STL351: Woodworking From UK to the USA

STL351: Woodworking From UK to the USA

Author: FineWoodworking.com October 3, 2025 Duration: 58:51

Mike Pekovich and Phil Huber join Ben to debrief their week-long woodworking tour of England—part museum crawl, part shop class, all inspiration. From London's Building Crafts College (trade-focused millwork and stonemasonry) to the Snowdon School of Furniture (studio furniture, domestic woods, and a "rip-only" tablesaw philosophy), they compare shop practices and rethink joinery workflows (tenoners, Domino, band-sawn cheeks, using the miter saw's depth stop). The trip winds through the Westonbirt Arboretum and an unforgettable boxwood deep-dive with a Baroque oboe maker, then into the V&A's technique-curated furniture gallery. In the Cotswolds, Rodmarton Manor (Barnsley/Gimson) and the Gordon Russell Museum spark lessons in design "grammar," chamfers, and English drawer slips you'll want to steal. There's even a pub-hall turning demo with Paul Hannaby—pints included. Plus: a quick preview of next week's Woodworking in America in Des Moines and what Ben, Phil, and friends will be teaching and doing on site.

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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
STL251: Assume the glue is going to fail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:12
This episode is sponsored by Festool 0:00 - Intro 1:52 - End grain glue myths! 21:34 - Joints in long runs of crown molding 32:43 - Segments 45:22 - Floating tenon joinery options We're hiring an assistant digital editor…
STL250: Catching up with Ed Pirnik [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:21
Visit FoundationsOfWoodworking.com for more information on Mike's online course, The Foundations of Woodworking. Links from this episode can be found here - http://www.shoptalklive.com Sign up for the Fine Woodworking we…
STL249: MDF on a jointer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:30
Bob Van Dyke joins Mike and Ben to discuss story sticks, cooling glue to get more open time, spring joints and admits to milling MDF on his machines! Sponsored by Grizzly Industrial 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Are woodworking cl…
STL248: Best of Shop Talk Live #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:52
Segments from: STL179 https://www.finewoodworking.com/2018/12/21/stl179-barrys-insane-scrub-plane STL185 https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/03/15/stl185-reading-bob-van-dykes-mind STL214 https://www.finewoodworking.com…
STL Profile: Erika Torres [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:20
Erika Torres is a woodworker in Oregon who has been building in some form or fashion since 2002. After completing Gary Rogowski's mastery program at the Northwest School of Woodworking, she has begun her woodworking care…
STL247: Drop the baseline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:31
Mike and Ben discuss getting rid of marking gauge lines on dovetails, how long their blades last, more apron and pencil preferences, and why Mike has a day job. This episode is sponsored by Pony/Jorgensen 0:00 - Intro 1:…
STL246: The mighty biscuit joiner vs. the domino [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:22
0:00 - Intro 6:33 - How do you keep track of huge projects? 17:17 - Should a semi-pro get a slider? 34:20 - Biscuit joiner vs. domino 47:23 - Dealing with big glue ups? Mike's YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/c/Mik…
STL245: Hope chest or nope chest? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:58
This episode is sponsored by Maverick Abrasives - https://www.maverickabrasives.com/ 0:00 - Intro 8:14 - How do you approach a new project? 22:51 - Breadboard end pinned on a glue joint 29:11 - Smooth moves 44:00 - Oil s…
STL244: Laura Mays–The Inquisitive Furniture Maker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:10
Jon Binzen interviews Laura Mays, woodworker and director of The Krenov School, about her journey to woodworking and the inspiration behind her inquisitive work. This episode is sponsored by Maverick Abrasives - https://…
STL243: Are big squares necessary? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:17
Mike, Anissa, and Ben discuss big squares, assembly tables, woodworking with friends, and Anissa's new obsession; plexiglass divider construction. 0:00 - Intro 2:31 - Anissa needs a hobby (plexiglass dividers) 6:19 - Ben…