The creator shares how building his art business gave him a reason to keep going during a period of deep depression and suicidal ideation.
Possible opener: this right here, you guys, it it honest to God, there was a point where I was uh honestly, I was suicidal.
this right here, you guys, it it honest to God, there was a point where I was uh honestly, I was suicidal. And what kept me going is knowing that people gave me money and they needed their art. And what's crazy is every time I'd get close to finishing a piece, somebody else would hit me up and order another. So, I had to do that, you know, and then I was like, you know what? Obviously, I'm still supposed to be here and do this this thing.
The Lightning Arc
Fractal Burning what will be glowing coasters ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
An explanation of why the artist preserves specific fractal-burned wood grain details versus sanding them away.
Possible opener: Why are these wood grains glowing?
I get these bubbles off the back. And the thing is, you when you sand it, you got to be really careful not to get these detailed burns out. The easiest thing to do is sand too much. Look at that. Those little detailed burns. That's where a lot of people's work differs from mine. Not only does it glow in the dark, but I keep them branchy.
The 10,000 Volt Machine
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A quick showcase of custom-made knife scales that glow in the dark.
Possible opener: Want to see custom axe handles that glow in the dark?
and he ended up making them knife scales for these guys Absolutely beautiful little kitchen hatchets, you know, kitchen axes. They're uh they all glow in the dark. They're going to glow in the dark.
Band Saw Curve Hack
Starting a Custom Walking Stick | Shop Live-Stream
Demonstrates a simple, effective workshop hack for gluing mitered boxes using only tape and a strap.
Possible opener: "All right, y'all. Now you get to see this cool invention."
All right, y'all. Now you get to see this cool invention. It is a ratchet strap that has these corners on it and you use it to glue things like this, like boxes. Oh, but first I need to line them up and use tape. Tape is important. This is a cool trick if you don't know it yet. I just showed my girlfriend this the other day and she was Oh, it's pretty cool. It's I think it's kind of common sensey, but still cool. And it makes making boxes really easy.
A high-stakes safety demonstration explaining why gloves are a major hazard when using power sanders.
Possible opener: "My first time trying it and I'll end up cutting it down to there to get the shape right. No gloves because if you use gloves and they catch"
"My first time trying it and I'll end up cutting it down to there to get the shape right. No gloves because if you use gloves and they catch, it'll pull your hand into the sander and you could, you know, put your finger the wrong way, just shred it completely. Just touching this like that will take your fingerprints off pretty deep. So, you got to be really careful when working with these things."
A raw, vulnerable reflection on overcoming homelessness and finding purpose through craft.
Possible opener: “It's crazy the problems I face today versus other times when I was young.”
It's crazy the problems I face today versus other times when I was young. Like, when am I going to eat again or where am I going to sleep tonight or am I going to get robbed at this place? Like I do not miss the old days, the old ways. If if you didn't catch on, I used to be homeless and [ __ ] long time ago.
The 'Branching' Fractal Effect
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs & burl ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A quick, actionable tip on workspace hygiene when working with resin and glitter.
Possible opener: Never keep your glitter near your main workspace!
And another thing I'm going to say is don't pour your glitter where you do everything because glitter gets everywhere and you don't want it to get on everything. So, I just brought these over to show you. I'm not I'm going to keep them somewhere else and I'm going to dump them in the epoxy. Not right here. You know what I mean? It's just, trust me, it's work smart, not hard.
The Lightning Strike
Fractal Burning My Workbench! ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A concise, critical safety warning regarding the danger of wearing gloves while operating woodworking tools.
Possible opener: The gloves are for epoxy, dude.
No strings on your hoodies, anything like that, it can be deadly to a woodworker. And if you wear gloves while you woodwork, it's easy to lose your finger.
The creator explains the historical context and practical nature of Irish shillelaghs and cudgels.
Possible opener: "Irish oak and blackthorn challes and cudles."
Irish oak and blackthorn challes and cudles. The easiest thing to do is Google a challe. They were used in the faction wars in Ireland or their walking sticks. Very traditional. And they do hit hard. I accidentally hit myself in the head once doing a video at the end. I spun it around my back and it barely clipped me here. It hurt for two days. Video's funny.
A concise explanation of the historical significance of the Shillelagh.
Possible opener: What's a challe?
What's a challe? It's a traditional Irish walking stick or beating stick. They carry a lot of history and are blackthorn challes are gifted at times to notable characters that visit Ireland.
The Magic Burn
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A high-contrast demonstration showing how the glow-in-the-dark epoxy remains visible even in daylight.
Possible opener: "So, even with this window right here, look at this. You see that"
So, even with this window right here, look at this. You see that You can order these on my website for 220. The names are an addition, but they glow for a long time. And keep in mind, this is like by the window with the sunlight, and you can still see it glow. So, pretty freaking cool, huh?
