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
STL299: Woodworking Festival Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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We chat with Father John Abraham of Benchcrafted and Phil Huber of The Woodsmith Shop, and Mike, Amanda, and Ben discuss all of the great woodworking festivals of late. 0:00 - Intro 2:30 - Chatting about festivals 16:35…
STL298: That's a fancy commode! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:24
Bob Van Dyke joins Mike and Ben to discuss sharpening to 80 grit, which wood is best for bending, bandsaw blade issues, and shoulder planes. Sign up for our Woodworking Fundamentals journey here - www.finewoodworking.com…
STL297: The hand tool you need to buy is a bandsaw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:33
Gary Rogowski joins Vic and Ben to discuss adjusting hinges, using a chamfer bit for box miters, and making Queen Anne furniture without a bandsaw. 0:00 - Intro 1:28 - Adjusting hinges 27:41 - Chamer bit for box miters?…
STL296: Dinkle dreams of bed frames [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:13
Bridgid from Dinkle's Woodshop joins Amanda and Ben to talk about her obsession with building bed frames, the best material for shop furniture, favorite tools, and how beginners can stop overthinking things in the shop.…
STL: Getting Geeky with ISOtunes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:54
An important discussion about hearing health, and why it's important to every woodworker. ISOtunes hearing protection merges certified protection with cutting-edge communication technology to give you a safe, enjoyable,…
STL295: It's not a router, it's a possibility [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:58
Mike, Vic, and Ben discuss (for the last time) shops without a table saw, when to sell a tool, and why the simplest way to get something done is the best way. Links from this episode can be found here - http://www.shopta…
STL294: The Chair Geeks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:27
In this episode, we talk about all things Windsor chairs with Aspen Golann and Kelly Harris, as well as their involvement with The Chairmaker's Toolbox. Links from this episode can be found here - http://www.shoptalklive…
STL293: Camber Alert! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:42
Megan Fitzpatrick joins Vic and Ben to discuss round vs. square dogs, drilling at an angle, plane iron camber, and the best material to use on a bathroom vanity. 0:00 - Intro 5:00 - Square on a drill press when drilling…
STL292: Tim Coleman wasn't always great [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:13
Tim Coleman tells us about his early days in woodworking and the difficult yet rewarding choices he made on his journey. Links from this episode can be found here - http://www.shoptalklive.com Sign up for the Fine Woodwo…
STL291: Bandsaw tension secrets revealed! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:54
Not really—but Mike, Amanda, and Ben discuss their methods for kind of dialing it in, as well as prefinishing strategies, and how they use computer-aided design in their personal woodworking. Links from this episode can…