video:
I Tried To Make Something In America - Smarter Every Day 308
In a world dominated by offshoring and mass-produced goods, engineer and YouTube creator Destin Sandlin set out on a bold experiment: Could a high-quality consumer product be designed, tooled, and manufactured entirely in the U.S.? The answer unfolds through the journey of the Smarter Scrubber, a grill-cleaning tool built around injection mold tooling and a renewed commitment to domestic manufacturing.
As part of that journey, Destin speaks with Mantle CEO and co-founder Ted Sorom about how Mantle’s automated toolmaking system can help manufacturers overcome traditional barriers—like long lead times, high costs, and limited labor—and make it viable to bring manufacturing back to America.
mantle specific section - 31:00
Early in the project, Destin faced a familiar challenge: most mold shops outsource tooling overseas, creating risks around intellectual property, long lead times, and limited domestic capacity. In exploring solutions, he connected with Mantle, whose automated toolmaking system is designed to address exactly these issues.
In the video, Destin discusses with Mantle CEO and co-founder Ted Sorom how this technology can help manufacturers reduce costs, speed up production, and rebuild U.S. tooling capabilities, making it more practical to bring manufacturing back home.
"AI may be taking software jobs, but it’s not taking tool and die jobs."
About destin - smarter every day
Destin Sandlin is an American engineer and science communicator best known as the creator of the popular YouTube series Smarter Every Day. Since launching the channel in 2007, he has educated millions with engaging videos that explore science, engineering, and curiosity-driven topics. Beyond Smarter Every Day, Destin also hosts The Sound Traveler and Smarter Every Day 2, and co-hosts the podcast No Dumb Questions with Matt Whitman. In 2016, he gained national recognition as one of three YouTubers selected to interview President Barack Obama following his final State of the Union address.
