Author name: Enthusiast

Editors note: Bob Flexner’s blog will move to the Flexner on Finishing Blog at the end of April. You can find it here. A few years ago I was called to a long-time client’s house to look at a problem on their newly purchased eighteenth-century Chippendale dining set. I was excited. How often do I get to see something like this up close – that is, not in a museum? But […]

The post Using Solvents to Date Furniture appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

The dresser A few months ago I received an email form a person who wanted to know if I could build two walnut handles for a Mid-Century walnut dresser that she cherished. She reported that she and her husband purchased the piece forty eight years ago when they got married and that it remains very dear to her heart. The dresser has three drawers, two doors and floats on a […]

The post New Handles For a Mid-Century Walnut Dresser: Part 1 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

I don’t have enough elitism in my bloodstream to poop on pocket screws too much. For starters, they are incredibly ingenious and allow people to build things with only a handful of tools and almost no clamps. And they have been around for a long time – I’ve seen pocket screws in many piece of 19th-century furniture, including Shaker stuff. But when the joinery is exposed, it’s quite ugly. And […]

The post Pocket Screws: The Mightiest Little Clamp appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Editors note: Bob Flexner’s blog will move to the Flexner on Finishing Blog at the end of April. You can find it here. Just because a finish is old and deteriorated, you don’t necessarily have to strip it and apply a new finish. You may be able to rejuvenate the finish so it looks new or at least is presentable. It’s often worth a try before starting to remove the […]

The post Rejuvenating Old Finishes appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Really pleased to have this workbench project done. As I’m not a avid SketchUp user or good with my drawings skills like Yoav, I felt the only sensible way to share a project was to get it done and then discuss the process. It’s the first time I’ve done a longer video series. I had feared the longer form was going to be a of a drag. So far though the […]

The post Making a Workbench – Part 1 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Making good food is a lot like making good furniture – you need good raw materials, skill and a decent set of basic tools. Last weekend I was talking to my brother-in-law about his job, which is supplying high-quality ingredients to restaurants. He’s been in the business long enough that he ends up mentoring young restaurateurs. When he works with them in developing menus, he gives them this advice: “Look […]

The post Woodworking Advice from the Food Industry appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.