# STL374: The Space Between the Dots

- Show: [Shop Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live)
- Published: 2026-09-04
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots
- Listen: https://shoptalklive.podcast.static.taunton.com/stl374-the-space-between-the-dots

## Summary

Vasko Sotirov, a woodworker from Orgiano, Italy, and Fine Woodworking cover author, discusses his design philosophy, emphasizing that boxes are ideal for experimenting with aesthetics like dot spacing and dovetails without high commitment. He explains his preference for analog sketching to avoid emotional attachment to digital designs and advocates for using the measurement system (metric or imperial) that feels most natural to the maker. Sotirov details his technical approach to cutting precise miters using a sliding table saw and identifies his Lie-Nielsen No. 5.5 hand plane as his favorite tool due to its balance and feel.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=6) Introduction: Vasko Sotirov and Fine Woodworking Covers
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=243) Design Process: Iterating from Chest of Drawers to Dot Boxes
- [7:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=424) Prototyping: Analog Sketching vs. Digital CAD and Material Selection
- [22:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=1341) Design Systems: Metric vs. Imperial Units and Proportional Thinking
- [35:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=2113) Joinery: Techniques for Cutting Precise Miters with a Sliding Table Saw
- [51:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots#t=3104) Favorite Tool: The Lie-Nielsen No. 5.5 Hand Plane and Workshop Environment

## Topics

- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Fabrication & craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fabrication-and-craft)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Fine Woodworking (company)
- Lie-Nielsen (other)
- AutoCAD (tool)
- SketchUp (tool)
- Festool (other)
- Domino (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 297: I’m not sick, just 53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2021-02-26-episode-297-im-not-sick-just-53) (Making It)
- [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)
- [438: It Feels Like a Big Boy Saw](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-04-19-438-it-feels-like-a-big-boy-saw) (Making It)
- [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)
- [Episode 179: It’s a napkin holder… WITH A LASER.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-08-17-episode-179-its-a-napkin-holder-with-a-laser) (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/2026-09-04-stl374-the-space-between-the-dots. 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.