It's hard to pick a favorite feature about the Academy! The online lessons have exponentially added to my knowledge about techniques and have helped me be more efficient on the job and more organized in running my business. Nate's lessons about marketing have shown me how to make my brand stand out in the community. The Shop Talk get-togethers are the best - everyone brings something new and interesting, and it's a great place to have your questions answered on any subject related to creating and the trades. Thank you Scott and Nate!

Attended my first meeting tonight, will not miss any moving forward :) Thanks for sharing your time, knowledge and efforts !

Scott, Started getting involved in building at age 14, and now 63 years later....I am still involved in building. My wife limits me as to how much manual work I can do anymore. Just wanted to say, with all my experience, you and Nate are doing an absolute great job articulating and filming all of your projects. (Especially enjoy the grandchildren!) Looking forward to sitting in and listening to your program this evening. Thanks for what you are doing. Keith Forbes

Myself enjoying a life time in construction, what I find in Essential Craftsman videos is honesty and integrity coming from someone who is the real deal. Not from someone trying to be something they never were or doing something for the first time trying to come across like an expert. Scott touches on subjects that are real issues for guys who have spent years out in the field and succeeds in breaking them down enough for new guys in the field to understand. There are a lot of guys out there that are great at what they do, but are terrible teachers and or mentors and Scott bridges that gap exceptionally well.

I have no doubt this is a wonderful institution, but I never seem to have time to meet up with anything. I love Nate and Scott's presentation manner and also the fact that they value honest, hard manual labour.

Scott and Nate are two of the most down-to-earth and humble guys I've ever met. Scott has an amazing ability to teach in a clear, easy-to-understand style, and I have learned so much from them and the content available on the Essential Craftsman (EC) site. The semi-monthly EC zoom calls have been so fun to attend. I always come away from them having learned some new technique, tip, or concept that I can use. The ability to directly interact with Scott, Nate, and the other member of the EC family is worth its weight in gold. I'll absolutely renew my membership next year.

Blacksmithing. Haven't done anything yet, but recently purchased the list of metals you suggested for the blacksmith course. Bought a 100 year-old Sears and Roebuck coal forge and 60 lbs. of coal a few months ago and a small anvil last month - almost there. Scott, your ability to teach well is a rare gift. Keep teaching the trades. Many of us appreciate all that you do. Thank you!

I just love your vdo. I would never have tried what you do with out you. I love all tricks tips on wood work and blacksmith. And most of all safety tips. God is smiling on you.

EC motivated me to become a carpenter apprentice 👍🏻

I am encouraged to push through and complete the blacksmithing course I started. I'm so glad it is available to me through the EC Academy.

It’s encouraged me to do things that I haven’t done before. It’s help push me out of my “business as usual” zone and motivated me to try something I haven’t done before.

I've been watching the Essential Craftsman for many years. When the Academy opened up I joined and have really appreciated the twice a month Zoom meetings where projects are shared, advise is sought and received, and challenging projects are presented. It's all done in a straight forward no nonsense approach. It's definitely been worth the membership fee.

I initially signed up for the Essential Blacksmith Academy. My teenage son was not doing very well mentally during the pandemic. Having this academy and giving he and I something to do together as father and son possibly saved his life. While completing many of the lessons in the blacksmithing Academy, his mental health changed, he was able to stop counseling, and he is now enrolled in our local community college in their first Aviation Maintenance Technician program this year. I just retired after 36 years as a paramedic / firefighter and fire officer. My work life isn't over and I have made the leap to obtaining my GC license and open a small project contracting and handyman business. because of the quality content of Scott and Nate's videos (along with the support of the Wadsworth clan), I am using the Essential Craftsman Academy to round out my continuing education in the building and crafting arts. Thank you all for what you do!

Watching the videos are both very informative and inspiring at the same time. Especially the spec house build. Too busy to participate tonight. Working on bathroom remodel. The marine plywood came stamped Roseburg makes me think there is a tie.

I've learned quite a bit from the essential blacksmithing coarse, I enjoy the shop talks it's more than worth the money.

