In our most recent episode of the Mortise & Tenon Podcast, we spent time discussing how to make the most out of this social distance isolation most of us are experiencing. We talk about how we see the way this could open up new opportunities to experience life in a rich way both now in the midst of the virus and into the future once its passed. This episode is dedicated to inspiring you to not lose heart and to not give up on intentional living and craftsmanship. Items Mentioned in this Episode: My New Book “Another Work is Possible” Now Shipping The Documentary Film of “Another Work is Possible” Spoon Blanks for Carving in Your Apartment Michigan Sloyd Spoon...
We recorded this episode of the podcast last Friday as Issue Eight was uploading to the printer – and at rural Maine internet speeds, there was plenty of time for a conversation! As we’ve spent the last several weeks getting this issue dialed in and ready to publish, we’ve grown even more excited about the content – our authors have crafted some beautiful and inspiring articles. From spending a few lively days with the Roy Underhill, to the story of a high-school English teacher reproducing Henry David Thoreau’s desk with 11th graders, to witnessing the mechanical genius and thoughtful choices of boatbuilder Harry Bryan, we’ll discuss some of this issue’s articles and the stories behind them. As we all await the arrival...
In this episode of our podcast, Mike and I discuss our handmade Christmas gifts. This time of the year is a great excuse to get into the shop. We’ve been making gifts for years, and there are many ideas one could try out. We spent this episode discussing several of our projects in order give you ideas for the next gift you give.
Handmade gifts are a special thing. It is not an easy to commit to making gifts instead of buying them, but it is rewarding to invest yourself in something that will mean so much to those you love.
This podcast episode (listen above) is all about filling you in on our incredibly intense summer. Between the workshop with our six students, Issue Seven shipping out, and our hand-tool-only timber frame blacksmith shop, we’ve been out straight busy. Also, in this episode, meet Grace, our new team member. You’ll hear our enthusiasm for the whirlwind of events that happened as well as the new projects we’re working to wrap up now! A new book, a documentary film, and another apprenticeship video all on the horizon!
This episode of our podcast was recorded on the road yesterday as we headed back home from Portland, Maine. Fortified by delicious caffeine after a whole day of weaving rush seats, we reported on a number of research trips we’ve made in the past few weeks. We were given the opportunity to look deeply into an extensive collection of early 19th-century furniture and document their construction, and we share about the experience in this episode. Also, we discuss our visit into the workshop of Peter Lamb. Peter has a massive collection of antique tools and many of them have stories connected to people he’s close to. His philosophy of handcraft, creativity, and social justice is rooted in his relationship to...
Ever wonder what ancient tool marks, a Swedish chair shop, Söetsu Yanagi, computer coders, spoon carving, philosophers, and communal singing have in common? This M&T podcast episode ties them all together as we discuss Joshua’s recent talk at Fine Woodworking Live, in which he made a case for sweaty, gritty, hand-tool-only furniture making in the 21st-century. Built on excerpts from the talk itself, we look at this presentation point-by-point. If you spend large amounts of time in front of screens and are dying to discover something tangible, this podcast is for you. Items Mentioned in this Podcast: The Humanure Handbook, Joseph Jenkins Photos from FWW Live: #fwwlive Swedish Chair Shop Video The Unknown Craftsman, Söetsu Yanagi Technology and the Character...
This Saturday, Kyle Barton and Sean Wisniewski of the Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast published a new podcast episode of a conversation I had with them last week. We talked about why I believe pre-industrial woodworking is valuable in the 21st-century, my upcoming presentation at the Fine Woodworking Live event, my book “Hands Employed Aright,” and new things on the horizon for M&T.
Listening to recordings of myself talk is always weird. I tried not to step on any toes, and think I was mostly successful reining it in when it comes to my views on hand tools and power tools, advertising, and the industrial consumer economy. But you be the judge.
Link here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modern-woodworkers-association-podcast-conversations/id502349432&ls=1
- Joshua
In this episode of our podcast, Mike discusses his article “A Tale of Two Trees: The Radical Efficiency of Green Woodworking” in upcoming Issue Six. Mike presents a big picture view of procuring lumber by comparing industrial logging and milling with harvesting your own with hand tools. He makes the startling (and compelling) case that green woodworking is more efficient in the big picture than highly developed industrial processing. We discuss the value of curved branches, the genius of coppicing, and working the material before it dries.
Items Mentioned in this Podcast:
Issue Six
Dawson Moore – Michigan Sloyd
Our newest podcast episode titled “Barriers to Woodworking” is now live and can be listened to above. In this episode, Mike and Joshua talk with content editor, Jim McConnell, about common barriers to hand-tool woodworking. We discuss things like accessibility to tools (new and old), workable workshop space, decent lumber, wading through the sea of woodworking knowledge available, and scarcity of time to get any time in the shop. This was a rich conversation. Let us know what you think. What barriers have you come up against in your journey into hand-tool woodworking?
Items Mentioned in this Episode:
Brendan Gaffney’s Lumberyard Map
The Tool Barn
During Jim’s visit a few weeks ago, we recorded this new episode (listen above) in which we further explore the topic of Jim’s article from Issue Three: “On Perfection: Both Practical & Practiced”. Jim talks about how this topic developed in his own life and what happened when he enlisted others to contribute their own answers to a series on his blog. Jim was surprised to find different perspectives on perfection in woodworking which eventually inspired his M&T article. In this podcast, we dive a little deeper into this topic of perfection in woodworking.
Items Mentioned in the Podcast:
Issue Three featuring Jim’s article “On Perfection: Both Practical & Practiced”
Jim McConnell’s “Perfection” blog series
