Author name: Enthusiast

In January, our parent company, F+W Media, acquired New Track Media, a company with a portfolio of magazines, books, supplies and events that help people get better at what they love to do – in other words, interest areas that fit in perfectly with the F+W family of magazines, books, stores, online education, events and more for fine artists, graphic designers, writers, sewers and quilters, to name just a few […]

The post Congrats to Glen Huey, Editor, American Woodworker appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

When I was a kid, I used books to escape from my (boring) Arkansas upbringing. Today, I use books to escape from the drudgery of air travel. Every room in our house is full of books, and there is never enough room for them all. So as a woodworker, I’m always building more bookcases that stack on top of other things – including other bookcases. This week I started building […]

The post For Those Who Love Books, Travel & Joinery appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Since my post on drawboring last week (read it here), I’ve gotten a number of requests for information about furniture restoration and conservation. One common thread seems to be people using those terms interchangeably. While they may both deal with repairing furniture, I’ve never thought the two terms had the same meaning. Restoration is something I started doing right out of high school. The cabinetmaker for whom I worked also […]

The post Restoration Versus Conservation appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

An interesting e-mail dropped into my inbox yesterday. Across the top of the message was simple written “Karl Holtey.” Knowing that name, I eagerly opened the message. And if you’re mouth juices are beginning to build, you too know that name. Along with three photos came a short press release about a new addition to the Holtey stable of planes, a limited-edition stainless steel No. 983 block plane. Of course, […]

The post Thank You Karl Holtey appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

A few weeks ago, I posted about “Build a Viking Tool Chest,” a start-to-finish instructional DVD (also available as a download) from woodworker and blacksmith Don Weber. He shows you not only how to build the historic chest, but how to make your own period-correct hardware. At the time, it was on pre-order; it’s now available in our store – and when you purchase through ShopWoodworking.com, you get a bonus […]

The post Compulsory Viking Tool Chest appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

There was a time when nearly even adult male in the United States owned a Stanley #4 smooth plane. The one I have was passed down to me by my dad (a chemical engineer) who got it from his dad (a tool and die maker). When I was a kid, dad dragged the thing out every few years, sharpened it on a Norton oil stone and had at the edge […]

The post Improve Hand Plane Performance appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.