The story of how two industries, a bunch of scientists, the leading electronics companies of the 80, and even Billy Joel worked together to change the future of audio recording... and possibly the entire physical makeup of the planet.Thanks to Lee Rosevere for the music in this episode.Thanks to the advertisers, CLAMP Podcast (https://www.clampcast…

Ever wonder why they call it a 2x4 when it's actually 1 1/2 x 3 1/2? Why the edges are all rounded over? Why it exists in the first place? Delve into the history of the world's most famous block of wood in this episode of FTGU Thanks to Totalboat for sponsoring this episode. Go check out Totalboat.com for their fantastic product line.Music by Lee R…

Every now and then an invention comes along that is made of inventions. A merging of technologies that pushes the worlds of design and manufacturing to their limits, and changes them irreversibly. Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic represents one of those leaps. Here's the tale of how a few scrappy entrepreneurs were able to bring FRP to the forefront o…

Whether it's sitting in the back of your junk drawer, being used to lift a 14,000 lb car into the air, or holding a wound closed on the battlefield, CA Glue, also known as Superglue, is certainly one of the world's most useful adhesives that was almost never discovered... twice.Support the show at: http://Patreon.com/KeithdecentMore information and…

A beer company CEO walking on a beach comes up with a plan that could change the world.Music provided by:Lee RosevereFTGU is a (severely overworked) one-man operation. Please consider going to Patreon.com/keithdecent to donate to the show. Alternatively, sharing your favorite episodes or leaving a review goes a long way toward helping grow the podc…

A family, ruined by disease. A widow, haunted by vengeful spirits. A house, built to trick and trap the dead. Secret rooms, trap doors, stairs to nowhere, and deadly pitfalls. The Winchester Mystery House is a weird, weird place, with an interesting history. This special Halloween edition of FTGU explores just why someone would build such a strange…

From ancient cave dwellers to modern firefighting, the history of the ladder is the history of humanity striving to rise to new heights, to reach beyond our limitations, and to come back from the journey safer and better than when we began. Huge thanks to Eric from Hand Tool rescue for helping out on this episode. You can find him at handtoolrescue…

How many Napoleons does it take to accidentally invent the Flea Market? Music:Lee Rosevere - Puzzle Pieces Couperin - Pieces en Concert - Prelude, La Tromba, Air de DiableLee Rosevere - Under SuspicionRuff and Ready - Matt OakleyLee Rosevere - Let’s Start at The BeginningFor more info: Please visit ftgupodcast.comTo support the show, please visit: …

Invisible wood? Bullet proof wood? 1200 foot-tall, fire-resistant skyscrapers made from timber? This episode explores the various superpowers given to wood by scientists and engineers of the modern age as well as our recent past. Music:Puzzle Pieces - Lee RosevereIt’s a Mystery - Lee RosevereThe Blues Jumped a Rabbit - Jimmy Noone Orchestra (1936)U…

From a colony of insects on a tree branch in India, to your fingernails, food, medicine, artwork, and furniture, shellac undergoes a 3000 year journey to become a worldwide industry. Myths, inventions, the delta blues, and apples are all touched upon along the way.Music:Lee Roosevere - multiple songsFranz Schubert - String Trio in B Flat Major (181…

The tragic tale of two brothers, Hosea and Ethan, who set off into the American West search of riches, only to find disease, famine, thievery, toil, and eventually, death. This episode takes the form of an epic poem with some surprise guests!All music for this episode by Ampletunes. www.Ampletunes.comFor more info: Please visit ftgupodcast.comTo su…

Why does the US House of Representatives have it’s own mace? And why is it silver? Come to think of it, why is silver so prominent in the history of the US? In part 1 of this series, we explore colonial silversmiths and why they were so prominent throughout the story of America, and discuss the items they made.-Audio of the US House of Representati…

No French Canadians were harmed in the making of this podcast.Everyone has one somewhere. The little wrench named after… well some guy probably. But who? And more importantly, why? Today we explore the history of the Allen Screw, how the world brought about its existence, and how it subsequently changed that world.Music by Lee RoosevereFor more inf…

This episode digs deep into the past, following history from ancient kingdoms, across colonial seas, through industrial revolutions, and right into the palm of your hand in order to find out the story of one of the world’s most useful simple machines. The Screw. -----------------------Music provided by Lee Roosevere-------------------------------Pl…

When everyone said it couldn’t be done, he stood and he did it. When no one would believe him, he stood and he proved it to them. And when everything came tumbling down, his legacy would bring us back together again. The dream of a young man, the work of a brilliant inventor. How determination and ingenuity kept us in touch, entertained, comforted,…

It has has sailed across the oceans, carried passengers through early pneumatic subways, flown through the heavens, and helped heal the wounded. It’s won wars, housed an unfortunate nation, carried our burdens, and propelled us into the future. This episode we begin to explore the history of plywood, and how it shaped our world.Music:Lee Roosevere …

Ancient warrior chiefs, sinister treasure hunters, adventurous archaeologists, and a mysterious blue disk that holds the secrets of the heavens; the story of how one accidental discovery forever altered human history and ignited the rise of human civilization on a global scale.Music and Ambiance thanks to:Lee RosevereMatt OakleyCaquet (freesound.or…

From humble beginnings to rock and roll legend, the story of how a boy and his father built the world’s greatest electric guitar in a makeshift workshop out of a bunch of scraps.Huge thanks to Tim Sway of New Perspectives Music for the insightful addition to this episode.Check out his excellent reclaimed guitars at:http://www.newperspectivesmusic.c…

Radioactive dinnerware, the wallpaper that may have assassinated Napoleon, and the brown paint that was made of Pharaohs. This episode explores what happens when enterprising people put their creative endeavors ahead of the common good, and celebrates those with the mettle to stop and say, “Something here isn’t right.”Music:Lee Rosevere - Puzzle Pi…

From ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire, from Pre-Enlightenment France to the Great Depression, the history of the Spirit Level is a story of necessity, ingenuity, and collaboration. Join us as we explore the great minds behind one of our most elegant and useful tools.Music by: Lee RosevereLearn More at: http://www.keithdecent.com/ftguFollow us on I…

A look into one of reclaiming and upcycling's most divisive topics, Pallets of fear provides background and expert insight into what makes these tools of the shipping trade so appealing to many, and so unnerving to others.Special thanks to Paul Jackman of Jackman Works. You can find his work here:https://www.jackmanworks.com/https://www.youtube.com…

Lots of changes since the last episode! Check out some of the systems I've come up with!

Listen to me share the idea for my card game and kind of brain dump a lot of ideas.