The First Fractal Burn Spark
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
The creator demonstrates his air-purifying 'space helmet' by turning it on to show how quickly it clears the air.
Possible opener: "Why am I wearing a space helmet in my shop?"
I like to put on my microclimate like this because it just is easy. Get my hood inside and then you push the button. Watch this. Hold on. push the button. Look at how fast it works.
The Urn Upgrade
Building a Curly Maple Urn | Woodworking Live-Stream
The creator explains his decision to ditch a poplar prototype for a higher-quality curly maple build.
Possible opener: "So, I started making this ern."
So, I started making this ern. A customer ordered an urn and I started making it out of this popppler. And I'm not saying it's a bad box, but I just I'm not liking it. So, I've got a bunch of wal I mean walnut. I got a bunch of maple, nice curly maple, and I'm going to sand her up on the drum sander. Get her nice and level and pretty and ready.
The Vacuum Chamber Magic
Epoxy, Fire, and Real Talk | Military Memorial Build Live-Stream
A demonstration of using a vacuum chamber to degas epoxy and remove bubbles.
Possible opener: You guys want to see what it's doing? Check this out.
You guys want to see what it's doing? Check this out. any wording work? No, I have not. Nidita, I'm working on a memorial piece for a veteran who passed for his son. I mean his daughter and wife. But yep, this is it. The bubbles are coming out. Welding. No, I have not. So, I'm going to turn it off for a minute and let the pressure pull all these bubbles up. No, you're good, bro. I mix up words all the time with text. But yeah, so the pressure is only I'm trying to get it all the way to the top. It's almost there. But I'm going to let this do its thing for a minute cuz the bubbles are going to come all the way up to the top of this cup. Just watch and see.
Turning Off the Shop Lights
Finishing Epoxy Art Projects (Part 2) | Skull Ashtray, Cancer Ribbon & Walking Stick Live-Stream
A dangerous and visually arresting experiment where the creator fractal-burns a standard sheet of paper.
Possible opener: But we're about to find out what happens to this piece of paper if you fractal burn it.
But we're about to find out what happens to this piece of paper if you fractal burn it. And I want everybody to think about what would happen if they were touching this machine. Slowly turn it up. There we go. Let's just crank her up. The anticipation. Well, yeah. There we go. Yep. That's it. It's done for.
The Lightning Effect
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
An accidental arc of electricity burns the rubber workbench mat, creating an unexpected visual phenomenon that shocks the creator.
Possible opener: Electricity hitting the rubber mat unexpectedly.
It's fractal burning the rubber mat. That is awesome. It's fractal burning the rubber mat. I don't know if I should worry or. Holy crap. Look at that, guys. I got it on meta glasses, but you can see it right here. Oh my gosh, the char and everything.
The Dangerous Arc Mishap
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
Nate accidentally fractal burns his rubber safety mat, leading to a chaotic and unplanned visual outcome that he reacts to with humor.
Possible opener: I just fractal burned my own mat!
They're connecting underneath. Damn it. It is fractal burning the rubber mat. It's fractal burning the rubber mat. Now the rubber mat is fractal burning the Irish oak. Oh my god, I just went too hard on that. But it was worth it. That was worth it. No branches. That was worth it. We can still work with it. Oh my god, that was hilarious. That was hilarious.
A dramatic reveal of the glow-in-the-dark properties of the finished epoxy piece.
Possible opener: Normal piece until the lights go out.
Everything that I make glows in the [ __ ] dark. Glows like cra. Look at the window right there. There's light coming in there. You can see how that [ __ ] glowing though. Look at that. Look at that. And of course, the project that's going all kinds of places for no reason. It's just leftover epoxy everywhere for that guy. This thing is bright, though. Holy [ __ ] Oh, that's the bottom of that cup.
Lightning in Wood: The Reveal
Let's start with lightning ⚠️ High voltage. Extremely dangerous. Do not attempt.
An introduction to the unique, high-tech breathing helmet used for dust protection.
Possible opener: "working on this stick some more. Well, tonight, this evening on the live."
"working on this stick some more. Well, tonight, this evening on the live. If you're not watching it live, thank you for watching the replay. But right now, we're live. And uh the dust collection for this does not work. It broke. So, it's going to get really dusty in here. Uh sorry about that in advance. But yeah, welcome in. Slide y'all over a little bit. Oh, hello. Hello. All right. It is a spaceman doing stuff and things with wood in space."
The creator demonstrates how adding isopropyl alcohol to wet epoxy creates intricate cell-like patterns.
Possible opener: Watch what happens when I add alcohol to wet epoxy.
This is isopropyl alcohol. These are bubbles. Watch this. Gone. But then if you like, watch this. Hold on. Let me turn this light out. It's reflecting. Okay. Now, that just created a bunch of cells in it.
Possible opener: So, this is what I wanted to show you guys that I'm working on.
