• Frozen dessert dreams kick off the show with Mexican coconut ice cream bars rocket pops and fruit puree sticks because nothing says Labor Day weekend like arguing about which popsicle reigns supreme while your hands get covered in sugary goo

• Fall prep mode officially activated as the guys discuss seasonal shop changes with Ross dealing with spider and critter invasions while Jess gets excited about cooler weather meaning longer work hours and Colton planning material stock ups for the holiday rush

• Pest control becomes a real topic when Colton introduces dirt daubers to Ross who has never experienced these mud nest building wasps that apparently love to clog up fan motors and other equipment while carrying paralyzed spiders around like some kind of wasp horror movie

• Virginia Beach vacation recap brings whiskey discoveries as Ross visits the historic Cavalier Hotel with its prohibition era basement distillery while dealing with post hurricane waves powerful enough to push kids 40 feet up the beach

• Jess absolutely lights up talking about framing work and learning construction terminology while building vaulted ceilings and dealing with Florida hurricane codes that require nailing every four inches because apparently Mother Nature takes no prisoners

• Software discussions get technical when Colton considers upgrading from his current workflow to Adobe Illustrator after getting advice from longtime maker Vern while using Inkscape to calculate resin volumes for his CNC projects

• Meranti takes center stage as wood of the week revealing how this Southeast Asian lumber got marketed as Filipino mahogany during the mid century furniture boom even though its not real mahogany but was cheap and plentiful from post war Philippines

• Construction trivia becomes unexpectedly entertaining as Jess tests the guys knowledge of king studs jack studs bird mouth cuts and cripple studs while sharing real world framing wisdom about thinking fifteen steps ahead for the next contractor

• Tarnished Truth distillery from Virginia Beach gets the whiskey spotlight with their three year high rye bourbon that costs 60 bucks but tastes decent enough for a vacation souvenir though definitely not worth secondary market prices

• Hat cleaning wisdom closes out the show with Jess sharing his Dawn dish soap and toothbrush method for keeping work hats fresh without destroying the fabric while Colton discovers acetone removes spray foam from skin and Ross recommends hat brushes for daily maintenance

• Jess makes his glorious comeback after getting knocked down by heat exhaustion that turned into full exorcist mode puking for 24 hours plus dealing with a plumbing leak that delayed recording because Florida construction never goes according to plan

• Sushi talk gets deep with grocery store Publix five dollar Wednesday deals and the eternal debate about cream cheese in sushi rolls while Ross admits he goes for the over the top dynamite and firecracker rolls instead of simple sashimi

• Colton shares the heartwarming yet heartbreaking story of his grandfather passing away peacefully at 87 after one final FaceTime call where he got to show off all the inherited tools in his shop including that dangerous old radial arm saw with zero safety features

• The cornhole board saga continues with a California customer who wanted changes mid project forcing Colton to pour resin directly on the CNC machine and cut into cured resin which sounds like a nightmare but somehow worked out perfectly

• Butcher block restoration becomes an epic adventure when Colton fixes a cracked Paduk board that was bleeding red dust into the maple strips and learns that alcohol wipes solve the cross contamination problem way better than more sanding

• Jess upgrades his life with a monster 24 foot charcoal gray trailer that matches his truck perfectly plus negotiates a sweet one year contract that guarantees steady income while his daughter moves to Tampa for college and independence

• Home renovation horror story unfolds when Jess discovers copper pipes buried directly in concrete which is a big no no because concrete eats copper over time so cue the Makita jackhammer rental and careful concrete surgery around live plumbing lines

• Ross inherits a 500 pound solid maple butcher block table from a customer that required two strong guys and 17 stairs worth of creative problem solving before he could router sled the whole top flat and refinish it with walrus oil

• Indoor plumbing history lesson reveals that Romans had it figured out 4000 years ago with aqueducts and lead pipes but Europe forgot how to poop properly for centuries until London got so stinky in 1858 that parliament had to stop meeting

• Whiskey wisdom flows as Ross explains how British Navy trade routes spread whiskey and rum around the world using ballast bricks and barrel charring techniques that accidentally invented aged spirits during those long ocean crossings to the Caribbean and back

• David returns as their first repeat guest to share the wild story of how he fought to get his company back after selling just 15 percent to a partner whose lawyer secretly worked against him in what sounds like a business nightmare straight out of a thriller movie

• The heartbreaking loss of Speed the retired cop who was Davids right hand man at the shop in 2020 changed everything and forced them to completely rethink how they operate and train people since some folks are just irreplaceable legends

