James finally makes something

What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.
— Tim Ferriss

I’ve been back at my parents’ place for almost a month now, and part of being home—especially in a big countryside house—means helping out with all sorts of things. My mum actually made a list of everything she’d like done over the summer: gardening, repairing, building, throwing away, cleaning, and sorting through years of accumulated stuff.

One of the tasks my brother and I were given was to build a new gate between the house and the garage. We have dogs, and they’ve always managed to escape through that gate when no one’s watching. It’s been an ongoing battle between them and my dad. As much as he liked keeping score, I have to admit the dogs were always one point ahead 🐶

This newsletter is called Make With James, but apart from these essays and curating things from the web, I haven’t really made much to share with you. So here’s project No. 1, built in collaboration with my brother: THE GATE™️.

First, we had to come up with a plan. We quickly agreed to replace the double-door system with a single, full-opening gate—it would leave more space and frankly, just seemed simpler to build. After browsing a few designs online, we settled on a Z-frame structure, finished with cladding.

Here’s how we tackled it, step by step:

1. Found wood for the frame

2. Cut the main beam into two: one for the horizontal parts, one for the Z-brace

3. Split the horizontal beam in half for the top and bottom sections

4. Screwed the bottom section to the hinges

5. Measured and cut angles for the Z-brace

6. Attached the Z-brace between the horizontals

7. Salvaged an old wooden screen to reuse its cladding panels

8. Cleaned and nailed the panels to the frame

9. Made a latch using a leftover L-shaped piece of wood from the garden

Everything went surprisingly well. We had a few hiccups, but nothing too complicated—even for total beginners like us:

• We (I) missed the halfway line when cutting the horizontal beam, so one piece ended up a bit wider than the other (thankfully, at least our cuts were straight).

• We underestimated how long the screws needed to be to properly hold the Z-brace, especially since the bottom section was thicker. So we cleverly (if I may say so) pre-drilled deeper holes to gain a few extra centimeters.

It took us the whole day. Someone experienced would’ve probably done it in a couple of hours, but for two rookies, that’s pretty reasonable.

I’m really happy with how it turned out. Most of all, I genuinely enjoyed building it—especially with my brother. We tested it to see if the dog could still escape. So far, she hasn’t. But honestly, it’s probably just a matter of time 😅

— James

Tools & Websites

• Dia Browser is The Browser Company's (Arc's makers) new browser. I've been a big fan of Arc since it launched, and Dia is designed to be easier to use (looks more like Chrome) with AI integrated into every aspect of it.

• The Restroom Archive is a fabulous project by Jake Welch that features a collection of 3D-scanned public restrooms from restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores, coffee shops, and various other spaces across the U.S. and Europe.

• Sunflower is a new email client/inbox app. I haven't actually tried it, but I fell in love with the flower animation in the footer of their website ↓

MAKER OF THE WEEK

Lito is a Japanese artist who transforms fallen leaves into delicate works of art. Using a fine scalpel and incredible patience, he carefully carves intricate designs into dried leaves—often turning them into portraits, landscapes, or scenes full of symbolism.

Each piece is a quiet tribute to nature, combining fragility with precision. His process is entirely manual, requiring hours of focus and steady hands to avoid tearing the brittle surface. The result: art that feels both ephemeral and timeless.

James’ Library

…Aesthetic Corner…

Wordrunner

Wordrunner is not just another mechanical keyboard—it also includes a built-in wordometer and a mechanical session timer. Built for writers, this Kickstarter project with a $10,000 goal was fully funded in just 25 minutes.

Leclerc F1 cars over the years

I typically share products in this section, but I really loved the the morphing transformer-like animations in this video of Charles Leclerc's various F1 cars throughout the years. Absolutely stunning work!

Sustainable Living

Love Shack, a 30-square-metre backyard pavilion in Bondi, is a striking example of how recycled materials can be used to create something refined, warm, and highly functional. Designed by Second Edition, the space serves multiple roles—as a studio, guest room, office, or retreat—thanks to clever design choices like a Murphy bed and adaptable furniture.

At the heart of the project is a deep commitment to sustainability. Nearly every element—from the structure to the joinery and even the lighting—has been made from salvaged or repurposed materials, including old timber floorboards and crushed marble waste. Only three components are new: the tiles, plasterboard, and spa. It’s a thoughtful prototype for circular building practices that minimize waste and maximize impact.

Despite the challenges of working with reclaimed materials, Love Shack proves that sustainable design can be both beautiful and practical. It’s a low, non-imposing addition to the garden that preserves the existing landscape and sets a new standard for what small-scale, environmentally conscious architecture can look like.

Friends of James

• Beehiiv — the powerhouse behind all my newsletters, helping me craft, design, grow my audience, and monetize effortlessly

• Notion — my go-to tool for the last 6+ years, where I store all my notes, manage tasks, and essentially run both my life and businesses

• Screen Studio — the secret sauce behind my slick screen recordings; turns raw captures into polished, high-quality videos in minutes

• Make — the tool that runs my business on autopilot, handling all recurring and time-consuming tasks

• Lookaway — my gentle productivity companion that nudges me to take smart, screen-time breaks—keeping eye strain, headaches, and digital fatigue at bay

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