New Issue of Woodworking Magazine Arrives July 24

Good news: The next issue of Woodworking Magazine goes on sale on July 24. The new issue will be bigger than the last seven issues , 48 pages instead of 36 , and will be available in both printed and digital versions through our web site.

However, this new Autumn 2007 issue will not be available at newsstands. The only place you’ll be able to purchase the issue is through our secure server on our web site. We’ve decided to forego newsstand distribution for the new issue for a variety of reasons, including the recent poor newsstand sales of all magazines and the general wastefulness of the process (all the unsold copies are thrown in the dumpster).  

Here are the details on pricing and availability: Starting on July 24, you will have two options for buying the new issue. For $6, you will be able to instantly download an enhanced pdf version of the magazine. This enhanced pdf will be much like the pdfs on our CDs, which have links embedded in the stories that take you to expanded content on our blog, web site or on other outside sites. The digital version will feature a full-color cover and the same rich sepia-toned photos inside.

For $8, you will be able to purchase a printed copy of the issue and it will be mailed to your house directly from our warehouse in Wisconsin. The printed version will be on heavy #70-pound paper stock and will be true black and white throughout.

I know that many of you are wondering if we will be offering subscriptions to Woodworking Magazine in the near future. The honest answer is that we don’t know yet. Our circulation and accounting analysts are still preparing a report. Theirs is a difficult task because our company has never published a magazine like this one, and the playing field is a crowded one. I can say that our executives will be paying close attention to how this new issue sells. So your continued support of the magazine is appreciated and might even sway their decision.

Below is the important stuff: The stories we’re working on right now for the issue.

The Holtzapffel Cabinetmaker’s Workbench
Author: Christopher Schwarz
In 1875, when the world was balanced on a precipice with its rural past behind it and the modern age spread before it, this bench was published in an English book: “Holtzapffel’s Construction, Action and Application of Cutting Tools Volume II” by Charles Holtzapffel. It’s a tremendous book even today and is crammed with details on working wood and metal with both hand and power tools.

The Holtzapffel workbench is the third archaic workbench that I’ve built and put to use in a modern shop. Each of the three benches had a deep connection to the culture that developed it. The bench from A.J. Roubo’s 18th-century books is as French as bÃ?©arnaise, strong coffee and berets. The bench from Peter Nicholson’s 19th-century “Mechanical Exercises” is entirely British. The only other place this English bench shows up with any regularity is in the Colonies.

The Holtzapffel is a cultural mongrel. The Holtzapffels were Germans who settled in England. And the bench has features of both cultures that, in my opinion, create a bench that is outstanding for cabinetmaking.

Wall-mounted Tool Rack
Author: Robert Lang
One of the most efficient ways to work at a bench is to have all your common tools in a rack right in front of and above your bench. We’ve built a number of designs, all of them simple and taking no more than a couple hours to build and mount. The trick is in knowing how to space the elements of the rack to accommodate the widest variety of measuring, marking and cutting tools.

Tool Review: Flush-cutting Saws
Author: Glen Huey
Flush-cutting saws allow you to trim pegs, wedges and through-tenons without marring the surrounding work. Well, that’s the theory, at least. Some of these saws stink. Some are nutty expensive (more than $100), and some seem a good balance of price and performance. We bring in half a dozen of the best examples we can find and give them a workout.

Tool Techniques: Cutting Flush
Author: Glen Huey
There are a wide variety of ways to trim pegs, wedges and tenons flush to your work, from a trim router with a planing bit, a special saw, a chisel and a gouge. We examine all the methods and find the ones that require the least set-up and the best chance of success.

Become a Better Borer
Author: Christopher Schwarz
Cutting accurate, clean and square holes is a skill that will serve you well in making furniture. We examine the mechanics and ergonomics of boring by hand and by power and show you how to develop your freehand boring skills to a fine art.

Finishing Technique: Pumpkin Pine
Author: Glen Huey
One of the most desirable finish colors is what is sometimes called “pumpkin pine.” It’s essentially an aged, mellow and warm clear finish. Is shellac the best way to reproduce this finish on new work? If so, what is easiest and best? Is there some other technique that doesn’t involve mixing flakes?

The Back Cover Poster: Sandpaper
We take a close look at this common but confusing abrasive. What is open coat? Closed coat? Stearated? P-grade? Garnet? We cut through the confusion so you’ll finally understand the labels and make the right choice.

– Christopher Schwarz