This episode of Shop Talk Live has been sponsored by Supermax Tools and Audible.

Head over to Audible.com/ShopTalkLive to get a free audio book.

02:00 – Special guest John Ratzenberger

 

16:30 – Question 1:

On the last episode Matt Kenny described Poplar as horrific, dreadful, an abomination, et cetera.  Please expound on this and analyze the alternatives.  I happen to have just used Poplar for my first set of drawer sides and am curious about the pros and cons of each species.

-Andrew

20:35 – Question 2:

I am having some cherry, walnut and maple logs cut into boards. The longs are 18 to 20  inches wide and 9 ft long. I was going to have the cherry rifted sawn to 4/4, the walnut flat sawn and cut to 8/4, and the Maple flat sawn and cut to 8/4.

Should I have this lumber cut differently.  Maybe live edge on the walnut?  Different Thickness?

I don’t Have specific projects set up for this lumber except for maybe a sculpted chair with the walnut.

 -Nick

24:50 – Ben’s Audible recomendation:

One Man’s One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
Written by: Sam Keith , Richard Proenneke
Narrated by: Norman Dietz

Head over to Audible.com/ShopTalkLive to get a free audio book.

30:35 – All Time Favorite Tool of All Time with Rollie Johnson:

Rollie – Walker Turner 16″ bandsaw
Matt – shop lights
Tom – workbench
Ben – shop apron

 

36:25 – Question 3:

I’m new to woodworking and have very limited space, and tools.  I know I will need to get sharp.  Before I go out and buy a sharpening set-up I wanted to get some feedback.  I don’t have any sort of grinding set-up or a way to hollow grind.  With that in mind, do you think I should use funds to buy an ideal sharpening stone set-up, or get a grinder and some less quality stones?

-Roy

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Tom McKenna Editorial Director	Matt Kenney Special Projects Editor	Ben Strano Web Producer

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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 [email protected] 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.