International Norm Day

We were all bummed about news last week that “The New Yankee Workshop” was ceasing production. And, in case you’ve forgotten, this Saturday is Halloween. I think you see where [...]

Best New Tools of 2009: The Runners Up

Every year we name the best new tools we’ve encountered and feature them in our December issue of Popular Woodworking magazine. The process we use is entirely unscientific, and we like it [...]

A Visit to Clark & Williams

I crossed the border from Missouri to Arkansas this afternoon, and I knew immediately I was home. For starters, the land is achingly beautiful. I miss the Ozarks I grew up with, which are [...]

Book Review: 'The Artisan of Ipswich'

When woodworking magazines publish plans for a reproduction of an antique, we show you the details you need to construct a facsimile. We give you part sizes, joinery details and tips on how to [...]

Norm Abram Closes Up Shop

After 21 seasons, “The New Yankee Workshop” is closing its doors, and its much-beloved host, Norm Abram, is going to focus on his personal projects and PBS’s “This Old [...]

Small Planes for Fast Work

When I bought my first smoothing plane at a flea market in Burlington, Ky., I could fit everything I knew about handplanes into one of the Elvis Presley shot glasses I stumbled upon that weekend. [...]

Completely 'Bad Axe' Saws

There are some words we get in trouble for using in a woodworking magazine. Here are a few: “foolproof” (fools, we have found, are very clever), “holiday” (don’t [...]

When Your Workbench is Too Low

I’ve always been an advocate for low workbenches, especially for planing operations. My workbench is at 34″ (and while standing on my horse stall mat it’s 33″). And [...]

The Crash Course in Sharpening

Toolmaker Ron Hock has a new book coming out soon and a new blog , both deal with sharpening. I had the privilege of reading the draft of the book, “The Perfect Edge” (Popular [...]