The Three Planks – Episode 1 | Woodworking, Salvage, Antiques & Heritage Crafts

In Episode 1 of The Three Planks, we sit down in Alex Webster’s workshop for an open, wide-ranging conversation about working lives shaped by wood, history, and making things properly.

We talk about woodworking, antiques, architectural salvage, conservation, and traditional craftsmanship — from restoring furniture and historic buildings to unusual commissions, tight deadlines, and the realities of running a workshop where materials, time, and heritage all matter.

This episode draws on experience across fine woodworking, restoration, the antique trade, heritage conservation, and television, exploring what it really means to work with historic objects rather than just admire them.

Topics include:

• Building a custom coffin to a fixed deadline
• Restoring and rehanging historic paintings in country houses
• Clearing and salvaging entire warehouses of antiques
• Watch boxes made from original Spitfire aircraft material
• Working on Grade I listed buildings
• Using CNC alongside traditional hand skills
• Why patience, judgement, and detail still matter

If you’re interested in woodwork, carpentry, furniture making, antiques, salvage hunting, heritage buildings, conservation, arts & crafts, or traditional skills, this podcast is for you.

👥 PEOPLE & MAKERS

Alex Webster –   / alexwebsterrestoration  
Saf Fakir -   / fakir.woodworks  
Ciarán Ó Braonáin -   / cheshirewoodworking  

Colin Andrews – Watchmaker (Spitfire watch project)
🔗 https://great-british-watch.co.uk

Steve Milner – Engineer (wartime mechanisms & engineering)

📺 TV & MEDIA DISCUSSED

The Woodland Workshop
🔗 https://www.discoveryplus.com/gb/en/s...

Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop
🔗 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

The Travelling Auctioneers
🔗 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0d7...

Antiques Roadshow
🔗 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006...

🏛️ LOCATIONS & HERITAGE

Colwyn Bay
Anglesey
Bodelwyddan Castle
Saltaire – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Bradford
Batley

🪵 CRAFT, MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES

Traditional woodworking & joinery
Furniture restoration & conservation
Architectural salvage & reclamation
CNC carving in heritage work
Spitfire aircraft restoration materials


Official The Three Planks Social Links

YouTube
   / @thethreeplanks  
Facebook
  / thethreeplanks  
Instagram (Show)
  / thethreeplanks  
TikTok
  / thethreeplanks  
X (Twitter)
  / thethreeplanks  
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@TheThreePlanks
LinkedIn
  / thethreeplanks  
Spotify (Podcast)
https://open.spotify.com/show/TheThre...
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/thethreepl...

Hosts and Community Handles
Alex Webster (restoration)
  / alexwebsterrestoration  
Saf Fakir (woodworks)
  / fakir.woodworks  
Cheshire Woodworking
  / cheshirewoodworking  

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