I really love the resources that they have on the site, and I like having the ability of the round table discussion that they have every other Thursday evening.

Essential Craftsman Academy is a top-notch resource for learning and for bouncing ideas off others. There is an enormous wealth of knowledge! There are both hobbyists and professionals (I'm a hobbyist). My angle is primarily metalworking (welding and blacksmithing), but I also really enjoy hearing and learning about other areas too. Highly recommended!

My favorite part of the Academy is Scott's teaching style. His mastery of the skills he demonstrates and real world ability to look at construction through the eyes of the craftsmen, including the humor and hard facts of how and when precision is needed as well as knowing when you don't have to be precise brings the lessons home for me. His ability to talk about about the nitty gritty details makes learning flow so well without being overcomplicated. He always knows when to put emphasis on what NOT to do also!

I have only had time to attend one of your meetings on zoom. Everyone is so much more advanced than I was. I’m just grateful that Scott is willing to share his tremendous expertise with so many. I have been very busy with new projects and so I have not attended for quite some time. over a year. If you don’t mind, I would really like to be kept on your email list.

Essential Craftsmen are pioneers! They're the type of people to make you feel like, you and dad tinkering around in the garage... without all the emotional baggage. He has a way (to me at least) of explaining things so I get. No big words, no fancy technical terms. Just simple plain English. I have subscribed to the blacksmithing course. It's amazing! No complaints, no issues, just straight talk, no Chaser.

The academy is fantastic, I love being able to bounce and talk through ideas in the shop talk. I have been able to gather ideas for projects I am working on and receive feedback on projects I am going to undertake from people more familiar with the work.

Èxpert guidance in the realm of building and the use of tools. Honed my skill at tool use. Yes, since I've been exposed to Scott I have a great deall more confidence in using my building skillß!

I've been watching EC for a couple years now and have yet to not enjoy every video I've seen. Both Scott and Nate have a wealth of knowledge and the ability to share it in an interesting format. I've only sat in on one zoom meeting but I'll watch again tonight. If you're not exploring everything they offer, you're definitely missing out!

I’ve learned so much from Scott, Nate, and the group. And I’ve spent a bit of money purchasing some of the stuff I’ve seen and heard about. Money very well spent. You never know what you might need that you never knew existed. The blacksmith course is beyond enlightening (no pun intended).

My favorite part is the zoom meetings that we have with individuals across the country. We can share videos, pictures, and stories about projects that we're working on. Recommendations are shared by both professional and novice. Scott and Nate take a keen interest in just about any topic. Additionally, material available on the academy website is extremely valuable.

One of my best go to sites for construction info

I love being a member of the Academy. The monthly get-togethers are great. Very informative and entertaining time spent with like-minded people (related to DIY/Crafts kind of stuff). The material in the academy is really useful, especially access to the videos and the blacksmith training.

Essential Craftsman Academy is an excellent extension of the services that EC has been offering for years now. EC has helped to remind me of what excellence in a tradesman looks like. Among other things, I believe that general disrespect towards the trades, in general, has helped cause a lack of inspiration and motivation to achieve excellence within the ranks of tradesmen. EC's response to this is to provide an example of excellence for others (including myself) to aspire to in their work and their lives. Blacksmithing is something I would like to try my hand at, after watching EC. Thank you for all that you do and please continue to share your indispensable knowledge with the world.

Been following you for years. You’ve got all the right stuff and encouraging to young-ones.

As someone who's looking at building a house, the Hiring a Contractor series is worth the price of admission all on its own.

I would like to participate, but it is 2:00 AM in South Africa and the time I am at my best with sleeping. I did the original course on forging, and still refers back to that sometimes. Very good content and helpful.

A lot of great information, tips, and tricks. An excellent way to learn from the wealth of knowledge EC has to share.

Love the time when I can join Nate and Scott!!!

Love this. Like minded folks, technical help, emotional support. Positive, uplifting! Learning new things that will help me build my house, which I'll be starting in a month or so. Right now I'm receiving a lot of help but hope to pay it forward one day by helping others with all the things I've learned.