# STL 70: Lie-Nielsen Live

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2014-10-17
- Length: 1h 12m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.libsyn.com/stl-70-lie-nielsen-live

## Summary

Asa Christiana interviews Thomas Lie-Nielsen, founder of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, about his journey from a blueberry farm in 1981 to running a 85-person factory in Maine. They discuss the company's philosophy of evolving historical designs with superior materials like bronze and thicker steel, and the meticulous manufacturing process involving hand-filing and specialized machinery. Lie-Nielsen details upcoming products, including a plow plane and a versatile stainless steel honing guide, while emphasizing the importance of education and community in sustaining the hand tool woodworking movement.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=6) Introduction: Lead Paint Safety and Reclaimed Lumber
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=243) Fixing Bench Vices and the Twin Screw Advantage
- [11:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=693) Drying Lumber and Setting Up a Small Shop
- [26:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=1579) Interview: Thomas Lie-Nielsen and Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
- [47:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=2865) New Tools: Plow Plane and Honing Guide
- [1:06:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live#t=3985) Shellac Shelf Life and Listener Questions

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Lie-Nielsen Toolworks (company)
- Stanley (company)
- Lee Valley (company)
- Garrett Wade (company)
- Veritas (company)
- Grizzly (company)
- Laguna (company)
- Bosch (company)
- Jet (company)
- Festool (company)
- Miller's Falls (company)
- Eclipse (product)
- Shooting Plane 51 (product)
- Plow Plane (product)
- Honing Guide (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Leatherman Tool Group: Tim Leatherman](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-31-leatherman-tool-group-tim-leatherman) (How I Built This)
- [Episode 165: Don’t let it beat you.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-04-20-episode-165-dont-let-it-beat-you) (Making It)
- [126: Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2025-09-11-126-ten-years) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [53: LoveFrom Jony](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2019-08-14-53-lovefrom-jony) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [S5E45 Andy Wells | Touching Lives Through Engineering (Rerun)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-11-08-s5e45-andy-wells-touching-lives-through-engineering-rerun) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2014-10-17-stl-70-lie-nielsen-live. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Shop Talk Live.