STL 366: No Mallet is Safe
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In Shop Talk Live episode 366, host Vic Teslin welcomes fellow woodworker and friend Shea Alexander for a deep dive into the nuanced realities of working with wood. The conversation begins with humorous and cautionary tales from Shea’s time working at a lumber yard—ranging from customers loading rough-sawn oak into brand-new Porsches to dangerously stacking 3,500-pound bundles on truck toolboxes—highlighting the critical gap between perception and reality when it comes to wood handling and load safety. The discussion then shifts to the deeper, often overlooked truths about wood itself: its natural, living properties, context-dependent performance, and the importance of understanding grain orientation, wood movement, and aging. Shea emphasizes that wood is not an inanimate block but a dynamic material that changes over time—especially with exposure to light and air—using cherry’s dramatic darkening and walnut’s allergenic potential as key examples. He also addresses misconceptions around materials like red oak, which he defends against its 80s-era stigma, and explores the challenges of working with rare or difficult species like honey locust and black locust. The episode closes with a reflective conversation on tools, where Shea shares his unorthodox philosophy: he values function over sentiment, preferring to craft his own tools from firewood rather than collect fancy ones, even after breaking multiple high-end prototypes. Ultimately, the episode champions practical wisdom, context-aware decision-making, and the courage to start building without overthinking.
Wood is a living, dynamic material that moves, changes color, and reacts to environment—never treat it as an inanimate block.
Always consider context: project purpose, sunlight exposure, grain orientation, and long-term aging when selecting wood.
Red oak is often misunderstood; its reputation stems from poor grain alignment in mass-produced 80s furniture, not the wood itself.
Wood allergies and irritants are real—especially with species like black walnut, sassafras, and Kentucky coffee wood—use proper ventilation and protective gear.
The best tools aren’t always the most expensive: handmade, functional tools (like a firewood mallet) can outperform fancy ones in real-world use.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome & Upcoming Woodworking Trips
Vic Teslin kicks off the episode by promoting upcoming woodworking trips to England and the Nordic countries, as well as an on-demand SketchUp class by Dave Richards.
Lumber Yard Horror Stories
“You're not going to be able to turn. And he's like, I'm not going very far. That's the classic. I'm not going very far.”
The Myth of Wood as Inanimate Material
“There's wood that has moved and wood that hasn't moved yet. Kind of like... you know, there's concrete that's cracked and concrete that hasn't cracked yet.”
Context is Everything in Wood Selection
“The first thing out of my mouth will be, so tell me a little bit about your project. What are you trying to accomplish?”
Red Oak’s Bad Rap & the Real Culprit
Shea debunks the myth that red oak is inherently ugly, arguing that its poor reputation stems from mismatched grain patterns in 80s furniture, not the wood itself.
“If a tree has color, if wood has color or smell, it has an extractive. You can think of like the cultural trend around essential oils.”
“Stop thinking about it. Stop looking at it. Yep. Yep. Just go out, get a piece of wood and start hacking at it. And it'll be a thing.”
“There's wood that has moved and wood that hasn't moved yet. Kind of like... you know, there's concrete that's cracked and concrete that hasn't cracked yet.”
Host
Guest
Shea Alexander
person
Vic Teslin
person
Red Oak
other
Fine Woodworking
organization
Black Walnut
other
Cherry
other
Honey Locust
other
Black Locust
other
Scratch Stock
product
Jared
person
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