Episodes
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85 – Traditional New Mexican Furniture Making with Andrew Gonzales
In this episode, Joshua talks with woodworker and researcher Andrew Gonzales who wrote for Issue Twenty-One about traditional New Mexican furniture making. Gonzales received an M&T Craft Research Grant in 2025, and in the course of his hands-on investigation, discovered some fascinating aspects…
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84 – Coperthwaite on “Life Work” with Kenneth Kortemeier
In this episode, Joshua again sits down with Kenneth Kortemeier of Maine Coast Craft School to discuss Bill Coperthwaite’s final chapter in A Handmade Life titled “Life Work.” Bill leaves us with a call to pursue a whole life of adventure, rather than one of occasional escape. He wants us to…
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83 – Coperthwaite on “Simplicity” with Kenneth Kortemeier
In this episode, Joshua sits down with Kenneth Kortemeier of Maine Coast Craft School to discuss Bill Coperthwaite’s chapter on “Simplicity.” Because Kenneth was a close friend of Bill’s, he brings a fascinating (and surprising) perspective to Bill’s words and life. This man’s “experiment in...
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82 – Tools for Engagement: Reclaiming Craft in an Age of Technology
In this episode, the guys discussion their latest book: Tools for Engagement: Reclaiming Craft in an Age of Technology. This has been in the works for several years, and it is unlike any other craft book out there. Bringing together rich discussion about the value of skilled hand work with a...
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81 – Coperthwaite on “Wealth, Riches, Treasure”
In this new episode, the guys work their way through Bill’s chapter on the true meaning of “wealth.” Rather than think of wealth merely in terms of monetary accumulation, Bill suggests we think of real enrichment as sharing things that benefit others, such as teaching skills, telling stories, or...
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80 – Coperthwaite on Nonviolence: A Gentle Revolution
In this episode, Joshua and Mike interact with Bill Coperthwaite’s vision for how handcraft might better reflect a compassionate view of the world. Rather than seeking to dominate or impose our wills on our world, we would do better to “cultivate a reverence for all things” – to work with the...
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79 – Coperthwaite on Education/Nurture
In this episode, the guys tackle Bill Coperthwaite’s discussions about education – the kind that stifles us, and the kind that is conducive to a fulfilling life of engagement. Bill, as he is won’t to do, seeks to breaks down barriers and facilitate cooperation in his vision for a “handmade life.”...
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78 – Coperthwaite on “Work/Bread Labor”
In this episode, the guys discuss Bill Coperthwaite’s chapter on labor: the goodness of it, the exploitation of it, and some of his ideas about how it can be improved. This is an idealistic vision that Joshua and Mike both resonate with and critique. Prepare to have your hackles raised. No matter...
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77 – Coperthwaite Chapter 2: “Beauty”
In this episode, Joshua and Mike tackle Bill Coperthwaite’s discussion of beauty. The focus of this chapter is relatively narrow, zeroing in on the intangible aspects of beauty such as the production context: Who made this? Under what circumstances was it made? Etc. Coperthwaite argues that the...
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76 – Coperthwaite Chapter 1 Part 2
In this episode, Joshua and Mike pick up their discussion of Bill Coperthwaite’s first chapter in A Handmade Life. The discussion meanders through questions of the value of expertise, being an apprentice who is preparing to one day be a master, and blending the best of human cultures.
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75 – Coperthwaite, Chapter One: “Society by Design / Design by Society”
In this episode, Joshua and Mike tackle the first chapter in Bill Coperthwaite’s A Handmade Life: “Society by Design / Design by Society.” This chapter is worked through section by section, explaining and interacting with Bill’s relentless call to deliberately reorient our lives toward the best…
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74 – A Handmade Life by Bill Coperthwaite
In this podcast episode, Joshua and Mike begin a new book discussion series. This time, the guys tackle Bill Coperthwaite’s inspirational work A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity. As is evidenced by the way Coperthwaite’s name continually resurfaces at M&T, this book has proven to be deeply...
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73 – The Tenth Anniversary Issue
In this episode, the guys discuss their upcoming special publication: The Tenth Anniversary Issue. They’ve poured out untold energy and creative reflection to make this the most compelling title they’ve ever released. This issue features: Joshua A. Klein, Michael Updegraff, the Yale Furniture...
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72 – Working at Scale
In this episode, Joshua and Mike explore the pros and cons of working at a larger scale than furniture making. Whether you’re constructing something as immense as a barn or simply working in batches, trying your hand at a project that will take you more than a few days’ work will expand your...
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71 – Finding Balance
Do you believe it’s healthier to work with your mind or is it better to work with your hands? We hope you said, “Neither.” Why the dichotomy? In this episode, Joshua and Mike argue that getting stuck in one mode or the other to the exclusion of all else undermines a person’s overall health. We…
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70 – “Making Hay”
In this new episode of the podcast, Joshua and Mike talk about the proverbial practice of making hay while the sun is shining – as soon as the days start to get longer in the Maine spring, it’s time to get to work. They discuss the “House by Hand” 1821 Cape house restoration project and all the...