So, this is what I wanted to show you guys that I'm working on. These are knob cone pine cones, and it's face down right now. Once it's out of the mold, it'll be face up, but this is what they look like on the other side. So, all these knob cone pine cones are super cool. They got like sacred geometry looking stuff. And I got this piece of burl under it that I laser engraved with the white tree of Gondor from Lord of the Rings.
Bandsaw Cane Shaping
part 1 making a custom staff and cane, the shaping
A mesmerizing display of a fractal burn expanding across the unique grain of Blackthorn wood.
Possible opener: The start of the electric current on the wood.
I love the way Blackthorn fractal burns, too. And it is absolutely beautiful. Very branchy. Very It's got good character, man. I mean, it's weird to say that, I think, but it's just got really good character. They're really defined burns, you know. Watch. Look. Look at that.
The Epoxy Reveal
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
Two separate burn paths converge in the middle, creating a bright flash and ignition.
Possible opener: Wait for them to meet in the middle!
Look at them run, chasing each other. Oh, they're going to meet in the middle. When they meet in the middle, it goes bright and catches on fire. Watch.
UV Beast Transformation
Fractal Burning live edge boards to sell ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
The creator recounts a chaotic, humorous survival story about accidentally spraying himself with bear mace while hiking.
Possible opener: "So, let me tell you the story."
So, let me tell you the story. We were in Mars. We went hiking somewhere. Can't remember the place, but everybody left except for me, my girlfriend, and two friends. We were doing a really intense hike up a mountain um to get to an overlook. So, we get to the overlook or we're going up and I have bear mace in my pocket because my girlfriend carries bear mace on hikes. Whatever. So, I never had but you know, whatever, I get it. Uh there are a lot of bears out there. Anyway, uh so we are hiking. bear mace is, you know, in the pocket of my backpack where the water goes, you know, on the side. I was walking under two very large oak trees that had fallen and I think one of the trees knocked the clip off of the, you know, the safety clip off and the next tree hit it and it sprayed it directly over my shoulder, into my face, in my eyes, my nose, my mouth, all over my back and my arm and it sucked.
The Electricity Dance
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
Nate initiates the high-voltage fractal burn on an Irish oak shillelagh.
Possible opener: All right, you guys ready?
All right, you guys ready? Ain't nobody in the chat yet, but that's going to change. Let me grab this. Okay. So, I I use spray bottle of regular water because sometimes I make my solution too strong and I got to dilute it a little bit with this. So, we're just gonna hope that's not the case right now. But, it happens. It happens often. So, we're going to go from right here down. And I think we're going to just see if we can get her to jump up and over. Sometimes it wraps around and and under, but it's about to be awesome. You are going to love this. If you don't know who I am, my name is Nate at Shocks Functional Art and I make really cool stuff and things that all glow in the dark. Eventually they'll glow in the dark. Right now they don't, but they're about to light up. Ready? Start slow. Work big. Right now I've got a variac. Well, it's a variable voltage regulator. And what it does is it basically turns the electricity up and down like the volume on a radio. It's got to soak just a little bit more, but we'll just turn it down a little bit. And there we go.
Educational tip on why workshop sawdust (specifically with epoxy/toxic woods) isn't safe for gardening.
Possible opener: “Some people say use it in your garden and all that.”
Also, some people say use it in your garden and all that, but you can't do that with this because number one, a lot of wood is toxic that you wouldn't imagine is toxic, like black walnut and things like that. Also, you got to remember I got epoxy shavings in a lot of my stuff. Bad for plants, bad for animals.
An educational explanation on why natural wood cracking is actually a benefit for the artist's resin-filling process.
Possible opener: "Some of the oak ones, uh, well, and actually a lot of the Blackthornne, all of them have cracks and"
Some of the oak ones, uh, well, and actually a lot of the Blackthornne, all of them have cracks and especially because they're coming from another country, and it doesn't take long for them just to like go ahead and crack cuz they've been dried. So, it doesn't take long for that crack to happen. And that's why I've let them sit for a week or two, you know, just to kind of let that happen, fractal burn them, and they open up. And then I can fill it with glowing epoxy.
Impossible Cut Challenge
These Epoxy Pieces Look Normal… Until The Lights Go Out
A quick demonstration of using distilled vinegar to remove baking soda stains from black walnut.
Possible opener: Ha. All right. We're here now.
So, this is just regular distilled vinegar in a bottle. And you're going to see it bubble up a little bit, mainly on the walnut, but it's going to clean up all the stains from the baking soda.
The Magic of Branching Burns
Fractal Burning Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage. Extremely dangerous. Do not attempt.
Demonstration of testing resin pigment intensity in a small sample cup before pouring a large mold.
Possible opener: Stop guessing your epoxy colors!
