Shannon McGarry
Discover how Peter Capar turned his garage woodworking hobby into a thriving business by blending traditional craftsmanship with Fusion’s digital fabrication tools.
Welcome to our next Fusion Community Spotlight series—where we celebrate the makers, builders, and dreamers using Autodesk Fusion to bring their ideas to life. These are the real stories of people pushing creative and technical boundaries with Fusion.
Meet Peter Capar. Peter’s journey from restoring castoff woodworking tools to running a high-tech, multi-faceted business exemplifies how passion, persistence, and digital fabrication can come together to transform a hobby into a thriving enterprise. Founder of pTree’s Workshop and co-host of the popular “Another Woodshop Podcast,” Peter is the face of a modern maker —embracing traditional craftsmanship while using powerful design and manufacturing tools like Autodesk Fusion.
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Turning his dream into a reality
Peter began his woodworking journey in a garage workshop filled with a mix of old and often neglected tools. Rather than starting with expensive, brand-new machines, he scavenged out-of-use saws, miter boxes, and tools others discarded—rusted, sometimes broken, but full of potential.
Restoring and upgrading one tool at a time allowed Peter to build a solid toolset without debt. When he upgraded to a better saw, the old one was sold for roughly what he paid, funding future purchases. Over about five years, this “slow burn” strategy evolved his workspace from garage-corner beginnings to a fully equipped shop, including a $600 Powermatic 2000 table saw rescued from a basement sale.
For Peter, the key was patience and avoiding financial risk. He insisted on only purchasing with money earned from his business, avoiding loans or debt—even if that meant slower growth. This mindset created less stress and allowed him to build sustainably, investing profits into equipment upgrades and business expansion.
A transformative leap
A major turning point in Peter’s journey was discovering Fusion. As with any new tool, learning how to use it felt daunting. Peter, however, committed. During a vacation when he lacked access to his physical tools, Peter took online classes of Fusion and within a week gained the skills to begin modeling confidently.
Today, Fusion is the backbone of Peter’s entire design and fabrication workflow. Whether it’s creating customized jigs, modeling tool holders, or preparing digital files for 3D printing, laser cutting, or CNC machining, Fusion is part of the process.
Peter’s business began to take off when he started designing and selling specialty shop accessories – products like a customized push-stick speed square with color-coded pins, tool holders for popular brands like Milwaukee, and clamp stops designed to improve workflow efficiency. These simple but innovative designs accelerated his sales and funded further investments in machines and materials.
Blending the digital and human touch
While digital fabrication and automation are the foundation of Peter’s work, traditional craftsmanship and hands-on finishing remain a vital part of his processes. Even after parts are cut using CNC or laser machines, he still spends significant time sanding, tweaking fits, and applying finishes by hand to make sure that each piece meets his quality and aesthetic standards.
Peter’s philosophy is that a maker’s “human touch” is present throughout the process—from design intent in Fusion to the final hand-applied finish. His work is a hybrid approach that marries the precision and efficiency of digital tools with the individuality of handmade craftsmanship, appealing to customers who appreciate both innovation and tradition.
Podcasting, community, and teaching: Sharing the journey
Beyond his shop, Peter is an active community builder. His popular “Another Woodshop Podcast” shares the candid challenges and joys of woodworking with a large audience. He openly discusses mistakes and learning moments, turning failures into valuable lessons for himself and his listeners. This transparency fosters a supportive, inclusive maker community, where newcomers and veterans trade tips and encouragement.
Peter also volunteers as a mentor, offering free crash courses in Fusion over Zoom. He believes accessibility and education are key to lowering the barrier for entry into digital fabrication and CNC workflows. His advice to beginners:
- Be patient: The breadth and depth of Fusion can be intimidating initially, but consistent practice and online learning resources can rapidly build competence.
- Start small, build slowly: Use digital design for small projects first to develop confidence before tackling complex assemblies or advanced operations.
- Balance tech and craftsmanship: Don’t let digital fabrication diminish the joy of hands-on work; finishing, fitting, and personal touches add value beyond pure automation.
- Invest in repeatable, useful products: Focus on designing jigs, tools, or accessories that solve real problems in your workflow and can scale through small batches or digital files.
Looking ahead
Beyond woodworking, Peter is keen to delve deeper into metalworking and welding. His print farm is expanding, including multiple Prusa and resin printers, supported by a robust setup for CNC and laser work. He envisions building a large, dedicated shop space to accommodate woodworking, metalwork, and digital fabrication under one roof to innovate even further.
Follow Peter and explore his work or shop his designs online at pTreesWorkshop.com or on Etsy under pTreesWorkshop. On social media, find him on Instagram @ptreesworkshop where he shares insights, projects, and community stories.
Peter’s story is an inspiring blueprint for makers who aspire to build a business rooted in creativity, discipline, and modern technology.
That’s the vision of Fusion: to unify design, engineering, and manufacturing into one cloud-based platform that empowers everyone—from weekend makers to full-time pros—to make anything they can imagine.
Stay tuned for more voices, more projects, and more of the everyday brilliance that keeps our Fusion community thriving.