Splinters with Gary Rogowski

19

This podcast series is a look at furniture building from a veteran maker, designer, and author. The episodes are practical, philosophic, witty, and irreverent. Gary was a former contributing editor at Fine Woodworking Magazine, and founded The Northwest Woodworking Studio, A School for Woodworkers, in Portland, Oregon in 1997. He has no illusions about the value of this work in today’s culture of fast and furious and disposable. Making art, building furniture, is work that is useless and beautiful, and necessary for those who produce it. Creativity feeds the soul like nothing else can.

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Recent Episodes
  • April’s Gluing Fool
    Apr 1, 2025 – 00:04:42
  • Furniture Design
    Mar 18, 2025 – 00:30:28
  • The Chair: Considered
    Feb 20, 2025 – 00:17:26
  • Q&A #3
    Feb 6, 2025 – 00:33:06
  • Q&A #2
    Jan 1, 2025 – 00:35:27
  • Setting Up Shop
    Dec 17, 2024 – 00:18:08
  • Q&A on Woodworking
    Nov 29, 2024 – 00:33:35
  • Nuts and Bolts and Screws
    Nov 17, 2024 – 00:19:24
  • I Get It
    Oct 8, 2024 – 00:09:40
  • To Be Seen
    Sep 8, 2024 – 00:11:36
  • Teaching Styles
    Aug 8, 2024 – 13:20
  • Flow in the Shop
    Jul 11, 2024 – 16:30
  • Lyricism
    Mar 21, 2024 – 10:30
  • Precision
    Jan 17, 2024 – 11:48
  • Creativity: Hustlers, Fakers, & Thieves
    Jan 4, 2024 – 10:25
  • Cutting on the Wrong Side of the Line
    Dec 3, 2023 – 4:14
  • Reading the Fish
    Oct 31, 2023 – 9:53
  • Musing on Mastery
    Oct 5, 2023 – 10:07
  • Creativity and You, the Student of It
    Sep 13, 2023 – 15:44
  • Addled
    Aug 18, 2023 – 6:06
  • Dead Bird
    Jul 16, 2023 – 10:28
  • My First Shop
    Jun 19, 2023 – 17:35
  • Setting Up Shop
    Apr 28, 2023 – 22:00
  • Flow
    Feb 23, 2023 – 6:48
  • What Happened?
    Jan 27, 2023 – 6:04
  • Open That Door
    Nov 13, 2022 – 10:58
  • Counting the Rocks
    Oct 10, 2022 – 9:36
  • What If?
    Jul 13, 2022 – 4:42
  • Rock Climbing and the Online Mastery Program
    Jul 5, 2022 – 16:32
  • Pay Attention
    May 24, 2022 – 10:45
  • Bird Brain
    Apr 7, 2022 – 9:06
  • Footsteps
    Feb 28, 2022 – 7:25
  • Dead Weight
    Jan 2, 2022 – 12:03
  • Borrowing My Chisel
    Dec 21, 2021 – 5:04
  • At the Bench
    Nov 28, 2021 – 6:11
  • Question Your Assumptions
    Nov 8, 2021 – 8:32
  • Why Do This Work?
    Oct 13, 2021 – 10:22
  • Gargantua
    Sep 28, 2021 – 13:18
  • Which Wood, Why, reprise
    Jul 26, 2021 – 18:08
  • Change
    Jul 12, 2021 – 18:44
  • The Problem at the Bench As Well
    Jun 27, 2021 – 15:59
  • A Spoon in the Road
    Jun 14, 2021 – 12:34
  • Something Useless
    May 31, 2021 – 21:46
  • Stuck Again
    May 18, 2021 – 19:25
  • Playtime
    May 4, 2021 – 16:33
  • Transitions
    Apr 19, 2021 – 5:10
  • Shuck and Jive
    Apr 5, 2021 – 11:10
  • The Joy of Gluing
    Mar 24, 2021 – 8:38
  • Choosing Lumber
    Mar 8, 2021 – 12:36
  • Balancing Act
    Feb 23, 2021 – 12:56
Recent Reviews
  • Corey Swanson
    Splinters
    I really enjoy the splinters podcast! I really enjoy listening to Gary’s perspective. It’s always very thoughtful and practical. Great to have on while working in the shop!
  • blue footed boobies
    Splinters are real
    Gary has a good honest tale to tell about his path into woodworking and what it means to him. He discusses all aspects of the tools of the trade and the trade itself with great analogies and experiences he has had. His articles in FWW mag and books like Taunton’s Joinery book attest to his respected skillset as a woodworker. Good humble stuff here.
  • Jcookwyo
    Life lessons
    I’m not a woodworker, but I’ve listened to several Splinters episodes after looking for podcasts on recovering from mistakes. It’s hard to stop listening to these episodes! Although I don’t understand the woodworking/craftsman language, I find Gary’s wisdom about navigating work and life so calming. Thank you.
  • Enigma ou812
    Introspection can be a cruel mistress
    Be Thor, like woodwork so goes life. Gary’s deep dive into the mind of the woodworker is both familiar and fun. Words are like old friends.
  • NewWoodwrkr
    Interesting reflections, a great listen
    Really enjoy Gary’s musings and lessons. He shares what he’s learned - the good and bad. Appreciate his intellect and keeping his podcast “grown-up” instead of always trying to be funny like some in this genre. Listen carefully and you will catch the constant thread of great encouragement. Never thought musings on various tools could be so entertaining. Point of interest: actually the Phillips screw and driver were invented by John P Robertson in 1932. Robertson sold his patent to Henry Phillips after not being able to get interest in it. Phillips was a businessman who drive its popularity.
  • Beanbone
    Real
    Gary doesn’t just give us information but he’s good at voicing what is going through our minds as we work or screw up or do well. This is very informative but in a realistic manner. Thanks Gary.
  • Wrecks2007
    Good wood info.
    Good and insightful info explained in an understandable manner. Keep up the good work Gary.
  • Sbworks
    Well said!
    A full time woodworker myself I enjoyed the thoughts and insights. I have found that a percentage of the art of woodworking is in the act of staying in business. Cheers!
  • martininfrance
    Which wood, why?
    Great review.
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