• Moving a machine shop from Atlanta to Vegas involves lag bolting heavy equipment directly to rental truck floors and using forklifts to pull 7500 pound machining centers off trailers in the most terrifying way possible while praying nothing drops in the parking lot

• Woodworking used to be an affordable hobby where you could get decent plywood at Home Depot but now young people are priced out unless they have serious cash or are trying to make it their career which has shifted Gearharts customer base

• The battle between branding irons and laser marking comes down to authentic human touch versus sterile factory perfection with David arguing that people crave something with actual soul and character instead of mass produced Amazon cutting board vibes

• Customer service involves lots of graphics fixing since people send everything from napkin drawings to low resolution photos while trying to balance being helpful without being condescending about basic design mistakes

• Quick fire questions reveal David wanted to be a hobo as a kid and actually rode freight trains plus he would teleport to South America and wants a Vangelis soundtrack for his life

• The demographic conversation gets real about how materials and costs have changed so dramatically that casual hobby woodworking is basically dead for most young people who also have limited space

• Safety glasses everywhere is the golden rule after David got a hot brass chip to the eyelid and realized he was doing safety squints like an idiot so now he bought 96 pairs and scattered them around the shop like guitar picks

• Family chaos provides the perfect soundtrack with crying children in the background proving that even successful business owners are just trying to survive parenthood while running companies and moving heavy machinery

• Colton calls in from a Georgia Starbucks during his epic road trip back to Houston after inheriting his late grandfather's tools and a sweet John Deere riding mower from his grandmother's log cabin in the mountains

• The guys share stories about amazing meals from totally unexpected places including life changing biscuits from a Georgia gas station, incredible Cuban food hidden in a Florida flea market, and mind blowing Indian cuisine from Rapid City South Dakota

• Ross finally gets his CNC machine up and running but admits he needs digital calipers and a touch sensor to dial in his cuts properly while working on that never ending coffee table project for his brother

• The drummer in Ross comes alive as he talks about playing his first live show with his band and the pure joy of beating some skins again even though schlepping gear is exhausting

• Jess battles the brutal Florida heat while framing a house addition and shares war stories about hurricane strapping requirements and buying his first framing nailer from Rigid instead of spending big money on Paslode

• Wood of the Week spotlight falls on ash which gets used for everything from Louisville Slugger baseball bats to tool handles to Fender guitar bodies plus its unfortunately getting wiped out by those pesky emerald ash borer beetles

• Trivia time covers bug resistant woods like cedar teak and cypress that naturally repel termites through oils and tannins while pressure treated lumber uses chemicals to keep the critters away

• Speed squares get major love in the snuggets section for being way more versatile than most people realize with built in degree markings and roof pitch calculations

• The golden rule of woodworking gets preached about always dry fitting everything and thinking through your entire build sequence before making anything permanent with glue

• Vehicle inspection requirements spark a heated debate about emissions testing differences between states like Illinois requiring it while Florida basically lets anything with wheels roll down the road

Here's a fun summary of Episode 111 "Ironwood Maiden" from the Beat Around the Bench podcast:

• Seafood talk revealed Ross has a shellfish allergy that kicks in after handling more than a pound causing massive hand swelling but still loves Baja tacos blackened redfish and Greek bronzino while Colton goes for rare tuna steaks and Jess craves lobster crab shrimp pasta with creamy tomato sauce
• Jess survived the hottest day on record in Tampa while building his fence throwing up twice from heat exhaustion and losing hearing in one ear but managed to complete the project with neighbors saving twenty six hundred dollars over contractor quotes
• The table from hell saga concluded with Ross delivering the ugly base admitting he hated it getting agreement from the customer and ultimately throwing the whole thing in the garbage after his dad warned he'd be moving it around for four years
• Colton finished a washer board project using gorilla glue spray adhesive for the marine carpet and actually charged enough to make money this time while planning Texas A&M themed stencil work with fabric paint
• House selling struggles continue for Colton with only two showings despite price drops and beautiful renovations as they prepare to pay double mortgages while slowly moving shop equipment without electricity at the new place
• Patreon announcement dropped as the guys revealed they're launching a subscriber service after listener requests with plans for exclusive content merch and special value additions to the podcast community
• Stanley plane history covered Leonard Bailey's revolutionary metal bodied planes from 1858 that replaced problematic wooden versions with original Stanley number ones now selling for fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars among collectors
• Work gear trivia tested knowledge of steel toed boots hard hats and safety equipment with surprising facts like Wolverine inventing steel toes in 1930 and early safety vests being called donkey jackets in Britain
• Heat survival tips dominated discussion as Jess shared cooling towel techniques pickle juice for cramps and the importance of starting early when working in extreme temperatures to avoid heat exhaustion
• Trim installation nuggets emphasized hitting studs instead of just drywall using Loctite adhesive for backing and the stud buddy magnet tool for finding screws in walls plus proper measuring techniques for clean miter cuts

