I’ve spent as much of the last several months as possible in my shop. Though I’ve learned a lot during my quarantine-induced shop time, I’m a bit malnourished due to social distancing. I want to share what I’ve learned and to learn from other makers, but it’s difficult these days to work shoulder-to-shoulder in the woodworking field. Nevertheless, we have the means to virtually band together to share our common information harvest for the greater good. And by offering up our experiences and ideas, we also nourish young makers, encouraging a bountiful future for our craft.
One of my favorite facets of making Woodcraft Magazine is acquiring knowledge from fellow woodworkers. I’ve reaped an abundance of smarts from our sundry contributors over the years, including those in this issue. Plus, I’m astounded by the ingenuity of you, our readers. Your capacity for clever problem-solving is on full display in our Tips & Tricks column. And the photos we receive of your work are tributes to your creativity. Sometimes these projects were inspired by something on our pages, often incorporating variations or improvements. But just as often they are original designs, accompanied by stories of builds that were rich with learning opportunities.
Plenty of woodworking expertise is ripe for the picking in this issue. Snack on the tasty techniques presented in the Party Trays project or view layout tools from a new angle. The article on fire-sanding and coloring is burning with colorful creativity to cultivate. Traditional furniture can be refreshed with innovative methods, as demonstrated in Limbert-Style Book Rack. And game-lovers will enjoy rolling the dice on a fun design.
I invite you, dear reader, to bring something to the table. Let us know what’s cooking in your shop. Submit your ideas and project photos via email, snail-mail, and social media. If you’re between projects, survey your shop for jigs and ingenious ideas to add to woodworking’s rich cornucopia of ideas. I hope to be tasting the fruits of your woodworking knowledge soon.