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69 – “Backwoods Chairmakers with Andy Glenn”
In this new episode, the guys talk with woodworker and author Andy Glenn, whose new book Backwoods Chairmakers: In Search of the Appalachian Chairmaker was published by Lost Art Press. If you’re interested in handmade and vernacular furniture, this new title should be on the top of your list.…
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68 – “In Defense of Maintenance”
Not everything in life needs to be “set it and forget it.” There are all sorts of things that we would do well to tend to – to care for – to pay attention to. In this episode, Joshua and Mike discuss the value of maintaining the stuff of our lives. Rather than consider it a burden that ought to…
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67 – Reviving the Mechanical Arts
John Ruskin once said, “Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together.” In this episode, Joshua and Mike discuss the brand-new “Mechanical Arts Program” that they’ve launched in partnership with Greystone Theological Institute. Inspired by 12th-century theologian...
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66 – Road Trip for Lumber
This episode was recorded on the road back in September, and in it Joshua, Mike, and Eden explain the various ways they’ve sourced lumber in rural Maine. As a from-the-hip recording, this conversation traverses quite a varied terrain – from the house project status to purchasing lumber in...
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65 – “Handworks 2023”
In this episode, Joshua and Mike reflect on their time at Handworks, quite possibly the single most significant hand-tool woodworking event in the world. Part travelogue, part update, part rumination, this episode traverses a range of topics. If you weren’t there, you really missed out.
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64 – “Fruitful Seasons of Work”
Our metaphors matter. When we are in the throes of a busy schedule, our culture encourages us to “crank it out” in order that we might emulate the hard worker who remains steadfast “like a machine”. We are encouraged to “recharge” with enough sleep and “fuel up” with caloric intake only so that…
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63 – A Critique of David Pye
In this final episode of their tour through David Pye’s The Nature and Art of Workmanship, Joshua and Mike bring up several of their critiques of Pye’s thought. As helpful and insightful as he was, the guys both are left feeling like something was missing. See how this book comes up short of a...
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62 – “The Aesthetic Importance of Workmanship, and its Future” Pye Ch 11
Joshua and Mike have finally arrived at the final chapter of David Pye’s The Nature and Art of Workmanship, and it has been quite a ride. What did Pye see as the future of craftsmanship from his vantage point in 1968? Was he right? Is his assessment still valid in 2023? Listen in to this final...
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61 – “Critique of ‘On the Nature of Gothic’” Pye Ch 10
“Handmade” does not mean “shoddy.” This latest episode of the David Pye mini-series tackles chapter 10 of The Nature and Art of Workmanship in which Pye takes John Ruskin to task for his sloppy reasoning about workmanship. Pye’s motivation in writing his book was to critique the “illegitimate...
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60 – “Equivocality” Pye Ch 9
OK… that’s an ambiguous title. But, be assured that the guys recorded this episode to make it all come clear. In this next installment, Joshua and Mike expound Chapter 9 of David Pye’s The Nature and Art of Workmanship. This chapter is the culmination of his argument about why surface qualities…
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59 – “Durability” Pye Ch 8
Another installment of the “Nature and Art of Workmanship” podcast series. Chapter eight deals with the subject of “durability.” Does precision mean durability in all circumstances? Who’s “to blame” when a product fails: the designer or the craftsman? All these questions and more are addressed in...
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58 – “Diversity” Pye Ch 7
In this episode, Joshua and Mike pick up where they left off with David’s Pye classic discussion about the value of craftsmanship in a mechanized age: The Nature and Art of Workmanship. This chapter explains that diversity is essential in design and that the artisan’s handwork “picks up where...
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57 – “The Natural Order Reflected in the Work of Man” Pye Ch 6
Another installment in the Nature and Art of Workmanship series. This time Joshua and Mike walk through chapter six which compares human creativity to the natural world. Regulated work was coveted in ancient cultures because they were surrounded by nature. In our industrial culture, however, we...
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56 – “The Designer’s Power to Communicate His Intentions” Pye Ch 5
Another installment in the Nature and Art of Workmanship series. This time Joshua and Mike discuss the fifth chapter which shows the limits of design. Much of the success is left to the workman.
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55 – “Quality in Workmanship” Pye Ch 4
In this episode, the guys dive right into the heart of Pye’s vision in this book: identifying and appreciating various qualities of workmanship. This is the longest and most detailed chapter in the book but skimming past it guarantees you’ll miss his point.
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54 – “Is Anything Done By Hand?” Pye Ch 3
Another installation of Joshua and Mike’s discussion on David Pye’s book The Nature and Art of Workmanship. This time, the guys dive into the thorny question of what “handmade” actually even means. Is it even a worthwhile concept to use?
