# STL277: When good enough is good enough

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2022-10-21
- Length: 53m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough

## Summary

Amanda Russell, known as the 'Sawdust Woman' and former assistant to high-end furniture maker Phil Morley, discusses the mental shift required to balance custom craftsmanship with production efficiency. She details her approach to material selection, resawing techniques, and the strategic use of jigs, shapers, and pan routers to maintain quality while meeting deadlines. Russell also shares insights into her tool kit, teaching experiences at Austin School of Furniture, and her future plans for small-batch production and education.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=6) Introduction and Career Overview
- [13:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=829) Balancing Custom Work and Production Mindsets
- [17:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=1037) Jig Design and Tool Selection Strategy
- [22:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=1362) Resawing Techniques and Equipment
- [28:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=1691) Shaper vs. Pan Router for Joinery
- [33:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=1997) Teaching and Educational Background
- [38:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=2315) Milling Philosophy and Precision
- [44:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough#t=2694) Essential Tools and Future Plans

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Fabrication & craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fabrication-and-craft)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Phil Morley (other)
- Austin School of Furniture (company)
- Yale Furniture Gallery (company)
- Stanley (product)
- Veritas (product)
- Musgrave (product)
- Alpha (product)
- Milwaukee (product)
- Pen Tool Quo (company)
- Vinka (product)
- Mitutoyo (product)
- Black Wings (product)
- Lee Nielsen (other)
- Home Depot (company)
- Lowe's (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [357: If you had a huge piece of gum and you put it in a sock…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-06-03-357-if-you-had-a-huge-piece-of-gum-and-you-put-it-in-a-sock) (Making It)
- [283: From Craft to Manufacturing: How Crafted Glory’s Kwadwo Som-Pimpong Is Scaling a Furniture Business While Working the Night Shift](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-04-14-283-from-craft-to-manufacturing-how-crafted-glorys-kwadwo-som-pimpong-is-scaling) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Episode 272: Play stairway to Heaven on the trumpet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-08-14-episode-272-play-stairway-to-heaven-on-the-trumpet) (Making It)
- [465: YOU SLICED UP ROB?!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-12-13-465-you-sliced-up-rob) (Making It)
- [Episode 326: You can always sell a drumset…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-10-22-episode-326-you-can-always-sell-a-drumset) (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/2022-10-21-stl277-when-good-enough-is-good-enough. 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.