# STL255: Vic's plywood workbench

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2021-12-03
- Length: 1h 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl255-vics-plywood-workbench

## Summary

Vic Teslin, a contributor to Fine Woodworking, discusses his Baltic birch workbench, noting that while the structure is rigid, the surface suffered from tear-out around dog holes, leading him to seek a hybrid between an MFT and a stout bench. He also addresses sharpening toothed blades for low-angle planes, advising that they should be treated like standard blades, and reviews battery-powered tools like a handheld planer and saw for removing old paint and cutting cedar. Finally, he compares traditional wedge-secured hand planes to Krenov-style designs, explaining that a quarter-inch brass dowel pin works effectively without denting hardwood wedges.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=6) Introduction: Shop Talk Live and Gift Guide
- [3:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=196) Apartment Woodworking and Noise Constraints
- [16:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=961) Vic's $1000 Shop and Minimalist Tools
- [20:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=1238) Baltic Birch Workbench Design and Failures
- [36:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=2202) Sharpening Toothed Blades for Low-Angle Planes
- [46:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=2765) Battery-Powered Tools for Treehouse and Paint Removal
- [1:04:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench#t=3893) Hand Plane Wedge vs. Crosspin Design

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Fabrication & craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fabrication-and-craft)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Fine Woodworking (company)
- Baltic birch (material)
- MFT (product)
- Veritas (company)
- DeWalt (company)
- Krenov (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Making It #010: If it looks straight….](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-02-26-making-it-010-if-it-looks-straight) (Making It)
- [Episode 332: Plywood is good](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-11-27-episode-332-plywood-is-good) (Making It)
- [Episode 163: Live Edge Bowling  Ball](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-04-06-episode-163-live-edge-bowling-ball) (Making It)
- [361: It’s complicated](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-07-08-361-its-complicated) (Making It)
- [496: Forensic Wire Work](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-08-30-496-forensic-wire-work) (Making It)

## 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/2021-12-03-stl255-vics-plywood-workbench. 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.