June 26, 2007

Popular Woodworking – August 2007 – Review

This month’s Popular Woodworking just showed up and it’s another winner. Lots of cool articles, tips, tricks, and projects for all skill level woodworkers. This issue even has the first installment of a new column, “Jig Journal,” which, according to Christopher Schwartz, Editor of the magazine, is “not your typical woodworking jig column with Rube Goldberg gizmos. These are jigs designed to be used everyday.”

For projects, this issue features a canted wall box (for beginners), a nice tusk-tenon book rack (for intermediates), a great Shaker Clock (for the advanced among you), and a foot-powered lathe (for the insane inventor-types out there). There is also a good article on dust collection, one on plane wicks, and a very cool piece on The College of the Redwoods, the woodworking school founded by James Krenov.

The new jig column describes how to make and use a simple table saw tenon jig. Like everything else in this magazine, the writing is detailed, yet easy to understand.

The Tool Test section has a couple nice reviews. Of the five, by far the most interesting is the one on Bridge City’s Variable-Pitch Plane. The Plane is beautiful and a model of precision woodworking, but since it costs about $1,500, it’s probably not for everyone.

Essentially, another good issue that’s worth picking up next time you’re at a bookstore.

Tools discussed this issue:

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