• Colton crushed his metal roof installation project getting thick 26 gauge material for forty four percent savings over Home Depot prices by negotiating in Spanish with his materialist place and completing the whole job in just two or three days
• The new Huffman shop is taking shape with plans for a square garage layout that will provide better wall utilization and center space plus discussions about adding a massive pole barn workshop with concrete floors and big ass fans for ventilation
• Power planning became a major topic as Colton explores running electricity to the shop either aerial or underground with potential for installing multiple poles and a separate electrical panel just for the workshop area
• Ross got deep into traditional mortise and tenon joinery while building his gaming coffee table and shared fascinating history about how this seven thousand year old technique spans every culture from ancient China to modern Japanese timber framing
• The Festool router proved its worth as Ross praised German engineering for features like single wrench bit changes and precision depth adjustments that made cutting perfect joinery almost effortless compared to other brands
• Jess missed the episode due to being buried in late night projects but the guys carried on discussing shop layouts CNC software options and the importance of learning SketchUp for design visualization
• Safety became a real concern as Colton shared his sketchy solar attic fan installation where he nearly fell off the roof twice and had to finish the job while dizzy from exhaustion and heat
• Whiskey of the week featured Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon from Willett distillery which Ross described as drinking smoother than its 101 proof with honey and caramel notes but ultimately a one trick pony flavor profile
• Milwaukee nitrile dipped gloves got major praise from Colton for providing amazing grip during metal roofing work while still being touchscreen compatible and breathable enough for hot Texas weather
• Shop organization wisdom emphasized the importance of decluttering regularly and getting rid of wood scraps that have been sitting unused for over a year because clear workbenches lead to more actual woodworking productivity

• Food talk kicked off with favorite pasta dishes featuring Jess loving lobster lasagna and steak gorgonzola pasta while Ross schooled everyone on orecchiette pronunciation and shared that Barilla has Spotify playlists timed perfectly for cooking each pasta type
• Jess struggled through another brutal week including failed coquina shell stucco work that had the customer's wife gasping and walking away after just one wall plus dealing with electrical problems and eight foot six mahogany doors that needed refinishing
• Ross finally finished his nightmare pocket door project that took nine years to complete properly and built a gorgeous walnut cabinet with traditional dovetail joinery using his Harbor Freight jig that worked perfectly on the first try
• Colton became the go-to lacquer repair specialist for Tony's shop after successfully fixing blush damaged cabinets using super blush retarder spray and got called in as their on-call finishing expert
• The guys shared serious summertime survival tips including keeping cooling towels in coolers plenty of fluids sunscreen and aloe vera plus Colton discovered that thirty percent vinegar works amazing for getting smoke smells out of furniture
• Colton started planning his metal roof installation over existing shingles and learned that roofing supply companies often beat Home Depot prices with much thicker gauge materials that last forever
• Wood of the week featured the bizarre monkey puzzle tree from Chile that looks like AI designed a Christmas tree and gets its name because it would puzzle a monkey trying to climb the spiny branches
• Italian food trivia had Ross crushing questions about risotto osso buco and arancini while Colton admitted to completely guessing on most answers but somehow nailed the gnocchi question by pure luck
• Ross shared his sandwich building wisdom about never letting cold cuts touch bread directly and emphasized the importance of taking lazy river style mental breaks to reset from work stress
• Colton introduced the barn cat Squanchy who showed up desperate and friendly and already proved his worth by catching a lizard though the guys debated proper feeding schedules to keep him hunting

