# STL318: Back to School

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2024-06-14
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl318-back-to-school

## Summary

Ashley Pieper and Bonnie Elisabeth Hawk, two furniture makers at the early stage of their professional careers, discuss their divergent paths through woodworking education. Pieper, who is completing a two-year online mastery program with Gary Yudowski, and Hawk, a recent graduate of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (CFC) and Austin School of Furniture, compare the benefits of in-person intensives versus remote learning. They cover design processes, the importance of tactile prototyping, retaining knowledge through notes, and navigating the transition from student to commission-based maker.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=6) Introduction and Mike Michelli's Finishing Course
- [8:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=481) Guest Backgrounds: Austin School of Furniture and CFC
- [12:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=739) Design Process: Tactile Prototyping and Sketching
- [18:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=1120) Comparing In-Person vs. Online Woodworking Education
- [31:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=1884) Retaining Knowledge and Taking Notes
- [38:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=2311) Benefits of Working at a Lumberyard
- [46:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=2774) Building Chairs: Design Challenges and Resources
- [55:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=3341) Overcoming Comparison and Navigating Critique
- [1:07:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school#t=4036) Future Plans: Commissions and Gallery Work

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Austin School of Furniture (company)
- Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (company)
- Mike Michelli (other)
- Gary Yudowski (other)
- Chair Maker's Toolbox (company)
- Woodcraft (company)
- Baltic birch (material)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [528: Grippy Bits](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2026-06-05-528-grippy-bits) (Making It)
- [Making It #019: Learning to teach](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-04-29-making-it-019-learning-to-teach) (Making It)
- [539: My Ai Powered Ergonomic Chair](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2026-09-25-539-my-ai-powered-ergonomic-chair) (Making It)
- [Episode 083: Learn how to learn.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-08-12-episode-083-learn-how-to-learn) (Making It)
- [Making It #013: Be Curious](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-03-19-making-it-013-be-curious) (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/2024-06-14-stl318-back-to-school. 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.