154 - Buckeye

154 - Buckeye

Author: Shannon Rogers August 27, 2025 Duration: 49:14
My featured species this episode is Buckeye. Its a non commercial species but not terribly hard to find and has some unique color and high propensity to form burls. But the real meat of this show is a look at how a forest regenerates after a disturbance like a fire or logging. The successional forest model helps us understand how forestry managers can foster a healthy forest through logging. But then we look at how bugs and blights can disrupt the succession model even further.

Shannon Rogers hosts Shannon's Lumber Industry Update, a podcast that feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend in a well-stocked workshop. Forget dry industry reports; this is an accessible, engaging dive into the world of wood, framed around the questions real people have. Each episode tackles the practical and the curious, from selecting the right board for a project to unraveling the history and science behind how trees become timber. The goal is to cut through common misconceptions and foster a deeper appreciation for the material that has shaped human civilization. You'll come away not just with answers, but with a sharper, more nuanced understanding of lumber's journey from forest to finished piece. It’s a space where beginners and seasoned woodworkers alike can develop a more intuitive sense for their craft, becoming, as Shannon puts it, a little more wood savvy. Tune in for a consistently informative and surprisingly relaxing listen that makes the complexities of an ancient industry feel relevant and fascinating. This podcast naturally finds its home in the Leisure category, perfect for anyone who enjoys working with their hands or simply wants to understand the stories hidden in the grain.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 170

Shannon's Lumber Industry Update
Podcast Episodes
60 - Softwoods 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:35
Softwoods. These woods get overlooked a lot because they are deemed not as durable or stable as hardwoods. In this episode is dive deep into the structure of softwoods. I start with a look at the botanical families and t…
59 - Pressure Treated Wood, Rot, and Dimensional Terms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:07
In this episode I talk about pressure treated lumber, define wood rot, discuss the Emerald Ash Borer, how to bleach wood, and finally delve into the term "full" and "scant" when it comes to lumber dimensions.
58 - Wood Spalting and Staining [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:28
Today I'm taking about wood spalting and wood staining due to fungus, bugs, or the enzymes within the wood. All of the gooey goodness inside our woods can produce some cool results and in many cases they aren't fully und…
57 - Steaming Lumber for Color [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:50
Steaming lumber is done to change the color by blending more of the heartwood color into the sapwood. In this episode I talk about this process but do so by answering a whole bunch of semi related questions to build our…
56 - Lumber Seasons and Hickory Varieties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
In this episode I discuss the seasonality of the lumber industry, mold on your drying boards, the varieties of Hickory, wood movement during the build, fishing lure woods, and woods we see every day but may not know abou…
55 - Lumber Prices...Yet Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:18
On this episode I'm revisiting lumber prices yet again as the craziness may be nearing an end. But I predict pricing will never return to pre COVID levels. It seems the Fed agrees with me too. Also on this show some Lace…
54 - How Can We Stretch Our Lumber Farther [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:55
In this episode I follow up on some exterior wood questions, wood for a sauna, and finally discuss how we as woodworkers and an industry can stretch our boards farther. Proper planning goes a long way but in general the…
53 - Modified Wood & Engineered Wood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:25
Today I talk about engineered woods vs modified woods. I discuss the different types of modification and the benefits and drawbacks of each as well as some brands to watch in the modified wood space.
52 - Exterior Woods [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:38
Choosing the right species of wood for exterior projects doesn't have to be difficult when you understand the factors that make a good outdoor wood. In this episode we discuss the 5-6 factors that make a good exterior wo…
50 - Mahogany and Its Imitators [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:03
Mahogany is a name that gets attached to a lot of different wood species. Let's talk about Mahogany. What is it really and what about all those variants from Africa and Asia and South America that also call themselves Ma…