I’m Andi — metalworker, industrial designer, and the voice behind MakersMood. My path into metalcraft started early, in my dad’s garage in Seattle. What began as helping with small projects became something deeper: a need to understand how things are made, how materials behave, and how tools become extensions of intention. I studied industrial design at the University of Oregon, where I learned to think systematically about form, function, and process. But the real education came after — working in studios across the country, learning from blacksmiths, welders, and fabricators who’d spent decades refining their craft. Each shop taught me something different: technique, yes, but also how to run a workspace, maintain equipment, and build a practice that sustains itself.

Why MakersMood exists: I started this blog because I wanted to share what I’d learned — not just the glamorous finished pieces, but the practical stuff: which tools actually hold up, how to approach a new technique without wasting material, what safety looks like when you’re working alone. The response surprised me. Turns out there’s a real hunger for honest, experience-based information in this space. Now MakersMood is a resource for makers at every level. I write tool reviews based on actual shop use, not spec sheets. I break down fabrication techniques into steps that make sense. And I try to demystify the craft for people who are just getting started.

Beyond the blog: My YouTube channel extends the conversation — project walkthroughs, shop tips, safety fundamentals. I host live sessions and online workshops because making is better when it’s shared. The community that’s grown around MakersMood has become one of the most meaningful parts of this work. I still stay connected to Seattle, collaborating with local artists and mentoring young metalworkers coming up. The craft gets passed forward.

What’s next: I’m always exploring — new materials, new techniques, new ways to make complex processes accessible. If you’re here to learn, to build, or just to see what’s possible with metal and intention, you’re in the right place. Let’s make something.

— Andi