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OT: Any Podcasts worth listening to?

ShaunM

Aluminum
Joined
Apr 13, 2015
My daily grind varies between being a desk jockey and spending time in the maintenance/machine shop and production floor. At times, however, I’ll spend a week or two straight at my desk working on CAD or something. To drown out the noise from the cube farm I tend to listen to music through my headphones but some days I get burned out on my current selection. Those days I enjoy podcasts, especially those where I can actually learn something useful or at least interesting. They’re also good for listening to while wrenching in the garage after work.

That said, let’s hear what your favorite podcasts are – I could use some new ones.

Here are some in my past and present library;

Making Chips:
Supposed to be about modern machine shop management or something. Tried it for a while, but just couldn’t get into it. Can’t say I would recommend it.

Inside Skunk Works:
A podcasts about declassified stories from Lockheed Martin’s elite group of engineers, The Skunk Works. This is a great podcast and I would highly recommend it. Hopefully they will release more episodes in the near future.

The Way I Heard It:
Mike Rowe’s podcast where he puts a personal spin on true stories that are just downright interesting. Not a lot of technical knowledge to be gained… but absorbing none-the-less. That guy knows how to engross you in a story.

Clearstory by This Old House:
Good information that is well presented. Mostly geared toward the construction industry. Worth listening to in my opinion.

The Essential Craftsman:
His youtube channel is better, but they host some interesting guests and there is some insight into the contracting trade to be gained if you’re interested.

Welding Tips and Tricks:
Long episodes with a lot of “fluff” that isn’t necessary, but you can glean some good information if you’re willing to put up with the jaw-wagging.

Joe Rogan:
Couldn't make it through a single episode. Downright obnoxious.
 
Within Tolerance is really well done. It recently to changed to a single host who brings a guest on every week. Lots of garage shop owners, but some bigger names too. Lots of stories of how they got into manufacturing which can be very intriguing, plus there is typically a lot of talk about tools they use or improvement they have made.
 
It's not technical in nature, but on a few long car trips I've listened to

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

and it's great. He does a good job of making history interesting and really digging into the context surrounding historical events based on the culture and the situation of humans living at the time.
 
These are unrelated to machining or industry but "gilbert gottfrieds amazing colossal podcast" is way better than you would expect it to be - as long as you can handle gilbert's voice. They have guests from all era's of entertainment. his co-host does a great job of asking good intelligent questions.

Marc Maron's WTF is also a good one for interviews.

If you want a good take on history, anything by Dan Carlin is good. Common Sense and Hardcore History are both great series.

Stuff you should know has some pretty good ones also.
 
Of course it really depends on your tastes, but I like these three from the BBC :

'Infinite Monkey Cage' - Science mixed with humour - hard to describe.
Examples : Does Time Exist, Space Archaeology, Coral Reefs

'In Our Times' - Wildly different topics, mostly historical, every week with expert guests.
Examples : The Cultural Revolution, Maria Theresa, Cave Art

'Great Lives' - Short biographical summaries of widely diverse people.
 
Machinist Therapy Hotline is a fun one with a few silly chaps that go in and out of the weeds. Nothing seems to be off topic.
 
I appreciate the recommendations and will be checking them out.
As for my tastes? Just about anything goes - I try to keep an open mind.
 








 
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