• Big baby news as Colton and Crystal welcomed little Charlotte into the world weighing in at eight pounds one ounce and twenty two inches long with Colton getting hands on experience cutting the cord and helping with delivery
• Baby Charlie sparked some hilarious woodworking connections including discovering baby nail rotary tools that work just like Dremels and hospital bassinets that reminded Colton of motorcycle lift workbenches
• Ross finally delivered his table from hell project that turned into an absolute nightmare costing him thousands in CNC work and ending with a customer who refused to pay the remaining twenty four hundred dollars
• The infamous table base that Ross absolutely hated looked like a Civil War submarine according to him but the guys actually thought it was pretty cool with its alien spaceship conference room vibe
• Jess returned after missing three weeks due to a back injury that had him laid up followed by the craziest work schedule ever including beautiful shower tile work and refinishing mahogany doors for million dollar condos
• Trivia time covered everything from coast redwoods being the tallest trees to the Taj Mahal foundations being supported by ebony planks and Sam Maloof being famous for his rocking chairs
• History lesson revealed that Adirondack chairs were originally called Westport chairs and were invented by Thomas Lee in upstate New York but stolen and patented by his buddy Harry Bonnell in nineteen oh five
• Food talk centered around amazing pie preferences with Ross loving strawberry rhubarb Colton obsessing over his Aunt BO pecan pie and Jess perfecting apple pie with cosmic crisp apples and brown sugar crumble
• Nuggets included Jess planning to upgrade to an eighteen foot custom green trailer for maximum mobile workshop efficiency and Colton sharing how lacquer retarder can save blush damaged finishes without stripping
• Ross learned the hard lesson about saying no to unrealistic deadlines and last minute projects while Colton discovered that baby crying is just communication and keeping a positive mindset makes all the difference

• Ross just returned from a blazing hot New York City vacation where temperatures hit 102 degrees for three days straight making 74 degree Chicago weather feel almost chilly when he got back home
• Episode title Deep Purple Heart came from listener Lee Drummond of Dusted Knuckle Woodworks who suggested awesome band name wood species combinations and this one was absolutely perfect
• Colton spotted his neighbor Mo using a completely insane setup with a table saw blade mounted on a weed eater edger attachment which screams OSHA violation but apparently works great for cutting small trees
• Moving madness continues as Colton is exactly one week away from his due date while trying to get their old house ready for market and transfer his entire shop to the new property
• The guys shared practical moving tips including getting a 26 foot box truck with a lift gate and hiring cleaners for 225 bucks to do a full deep clean instead of doing it yourself
• Ross is completely buried working on a massive CNC project that turned into 14 hours of machine time instead of the expected 4 hours plus designing a complex tulip style table base inspired by his son playing with dinosaur puzzles
• Whiskey talk focused on the top five bottles under 30 dollars including Buffalo Trace Elijah Craig Fighting Cock Early Times Bottled in Bond and Bullet Rye as the number one pick for budget conscious drinkers
• Sound engineering season has Ross running audio for bands two or three nights a week all summer long while juggling his woodworking projects and CNC work
• Baby watch intensifies as Crystal tries all the wives tales to induce labor naturally before next Thursday due date with Ross offering solid fatherhood advice about sleep schedules and bonding timelines
• Nuggets included finding inspiration from unexpected places like kids toys and remembering to design spaces for average height people instead of just what works for you personally

• The trio dove headfirst into cheese heaven, debating everything from snacking favorites (smoked gouda and sharp cheddar winning) to grilled cheese perfection, with Jess championing pepper jack for turkey sandwiches and everyone agreeing fake American cheese rules for grilled cheese.
• Colton shared major life updates from his move to the countryside outside Houston, complete with deer rescues, flooded shop plans, and last-minute prep for baby arrival while still renovating both the new homestead and old house for sale.
• Jess vented about contractor headaches and door installation nightmares, including grinding concrete to fit doors and dealing with subs who claim they know drywall but clearly don't, all while juggling multiple job sites in the Florida heat.
• Ross tackled an insane 10-day table build challenge - a 10-foot oval tulip-base dining table with sashiko burning and Rubio black finish for a restaurant client who disappeared for six weeks then suddenly needed it yesterday.
• The Wood of the Week featured Lemonwood, a Cuban hardwood prized for archery bows and fishing rods due to its incredible flexibility and 1880 Janka hardness rating, plus its Brazilian cousin that clocks in at a whopping 3460 on the hardness scale.
• Jess unleashed a brilliant wordplay trivia game where players had to find the missing word that connected two phrases (like "dining...sauce" = table for "dining table" and "table sauce"), keeping everyone on their toes with woodworking-themed brain teasers.
• Ross delivered his top 5 whiskeys under $100 by region, from Japanese Hibiki Harmony to Kentucky's Peerless Double Oak Bourbon, perfect timing for Father's Day gift ideas with detailed explanations of what makes each special.
• The nugget section covered everything from spray foam insulation debates for pier and beam houses to self-retracting ratchet straps and quality buzzy blades, proving practical shop wisdom never goes out of style.