diff --git a/.github/actions/build-unclog/action.yml b/.github/actions/build-unclog/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f392959
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/build-unclog/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+name: build-unclog
+description: builds the unclog binary from source
+
+inputs:
+  artifact-name:
+    required: false
+    type: string
+outputs:
+  artifact-name:
+    description: "name of uploaded artifact"
+    value: ${{ steps.artifact-namer.outputs.artifact-name }}
+
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+  - name: Set up Go
+    uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+    with:
+      go-version: '1.22'
+
+  - name: Build
+    shell: bash
+    run: go build -o unclog -v .
+
+  - name: Default binary name
+    if: ${{ inputs.artifact-name != '' }}
+    shell: bash
+    run: |
+      echo "UNCLOG_BINARY_NAME={{ $inputs.artifact-name }}" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
+
+  - name: Scoped name in PR
+    if: ${{ inputs.artifact-name == '' && github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+    shell: bash
+    run: |
+      echo "UNCLOG_BINARY_NAME=unclog-${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
+  - name: Scoped name on push
+    if: ${{ inputs.artifact-name == '' && github.event_name == 'push' }}
+    shell: bash
+    run: |
+      echo "UNCLOG_BINARY_NAME=unclog-${GITHUB_SHA}" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
+
+  - name: Set artifact-name output parameter
+    id: artifact-namer
+    shell: bash
+    run: |
+      echo "artifact-name=${UNCLOG_BINARY_NAME}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+  - name: Upload unclog binary
+    uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+    with:
+      name: ${{ steps.artifact-namer.outputs.artifact-name }}
+      path: unclog
diff --git a/.github/workflows/changelog-check.yml b/.github/workflows/dogfood.yml
similarity index 51%
rename from .github/workflows/changelog-check.yml
rename to .github/workflows/dogfood.yml
index 4ce87b0..b2ff8ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/changelog-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dogfood.yml
@@ -1,44 +1,28 @@
 # This workflow will build a golang project
 # For more information see: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/automating-builds-and-tests/building-and-testing-go
 
-name: changelog-check
+name: dogfood
 
 on:
   pull_request:
     branches: [ "main" ]
 
 jobs:
-  build-changelog-check:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-    - name: Set up Go
-      uses: actions/setup-go@v5
-      with:
-        go-version: '1.22'
-
-    - name: Build
-      run: go build -o unclog -v .
-
-    - name: Upload linter binary
-      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-      with:
-        name: changelog-check-binary
-        path: unclog
-
   run-changelog-check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: build-changelog-check
-
     steps:
       - name: Checkout source code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: build-unclog
+        id: unclog-build
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build-unclog
 
       - name: Download changelog check binary
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        id: unclog-download
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: changelog-check-binary
+          name: ${{ steps.unclog-build.outputs.artifact-name }}
 
       - name: Get new changelog files
         id: new-changelog-files
@@ -48,6 +32,10 @@ jobs:
             log/**.md
 
       - name: Run lint command
+        shell: bash
         env:
           ALL_ADDED_MARKDOWN: ${{ steps.new-changelog-files.outputs.added_files }}
-        run: chmod +x unclog && ./unclog check -fragment-env=ALL_ADDED_MARKDOWN
+          #UNCLOG_BIN: ${{ steps.unclog-download.outputs.download-path}}/${{ steps.unclog-build.outputs.artifact-name }}
+          #UNCLOG_DIR: ${{ steps.unclog-download.outputs.download-path}}
+        run: |
+          chmod +x unclog && ./unclog check -fragment-env=ALL_ADDED_MARKDOWN
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main-artifact-refresh.yml b/.github/workflows/main-artifact-refresh.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09fda0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/main-artifact-refresh.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+name: main-artifact-refresh
+description: "ensures there is always an unclog artifact available, building monthly (less than 90 day retention period) or when PRs merge to main"
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types:
+      - closed
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "0 0 1 * *" # run first day of month
+
+jobs:
+  refresh-unclog-binary:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout source code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: build-unclog
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build-unclog
+        with:
+          artifact-name: unclog # This is the 'release' artifact name
diff --git a/log/kasey_test-build-action.md b/log/kasey_test-build-action.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e97d33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/kasey_test-build-action.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Changed
+
+- refactored github actions to be composable between local workflow testing and artifact "release"