# STL313: (wood)Working for a Living

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2024-04-05
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl-313-woodworking-for-a-living

## Summary

Owen Madden of Rowan Woodworks and Evan Court, a furniture maker and commercial woodworking manager in Dallas, discuss the realities of working in high-end production shops. They cover the transition from traditional furniture making to serial production, the importance of foundational training at schools like North Bennett Street, and the specific challenges of maintaining quality and safety during repetitive tasks. The conversation also details their approaches to process efficiency, CNC usage, and the structure of apprenticeship programs in modern millwork.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=6) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds
- [6:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=410) The Role of Formal Education and Fundamentals
- [11:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=717) Sharpening and Efficiency: When Time is Money
- [16:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=1000) Safety and Mental Engagement in Repetitive Work
- [25:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=1528) Quality vs. Production: Trade-offs and Mindset
- [37:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=2233) Project Management and Batching Strategies
- [50:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=3014) Apprenticeships and Teaching Door Making
- [57:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living#t=3454) Conclusion: The Reality of Professional Woodworking

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- North Bennett Street School (other)
- Austin School Furniture (other)
- Fine Woodworking (company)
- Phil Morley (other)
- Woodcraft (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [466: This is My Workshop Trumpet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-12-19-466-this-is-my-workshop-trumpet) (Making It)
- [454: Getting Dressed With A Door Open](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-09-13-454-getting-dressed-with-a-door-open) (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)
- [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)
- [503: It’s Made Me a More Fearless Maker](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-10-31-503-its-made-me-a-more-fearless-maker) (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/2024-04-05-stl313-wood-working-for-a-living. 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.