STL187: Desert Island Dream Projects

STL187: Desert Island Dream Projects

Author: FineWoodworking.com April 12, 2019 Duration: 1:13:02

Question 1: From Paul: Heide Martin's serving trays in the May/June 2018 are beautiful and I have since made a couple. My question is about keeping the bottom boards flat. I cut some walnut that had been air dried for probably 20 years. In an hour or two both boards cupped. I then sequentially tried wetting one side, wetting both sides, soaking in water, soaking in fabric softener, each time clamping the boards to keep them flat and leaving for days and days to dry out. None of these things worked and in the end I ended up using some walnut plywood instead. How do you folks keep wide, thin boards flat?

Question 2: From Richard: In reality we all have limited amount of shop time available.  However, if the amount of time you could work on a project was not limited what one piece would you choose to make?

Segment: All-Time Favorite Technique

Mike: Using pocket holes to quickly make and change full-size mockups

Tom: Beveling an edge of a workpiece with a handplane

Ben: Riding the back of the blade to start a cut on the edge of workpiece

Question 3:   From Mark: I have been building furniture full-time for just over a year. Is it legal and/or ethical to build something from the magazine or a video workshop and then sell it? For instance, if a client asks me to build 4 Adirondack chairs, my thought is build them loosely based on what I find at Fine Woodworking, vs. reinventing the wheel with my own design every-time.

Question 4: From John: I was reading a FWW article by Steve Latta in issue #241 about draw-bored tenons where he said, "I make pins from riftsawn or quartersawn stock...". If you're making dowels, how can it possibly make any difference whatsoever if you use quartersawn or plain sawn boards? I still like Steve Latta, btw.  Keep up the great work, see y'all at FWWlive!


Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking's biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to shoptalk@taunton.com for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page.


Ever find yourself in the middle of a project, staring at a tricky joint or a piece of lumber that just won't behave, wishing you could ask an expert? That's the space where Shop Talk Live-Fine Woodworking lives. Hosted by the editors and seasoned contributors from Fine Woodworking magazine, this isn't a formal lecture. It's the sound of a conversation happening right in the workshop, where real questions from woodworkers at every level meet practical, time-tested answers. You'll hear the specifics-discussions on tool tuning, finishing nuances, joinery adjustments, and design problem-solving-all grounded in decades of collective hands-on experience. The dialogue is direct and the advice is applicable, whether you're building your first box or restoring a classic piece. This podcast from FineWoodworking.com pulls back the curtain on the craft's finer points, turning those moments of frustration into breakthroughs. It’s like having a master woodworker right there with you, offering clarity and confidence for your next cut. Tune in for the kind of shop talk that makes your time at the bench more productive and a lot more enjoyable.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Shop Talk Live - Fine Woodworking
Podcast Episodes
STL204: Don't Shoot Your Miters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:52
This episode is brought to you by Maverick Abrasives. https://www.maverickabrasives.com/ Check out the lineup for this year's Fine Woodworking Live here - https://:www.finewoodworkinglive.com Links from this episode can…
STL203: Finding holly for inlaying and banding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:35
This episode is brought to you by Maverick Abrasives. https://www.maverickabrasives.com/ Check out the lineup for this year's Fine Woodworking Live here - https://:www.finewoodworkinglive.com Links from this episode can…
STL202: This guy found a workbench on the side of the road! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:07
This episode is brought to you by Maverick Abrasives. https://www.maverickabrasives.com/ Check out the lineup for this year's Fine Woodworking Live here - https://:www.finewoodworkinglive.com This episode's poll, shop-mu…
STL201: Friends Don't Let Friends Go Metric [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:05
This episode is brought to you by Maverick Abrasives. https://www.maverickabrasives.com/ Sign up for the Fine Woodworking weekly eLetter - https://www.finewooworking.com/newsletter Sign up for a Fine Woodworking Unlimite…
STL200: Live from North Jersey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:39
The North Jersey Woodworkers Association or NJWA for short is a community of woodworkers of all types and levels of experience. We have some professionals, some beginners and every skill level in between. Our goal is to…
STL199: In Defense of Tail Vises [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:49
Sign up for the Fine Woodworking weekly eLetter - https://www.finewooworking.com/newsletter Sign up for a Fine Woodworking Unlimited membership - https://www.finewoodworking.com/unlimited Shop Talk Live show notes are av…
STL198.5: Bonus Episode with Tim Rousseau [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:48
Tim's Modern Desk video workshop: https://www.finewoodworking.com/videoworkshop/2019/07/danish-modern-desk-with-tim-rousseau Sign up for the Fine Woodworking weekly eLetter - https://www.finewooworking.com/newsletter Sig…
STL198: How much lumber is too much lumber? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
John, Barry, and Ben discuss workbench stretchers, basement shop vs. garage shop, and a new chapter begins in the round vs. square mortise debate Sign up for the Fine Woodworking weekly eLetter. Sign up for a Fine Woodwo…
STL197: Clean Miters That Are Actually Strong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:04
Question 1: From Elijah: I'm planning on building a floating media cabinet out of 5/4 cherry. The basic idea of the cabinet is an open box that looks like you can look through to the wall. However, it will actually have…
STL196: Is It Time to Upgrade Your Planer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:54
Question 1: From Chase: I have an old 13" hitachi planer I got from craigslist many years ago. It has served me well but is starting to have issues. 13 inches has been useful, but at times I wish it was wider. In your ex…