Trejos House Blend, diving into its rich flavors while exploring the depths of their laser businesses. Joined by special guest Paul Ridenour, Amy's husband and fellow partner at S…

Grab your aprons and your caffeinated concoctions, because it's time for another episode of "Lattes and Lasers" with your favorite makers, Holly and Amy! Today, we're diving deep into the thrilling world of laser cutting, fueled by our slightly overdosed Good + Gather Cold Brew (let's just say Amy didn't follow the directions). Join us as we explor…

In this episode of "Lattes and Lasers," hosts Holly McCaig and Amy Kant dive into the rich flavors of Stumptown's Holler Mountain coffee while exploring the ups and downs of being a small business owner. With a blend of humor and heartfelt discussion, they highlight the often-overlooked challenges that come with entrepreneurship, particularly the t…

In this energizing episode of "Lattes and Lasers," hosts Holly and Amy immerse themselves in their coffee cups, unveiling the amusing tales behind the brews they're enjoying. Staying true to their commitment to showcase coffees with quirky names, compelling stories, or admirable causes, the hosts shine a spotlight on "Three Peckered Billy Goat," a …

Join Holly McCaig and Amy Kant on the premiere episode of Lattes and Lasers, the podcast where creativity meets technology. In this episode, we dive into the creation of the podcast, sharing our personal maker journeys that led us to where we are today. The conversation takes an intriguing turn as we explore AI podcast name generators, discussing t…

Welcome to Lattes and Lasers, the podcast where creativity meets technology, hosted by Holly McCaig and Amy Kant. Join us on a journey fueled by lattes and powered by lasers as we delve into the fascinating world of making. The Laser Collective Transform your laser cutting and engraving business with our commercial use files. The Laser Collective T…

In this season’s final episode of The Edge, Bre and Zach speak with two of Bantam Tools’ remote residents, Dom Riccobene and Vince Ramirez. Our residents are artists, engineers, and educators, some of whom regularly use CNC machines in their daily work while others are new to CNC all together. In this two-part episode we begin with Dom Riccobene, w…

~Plus a visit to the SF Drone School and a look at the X-Class Drone Racing League~ In this episode, we learn about the world of industrial metal laser cutters with the 3D Fab Light team. What initially started as a project at Otherlab to make bicycle frame fabrication easier eventually spun out into a very capable (and highly specialized) 4-axis m…

Plus Ashley Swartz discusses engineering soft robots at Roam RoboticsIn this third episode of The Edge podcast, we sit down with engineer, inventor, and founder of Otherlab Saul Griffith to learn more about the research and ethos driving this independent, San Francisco-based R&D lab. Otherlab is home to a number of interesting initiatives and start…

Plus Bantam Tools’ Peter Riley on learning CNC In this second episode of season three, Bre and Zach sit down with master machinist Angelo Juras at the Autodesk Pier 9 facility in San Francisco. Angelo has been a machinist since the 80s, when he got his start on NC punched-tape-style milling machines. In his current position at Autodesk as a CAM pro…

~Plus Gerard Rubio on Kniterate, the desktop CNC knitting machineWelcome to Season 3 of The Edge podcast. In this first episode, Bre and Zach dive into the world of soft goods and textiles manufacturing with expert Carly Mick. Carly is the senior manufacturing manager for Kestrel Materials, a startup born out of Otherlab in San Francisco. Kestrel i…

Plus Scott Miller from Dragon Innovation shares tips for manufacturing at scale In this last episode of Season two, we talk all about prototyping and “pretotyping.” Our guest, Alberto Savoia, is a mathematician and engineer, who among many things led the initial development of Google’s Ad Words. After many successes, Albero had the sobering experie…

~Plus Ryan Luke Johns on collaborating with robots~ On today’s episode, we sit down with Nadya Peek, a professor in the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, where Nadya runs an interesting lab called Machine Agency. Her work focuses on unconventional digital fabrication tools, small-scale automation, an…

This week we speak with Dan Shapiro, the cofounder and CEO of Glowforge. You probably recall the 2015 launch of this desktop laser cutter that took the digital fabrication world by storm. What’s most unique about Glowforge, however, isn’t the sleek industrial design, but the diverse community that’s rallied behind this tool. In this episode, Dan sh…

