Josh Martin has been making stuff since he was a kid. It’s no wonder: His father, Terry Martin, was one of the most prolific surfboard shapers, ever. Today, Josh follows in his dad’s footsteps and handcrafts custom foam and wooden surfboards out of his Capistrano Beach, California workshop.

Josh’s story doesn’t end with surfboards, though. When a life threatening illness curtailed his surfboard shaping, he found the ultimate side hustle: Upcycling scraps from his board production into chopsticks, stick shift knobs, pencils and more that he sells on Etsy.

On this week’s Sweep the Floor, we learn about Josh’s process, his relationship to his clients, his love for building traditional balsa wood boards, and how an unlikely order from JC Penny helped him hone is craft. As with all of our episodes, it’s a great conversation about making stuff from scratch.

http://instagram.com/martinshapes

Sponsored by Caddis Eyewear. Sweep the Floor is a new podcast where we celebrate the stories behind the best makers in the world, including woodworkers, brewers, bootmakers, mechanics, designers and all points in-between. Listener suggestions or sponsorship inquiries welcomed at [email protected]. Host: Jason Verlinde Music: Paul Rigby A Fretboard Journal Podcast production.