# STL292: Tim Coleman wasn't always great

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2023-06-02
- Length: 57m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great

## Summary

Tim Coleman, a renowned studio furniture maker, discusses his journey from a hobbyist in his parents' basement to a professional artist, detailing his apprenticeship with Kurt Hentschel and influences like James Krenov. He explains the technical advantages of lumber core substrates for stable, large-scale veneered panels and defines the practical limits of veneer thickness to avoid delamination. Coleman also reflects on the financial realities of being a furniture maker, emphasizing the importance of embracing the slow, iterative nature of design and the value of commission work in driving creative exploration.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great#t=7) Introduction and Early Life
- [15:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great#t=918) Career Path and Apprenticeship
- [11:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great#t=681) Lumber Core Construction
- [39:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great#t=2373) Design Process and Efficiency
- [50:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great#t=3040) Veneer Thickness and Wood Movement

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Tim Coleman (other)
- Kurt Hentschel (other)
- James Krenov (other)
- Bill Walker (other)
- Stuart Wirtz (other)
- Darwin Martin House (other)
- Frank Lloyd Wright (other)
- Fine Woodworking (other)
- Shop Talk Live (other)

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## 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/2023-06-02-stl292-tim-coleman-wasnt-always-great. 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.