STL377: Woodworking Myth Busters!

What this episode covers

Seri Robinson, a professor of wood science at Oregon State University, and Dan Bollock, operations manager for Purdue University's Woodworking Lab, bust common woodworking myths. They explain that unfinished red oak cutting boards naturally draw bacteria down into the wood, making finishes and soaps unnecessary and often counterproductive. Bollock reveals that pinned and wedged mortise-and-tenon joints are actually weaker than plain ones due to stress risers, and that gluing only one surface of a joint reduces strength by 40-50%. The experts also advise against using finishes on children's wooden toys, recommending raw, dense woods like maple or beech instead.