STL 366: No Mallet Is Safe

Shea Alexander is a custom furniture maker and the owner of Alexander Brothers lumberyard in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. He has years of experience guiding customers through the process of buying wood, and in this episode Shea and Vic discuss the importance of context when buying materials. What will this walnut table actually look like in 10 years? Are you sure you want riftsawn oak?

You can see more of Shea’s work on Instagram and Substack.

Wood Allergies and Toxicity

If you’re interested in learning more about allergies sparked by toxic woods, then check out the contributions of Seri Robinson. Robinson is a professor of wood anatomy at Oregon State University who possesses an astounding amount of knowledge regarding food and child safety when it comes to wooden objects in the home.

STL326: No Finish? No Problem!

Seri Robinson, a.k.a. Dr. Spalting, says the best food-safe finish is no finish at all.

The Best Food-Safe Finish May Be None at All

Seri Robinson, a professor of wood anatomy, says finishes undermine the natural antimicrobial properties of wood.

Wood allergies and toxicity

Here is a look at common woods and where they fall on the scale from benign to allergy-inducing, to toxic.

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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. Join us on our Discord server here.

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