Episode 032: Listener Questions

Making It · 13 Aug 2015 · 53m

What this episode covers

Hosts Bob Clagett, Jimmy Diresta, and David Picciuto answer listener questions about workshop management, tool maintenance, and maker psychology. They discuss strategies for handling shop layout, such as positioning table saws near entrances, and debate the merits of sharpening versus replacing saw blades. The conversation also covers overcoming creative blocks, managing project priorities, and encouraging young people, particularly girls, to engage in making by showcasing finished, desirable projects rather than just tools.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Shop Talk Live · 54m

    STL 82: Matt Kenney's Controversial Arrest

    Hosts Ed Perna and Mike Mertz discuss woodworking techniques, including the installation of workbench vises, eliminating sanding swirls, and sharpening hand planes. They share personal shop anecdotes, such as Mike's planer calibration hack and Ed's drawer veneering trick, while addressing listener questions on tool selection and efficiency. The episode also debunks common woodworking myths, such as the necessity of finishing both sides of a board or avoiding sanding after hand planing.

  • Shop Talk Live · 58m

    STL345: Rogowski's Rose-Colored Safety Glasses

    Gary Rogowski and Vic Johnson join Ben to discuss woodworking equipment, techniques, and teaching. Gary details his new shop setup, his obsession with bandsaws (specifically a Gates American and a Yates American), and his theory on blade drift, while also debating the durability and thickness of shop veneer for furniture. Vic and Gary share insights on using aggressive tools like Stu Mac scrapers and luthier tools, and recommend simple, engaging projects for teaching youth, such as milking stools, skateboards, and cajons.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 16m

    STL 158: You see a chisel, he sees your soul

    Hosts Tom McKenna, Mike Beckovic, and Ben Strano discuss woodworking techniques, including the use of marking knives versus pencils for layout, the importance of flat bandsaw tables, and the nuances of sharpening tools with systems like the Worksharp 3000 and Veritas Mark 2. They also share personal 'smooth moves' involving book layout, building a miter shooting board, and a mistake made while fitting ebony feet. The episode concludes with a philosophical question about which furniture form to build for a lifetime, with hosts choosing wall cabinets, tables, and ladderback chairs respectively.

  • Shop Talk Live · 42m

    STL359: Making the Most of Shop Time

    Mike Pekovich, Vic Tesla, and Amanda Russell discuss strategies for managing limited shop time, emphasizing the use of detailed checklists and 'order of operations' to minimize setup friction and decision fatigue during short work sessions. The hosts address how to handle interruptions in large projects by breaking tasks into small, definable steps and using visual markers like grease pencils to track joinery locations. They also debate the value of deliberate practice, suggesting that building functional, low-stakes items like trays or boxes is more effective for skill acquisition than repetitive drills on scrap wood.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 06m

    STL 164: Sometimes you can blame the tools

    Host Ben Strano and guests Mike Pekovich, Matt Kenny, and Jeff Rose discuss common woodworking frustrations, including joiner setup errors and defective bandsaw blades. They share their all-time favorite techniques, such as Mike's 'joinery roadmap' for planning complex furniture and Jeff's method for installing fabric box bottoms. The group also debates the merits of a plywood edge-grain workbench and the proper sharpening methods for Japanese chisels using a Tormec grinder.

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