STL351: Woodworking From UK to the USA

Mike Pekovich and Phil Huber join Ben for a deep-dive debrief of their week-long woodworking tour of England—equal parts museum crawl, shop visit, and design school. They start in London at the Building Crafts College (trade-focused millwork and stonemasonry) and then head to the Snowden School of Woodworking, where a “rip-only” table-saw philosophy reshapes how they think about workflow. Expect practical takeaways: setting a sliding miter saw’s depth stop for tenon shoulders, band-sawing cheeks, when loose-tenon joinery beats traditional layouts, and why tenoners still rule in pro shops. The crew also explores the national arboretum for a materials-first perspective and sits in on a boxwood masterclass with a Baroque instrument maker—an ear-opening look at density, tone, and why boxwood can rival ebony.

The inspiration snowballs in the galleries: the V&A’s technique-curated furniture hall (marquetry, carving, and old-meets-new pairings) and, in the Cotswolds, an Arts & Crafts manor designed by the Barnsley/Gimson circle that ties architecture and furniture into a single design language. At the Gordon Russell Museum, they’re encouraged to open doors and drawers—perfect for geeking out on English drawer slips, relieved edges, and chamfer “grammar” you’ll want to steal. There’s even a perfect pub-hall turning demo (pints included). The episode closes with a quick preview of next week’s Woodworking in America in Des Moines—presentations, vendors, shop talk, and plenty of time to compare notes with fellow woodworkers.

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