~Plus Andrew Kleindolph on teaching digital fabrication in high school~ This week we speak with Mohite Bhoite. By day, Mohit is a senior electrical engineer at the IoT startup Particle, but come nights and weekends, Mohite is a full-time sculptor. Though the technique he uses, called freeforming or dead-bug-style circuitry, is one that you may have…

~Plus Ben Light gives us a tour of NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications ProgramIn this episode we sit down with industrial designer and engineer, Greg Wolos, to speak about design thinking. Greg is the former design director at IDEO – the international design and consulting firm – and today runs his own design consultancy. Greg is not only focused …

~Plus Jake Reed on making modular and reconfigurable CNC machines~In this episode, we speak with Will Langford, an engineer and researcher at the Center for Bits and Atoms. CBA – a part of MIT — is an interdisciplinary initiative exploring the boundary between computer science and physical science. The researchers at CBA study how to turn data into…

~Plus luthier Michael King on using 100-year-old wood to build custom guitars In this episode, Bre and Zach visit with Aaron Panone in his studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Aaron is a self-producing designer and engineer who focuses on making acetate eyewear and custom bicycle components. In one of his behind-the-scenes videos, Aaron describes writi…

~Plus Nick Manousos on the state of watchmaking~ In this episode, we sit down with mechanical engineer and designer turned self-taught machinist and watchmaker, Ian Schon. Ian is in love with watches and the craft of horology. He also makes and sells a beautiful collection of pens, but really for him, the drive is much more basic: It’s about making…

In this last episode of Season One, Bre Pettis, co-host of The Edge, talks about the early days of MakerBot. As co-founder and former CEO of MakerBot, Bre played a huge role in popularizing 3D printing and making it accessible to students, educators, and makers. What many people don’t know, however, is where some of the early ideas for MakerBot ori…

~Plus Matt Lenox on tips for milling topographic maps~ In this episode, we speak with Tiffany Tseng, a mechanical engineer turned UX/UI designer who, among many things, worked on the Autodesk update to EAGLE, and its integration with Fusion 360. As fabrication tools make their way from the factory floor to our desktops, designers like Tiffany have …

~Plus Ed Kramer on running a CNC farm at home in Texas~The desktop machine category has expanded to include industrial machinery that’s sometimes hard to imagine actually putting on a desk. One recent addition is Wazer, a desktop waterjet cutter. Bre and Zach headed to the Brooklyn Navy Yard to see the machine in action, as well learn how it’s made…

~Plus James Thompson on working with Fordite, aka Detroit Agate~ It’s not every day that you meet a materials scientist. These people work in a field that’s seemingly so complex as to be inaccessible to most of us, but Liz Corbin is working to challenge this assumption. Liz has a doctorate in design and has spent the last four years inside a univer…

~ Plus Stefania Druga on MIT's class "How to Make Almost Anything" ~You’ve probably found yourself walking along an airport causeway or another public space and have seen a wall that once may have been covered in a billboard now playing host to an interactive array of glowing LEDs that change color as you walk past or wave your hand. Surprisingly, …

~Plus Jordan Husney on working with GE and running a 3D Hub~If you owned a 3D printer back in 2013, you probably remember hearing about 3D Hubs for the first time. Desktop 3D printing was still in its early days, and a community of people were coming together on their site to share knowledge and experiences while building out a distributed manufact…

~Plus Devin Cooper on making music with stepper motors~In this episode, we speak with John Saunders about how he initially got into machining and what the current landscape looks like for educating the next generation. He’s the host of the popular CNC YouTube channel NYCCNC and owner and founder of Saunders Machine Works in Zanesville, Ohio, where …

Plus Josh Levine on low-power electronicsIn this episode, we speak with Che-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy of CW&T about what it means to keep production close to home. Despite the growing service model offerings like Shapeways, 3D Hubs, or Plethora, Che-Wei and Taylor continue to build out their basement fabrication and prototyping workshop.Links and sh…

Bre and Zach kick off the show and give you a quick overview of what to expect in season one!By Bantam Tools