STL378: The Tweezer Man Cometh

What this episode covers

Mike Pekovich, Owen Madden, and Bridgid Gruber of Fine Woodworking discuss how wood science informs practical joinery decisions, specifically addressing Dan Bullock's claim that pinning tenons reduces strength by 20-40%. They argue that while pins create stress risers, the resulting joint remains far stronger than necessary for typical furniture loads, making pinning a valid aesthetic and mechanical choice. The team also covers troubleshooting sticky wooden drawer slides, managing glue squeeze-out in mortise and tenon joints, and using tools like the Stanley 80 scraper and Lee Nielsen plane for difficult grain.