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53 – "The Workmanship of Risk and the Workmanship of Certainty" Pye Ch 2
The third installment of Joshua and Mike’s walkthrough of David Pye’s The Nature and Art of Workmanship. This time they look at chapter 2 in which Pye lays out his fundamental (and famous) distinction between workmanship of risk and workmanship of certainty. It might not mean what you think…
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52 – “Design Proposes. Workmanship Disposes.” Pye Chapter 1
In this latest episode, the guys explain the setup to David Pye’s discussion about the value of workmanship. Pye explains that it would be a mistake to give too much credit to the design when the quality of the finished object is greatly determined by the artisan’s touch. Pye asserts some bold...
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51 – Unpacking David Pye’s “Nature and Art of Workmanship” - Part 1
In this episode, Joshua and Mike kick off a mini-series chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of David Pye’s classic book The Nature and Art of Workmanship. Lots of craftspeople have heard of Pye, but few today understand (or have ever even read) his illuminating book. In this episode, the guys discuss...
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50 – Reflections & Resolutions
If any of M&T’s work is worth pausing to reflect on at the close of the year, this year’s would be a prime candidate. Not only has the House By Hand project occupied the bulk of Joshua and Mike’s time in 2022, but M&T also published a new book (Worked: A Bench Guide to Hand-Tool Efficiency), ran...
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49 – Tools, Jigs, & Meaning(s)
Clear distinctions reveal new things about the world. And in a handcraft context, thinking clearly about what exactly a “tool” is or a “machine” or a “jig” enables woodworkers to maximize their shop satisfaction and efficiency. Some folks seem to think that theory and practice are intrinsically...
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48 – Raise the Roof
In this episode, the guys give an update on the House By Hand project (http://housebyhand.com) – the granite foundation was constructed, the sill system is in place, the ell is raised and sheathing is underway, and things are getting buttoned up for winter. Joshua and Mike discuss the ins and…
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47 – The Apprentices’ Summit
This episode was recorded on the heels of the first annual Apprenticeship Program Summit gathering. Alumni from the first four terms were invited to the M&T headquarters to share ideas, feast, and make shavings together. In this episode, Joshua and Mike reflect on the weekend-long happenings: the...
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46 – Thinking Outside the Shop
In this new episode of the podcast, Joshua and Mike take up the topic of portable woodworking. They argue that even though modern woodworkers tend to feel safe “within the box” of their workshops, we would all do well to get out a little. Try taking up carving around the campfire or make a simple...
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45 – Just the FAQs
The pre-industrial emphasis of M&T never fails to generate puzzlement and questions in an age driven by technology, jigs, and devices. And as Joshua and Mike continue to interact with students and readers, they find they get the same sorts of questions over and over. This recurrence illustrates…
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44 – Aristotle on How We Learn New Skills
In this episode, Joshua and Mike talk about how it is that we learn new skills. They contend that we have to get over a reductive and mechanical way of looking at human life and action. We are not machines and we don’t learn new skills by “downloading” information. Instead, we practice. Through...
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43 – Skill as a Safety Net
Power tools are dangerous. This should not be a controversial statement, but somehow the observation always incites vigorous debate. In this podcast episode, Joshua and Mike discuss Mike’s article in Issue Twelve titled “Risk & Reward: Skill as a Safety Net,” in which he tackles this delicate...
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42 – Is Hand-tool-only Woodworking Actually Viable?
Many woodworkers get into hand tools because they are drawn in by the joinery: dovetails, mortises and tenons, etc. As they continue building pieces in their shops, some begin to wonder if it’s possible to “cut the cord” even further. What would it be like to build from scratch without any...
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41 – Making Wooden Planes
41 – Making Wooden Planes by Mortise & Tenon Magazine
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40 – Defining “Craftsmanship”
In this latest podcast episode, Joshua and Mike tackle a particularly thorny question head on: What is “craftsmanship,” exactly? While woodworkers of all kinds share a mutual appreciation for craftsmanship, surprisingly, there have been different ideas of what it even means. Is “craftsmanship”…
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39 - This Old House
In this episode, Joshua and Mike don their proverbial tool belts and discuss a restoration project that will occupy the bulk of their focus in 2022 – reconstructing an 1810 New England Cape house. Starting at the beginning, before Mortise & Tenon Magazine even existed, they recount the perilous...
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38 – To the Ends of the Earth
In this episode of the M&T Podcast, Joshua and Mike take a big-picture, global look at pre-industrial handcraft. This was not a region-specific or time-bound set of practices or traditions but was much more diverse and variegated than we can possibly imagine. Try to picture the breadth of…
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37 – Freehand Honing
In this episode, Joshua and Mike dive into that spirited and controversial arena known and feared by all hand-tool woodworkers… Sharpening. Looking at historic references and new practices alike, they make their case for developing the skill of freehand honing – the method they teach their…
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36 – Woodworking in the Metaverse
Welp… in this episode, Joshua and Mike lay their cards on the table. In case you still wondered about their thoughts on digitally meditated existence, they put it all out there, warning not only of the social implications but also of the implications for handcraft. They ponder whether we can...
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Podcast by Mortise & Tenon Magazine
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