Magazines

Keith Smith is the handsome gent on the cover. Our master of the workshop (Shop Notes) is the author-maker of this issue’s lead project – a pair of French doors, made without joints. Typically Keith, the project is immaculately executed. Fascinating reading.

Alan Holtham adds more depth to the Projects section with a hall table that proves to be an excellent test of your routing skills. Mark Cass, meanwhile, has a commission to make what he terms an eggbox bookcase. You’ll have seen plenty of the like in the catalogues of IKEA and Habitat, so they’re all the fashion right now. That doesn’t stop Mark offering his usual caustic remarks and observations on the way through!

In Workshop, editor Ralph Laughton sets out to make housings and cross-rebates by hand and by machine. He also sets out to explain the ins, outs and twists of wood screws in Understand. Quite where Keith Smith found the time within his busy schedule to re-tile the roof of Chez Smith is a mystery to us but by gum we wish he was a relative of ours!

In Turning Bob Chapman makes a welcome return with a neat salt and pepper mill project using walnut and sycamore. Alan Holtham backs up his thread chasing of last month with a box-making project while Ian Wilkie has some wise advice on looking after your lathe.

Jigsaws and cordless jigsaws in particular are the big test feature by Andy Standing in On Test, with plenty of good essential information plus a review of six of the best. Andy’s also cast a critical eye over the Power8workshop and offers an honest appraisal on this cordless ensemble. Gordon Warr’s never ever idle and this month he’s reviewing two very useful drills from Worx.

As ever a thorough and authoritative run through a whole bag full of woodworking material – and it’s on sale now!