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
STL 178: To Glue One Edge or Two? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:20
To enter to win Bob Van Dyke's sharpening box from issue #254: Leave a comment on this episode's show-notes page Head over to the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking site and sign up for their email list We'll pick…
STL 175.5: Bonus Episode with Kate Swann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:06
For more information on The Florida School of Woodwork: http://www.schoolofwoodwork.com/ For more infomation on Fine Woodworking HANDS On 2019 in Tampa, February 1-3: http://bit.ly/2Pbh03U Kate Swann is a lifetime woodwo…
STL177: Pekovich's Primitive Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:11
Question 1: From Matt: I have 3 questions about getting into kumiko: 1.) What (Japanese) chisel would you recommend starting with? Hida Tool - HidaTool.com Iida Tool - JapanTool-Iida.com 2.) What online/printed resources…
STL 176: Why we don't like resawing on the tablesaw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:34
Leave a comment on this episode's show notes page to enter to win a one of three Shop Talk Live t-shirts! - http://bit.ly/2JzIJZb Question 1: From Damon: It's time for me to start surfacing rough boards, but I don't have…
[not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Just a test, nothing to see here
STL 175: Stressful Panel Glue Ups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:22
Head over to ShopTalkLive.com and leave a comment on this episode's show-notes page for your chance to win a one-year membership to Fine Woodworking's new UNLIMITED membership! We'll pick a winner November 9, 2018. Make…
STL 174: The power of the spring joint [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
Become a member today and get instant access to all FineWoodworking.com content. Start your free two week trial here. Show notes are available here. To see the newest issue of Fine Woodworking. Links mentioned in this ep…
STL 173: The Draw of the Wooden Handplane [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:55
Show notes Links mentioned in this episode: Wood Planes Made Easy by David Finck #196–Jan/Feb 2008 Issue - http://bit.ly/2QU8Ui9 Handwork: Make a coopering plane by Clark Kellogg #263-Sep/Oct 2017 Issue - http://bit.ly/2…
STL 172: You're using your chisels wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:16
Sign up now for your chance to win the Ultimate Router Table Giveaway from Fine Woodworking and JessEm Tool Company Links discussed in this episode: Sanding on the Drill Press - by Michael Fortune #254–May/June 2016 Issu…
STL 171: When the Instagram Critics Get To You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:56
To enter to win a USB archive leave a comment on the show notes page for this episode. Winner will be selected September 14, 2018 Sharpening Services – Is it worth the time and expense to get your blades sharpened? Video…