Author name: Enthusiast

In the December, 2001 issue of Popular Woodworking (issue # 125) I wrote about how to construct a simple but safe home spray booth. This article was reproduced in my book, “Flexner on Finishing.” But what if you have more space, do a lot of finishing and would like to have something more like what professionals use but still don’t want to devote that much space? This sounds pretty much […]

The post Spray Booth for a Small Shop appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

When gluing up a frameless cabinet, we all know that we have to square up the carcase before the glue cures – otherwise the doors and drawers will never fit well. When working with beginners and many intermediate woodworkers, they usually square up only the front of the case with diagonal clamping pressure. You can get away with this about half the time – either the diagonal pressure at the […]

The post Squaring Up Cabinets – Don’t Forget the Back appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

As I worked through my recent workbench project, I got a comment on one of the build videos about how the build might not be suitable for the inexperienced woodworker. I reflected on that for a moment and I actually think they had a point. I’d wanted my workbench project to seem accessible, from both cost and method perspective. I think with cost it’s hard to beat, but it does ask […]

The post Making a Workbench – Part 2 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

In my March 22 posting I passed on the report that Sherwin-Williams is buying Valspar for $11 billion creating one huge supplier of many brands of finishing products we use. But not so fast. Now the Federal Trade Commission is beginning to investigate on antitrust grounds. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, this administration doesn’t have the best record of stemming the formation of monopolies. But, then, previous administrations in […]

The post Update on Sherwin-Williams buying Valspar appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

When James Krenov died in late 2009 (wow, has it been that long?) I wondered at great length what would happen to his reputation. For some undefinable reason, when some influential woodworkers die, their legacy seems to fade with each passing year. See Tage Frid and Alan Peters for examples of this. And others seem to grow with every passing year, such as Sam Maloof, Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima. […]

The post James Krenov in the 1990s appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

On Monday, May 23 at 1PM EST, we (Megan Fitzpatrick and I) will be doing an AMA (ask me(us) anything) on the subreddit r/woodworking on Reddit to talk about Woodworking in America 2016. Meet us there and ask us any questions that you may have about woodworking, running a magazine or anything else that comes to mind (like how to properly spell rabbet). So if you have the time on Monday, head over […]

The post Ask Us Anything May 23 appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.