I'm going to show you guys how I check color in epoxy. It's actually really easy because, you know, in this big thing, it's going to be look different than when it's in the mold. So, I'll show you how to check it.
From Homelessness to Homeowner
Fractal Burning what will be glowing coasters ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
An inspirational success story detailing the creator's transition from being homeless to owning his own home.
Possible opener: I was homeless on and off for over like 13 years.
I was homeless on and off for over like 13 years I think give or take whether I was couch hopping living in a car just on the streets in the woods man like now I own a home.
The 'Chop Shop' Heist Story
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A quick, educational explanation of what a traditional Irish shillelagh is.
Possible opener: "A challe is a traditional Irish style"
A challe is a traditional Irish style walking stick or weapon. A lot of people like to argue that they have to be longer to be a walking stick challe, but in reality it's the same thing. This is it's a black thorn. This is from Ireland made by an Irishman.
The creator shares his personal journey from addiction and crime to finding purpose through functional art.
Possible opener: "I used to be a criminal. I used to be an addict."
I used to be a criminal. I used to be uh an addict. And I mean, that was I'm almost 16 years off of the hard drugs. I think that if I can do it, anybody can do it. I believe in you. Um I like that it helps me with a lot. It helps me mentally, physically, emotionally. It's just helped me become a change man.
Art vs. Addiction
part 1 making a custom staff and cane, the shaping
A vulnerable and personal testimony from the creator about how his journey with addiction led him to find life-saving purpose through woodworking.
Possible opener: Art saved my life.
I got a fifth grade education and a GED. I learned a lot from the school of hard knocks on the streets doing bad illegal stuff, which I don't do anymore.
Dangerous Artistry
Fractal Burning a Curly Maple Urn ⚡ Woodworking Live-Stream (Day 3)
A sobering explanation of the lethality of the equipment used.
Possible opener: Why I never touch the probes.
10,000 volts, 500 milliamps. I have links to these machines which are safely built that come with lots of information in a group on the book of faces to learn more about them.
Satisfying Branching Burns
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A candid, emotional personal transformation story.
Possible opener: If I was that myself, I wouldn't be alive right now.
If I was that myself, I wouldn't be alive right now. They are Irish oak challes. Yeah, Damian. Anybody, man. You know, if you all don't know, I used to be u a drug addict and a criminal, and I changed my life a long time ago. I've been off the bad stuff for going on 16 years in September, I believe.
A humorous, relatable rant about North Carolina's extreme weather fluctuations.
Possible opener: "80 high 55 60 78 82 57."
"80 high 55 60 78 82 57. How do you go from 80 to 30 overnight? 80 to 30. The high is 80 and the low is 39. What the [] is that [] Can anybody explain it? North Carolina has the most bipolar bipolar weather in the world. Look, temperatures much lower than today. 25° lower tomorrow. Pollen counts extreme levels. Trium pollen, tree pollen increasing tomorrow, guys. Y'all, come on, man. Calm down, North Carolina. calm down. It is It's nuts."
Candid discussion on the business side of custom art pricing.
Possible opener: It's funny though. I have people that hit me up that ask me how much for like an epoxy resin table
It's funny though. I have people that hit me up that ask me how much for like an epoxy resin table and I give them a fair price, you know? Like I'm cheaper than a lot of other epoxy artists, you know what I mean? That do what I do on the level that I do it. And I told the guy $2,300 or no, it was $3,300 cuz he wanted it like 6 foot. And I thought that was a pretty cheap price. He wanted it big, long, but skinny. I told him $3,300. He told me he expected it to be about $800. And he did not mean to say that offensively.
Fractal Burning 101: The Secret Solution
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
Explains the conductive solution used to facilitate the burn.
Possible opener: The secret to fractal burning isn't just power—it's this solution.
uh the solution is baking soda and borax and sometimes I add a little too much of that. So I just spray it down with water, help it uh do its thing properly.
Guitar Build Reveal
Fractal Burning Irish Shillelaghs ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A showcase of a custom-built, fractal-burned electric guitar.
Possible opener: So, this is Burly Maple and it came out of Old Salem Winston, Salem, North Carolina.
So, this is Burly Maple and it came out of Old Salem Winston, Salem, North Carolina. This is Curly Black Walnut as the pick guard. It has blue, green, red. A lot of the red was covered up by this. My bad. Green fractal burns on the headstock. Spin her around. This wood in in in real like up close person is absolutely insane.
Why I Hate Free Shipping Lies
Fractal Burning Craig's Bartop. ⚠️ High voltage Extremely dangerous Do not attempt.
A passionate business philosophy regarding transparent shipping costs.
Possible opener: "I do not upcharge on shipping."
"I do not upcharge on shipping. I pretty much charge what I pay. I think that's fair. A lot of people cheat and make it seem like they're doing everybody a favor and they incorporate shipping into the price of the product and then say free shipping. I don't do that stupid stuff."