WELCOME TO POPULAR WOODWORKING'S WEEKLY WOOD NEWS

On July 17 I started the finishing process on a chest of drawers I've just built. I worked at it every day until Sunday, July 26. Finally, after nine days of fussing with 14 thin coats of varnish, the piece looked presentable.

Though it seemed like nine days of torture, it really was a reminder that finishing – like everything in woodworking – takes time and effort to do well. It's not difficult to learn, but it isn't as easy as slapping on a coat of polyurethane and calling it done. In fact, that's why we have a section of our web site devoted to finishing articles. Check it out here – there are more than 40 free articles there.

Like finishing, another area of woodworking that gives everyone fits is design. We're finishing up the details on our Furniture Construction & Design conference that starts Aug. 14 and have a surprise announcement below. Check it out.

Christopher Schwarz, editor, Popular Woodworking
(chris.schwarz@fwmedia.com)

P.S. Make sure you don't miss a single issue of E-News! Add our address (popwood-newsletter@fwpubs.com) to your e-mail address book today!

A New Material for Building a Solid Workbench

This summer we're building a workbench for the November 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking using an unusual raw material: laminated veneer lumber. Commonly called LVL or Microlam, this engineered wood product is used in home construction where stiffness is important.

Unlike certain wood species used for building workbenches, LVL is available everywhere and is reasonably priced. So we decided to see if it would be a good workbench and if there are any special challenges.

Editor Christopher Schwarz and Managing Editor Megan Fitzpatrick have been building the bench and have been blogging about the experience. Check out the progress by following along (and check back with the blog for future updates). And be sure to look for the full article in the November 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking.

I Can Do That Woodworking Projects

Are you looking for basic (but good-looking) woodworking projects that require a minimum of tools to make? And can be built from materials found at your local home center? Check out "I Can Do That Woodworking Projects." You'll find projects that are easy and fun to build – and that you'll be proud to use.

Kids can make these projects with help and guidance from dad, mom, grandpa or another adult that has basic woodworking skills. And when the project is finished, they will be rewarded with furniture they built themselves.

Build a Bigger Blanket Chest

On the cover of the August 2009 issue, there are pictured two walnut blanket chests, the smaller version stacked atop its larger brethren. Inside the issue, Senior Editor Glen D. Huey walks you through the building process for the small chest (which includes a secret compartment!).

After receiving a few requests for plans for the larger version, Glen posted a blog entry on scaling furniture from photos (which is extremely useful when all you have is a picture in a book), and a later entry with elevation drawings for the larger chest. Click the links below for each.

Founder of Grizzly Industrial is Sharp Shooter

Shiraz Balolia, the founder and owner of Grizzly Industrial is a "hands-on" kind of guy who's involved in all facets of his company, from machinery design to catalog design. Plus, he builds guitars in his spare time. Oh yes, and he spend a bit of time on the shooting range – enough so that he holds several national records and is the current Washington State Champion in F-class open rifle shooting. And, for the last couple weeks Shiraz been competing internationally as vice-captain of the USA F-Class Open Rifle Team, which took the gold medal. You can read more about his adventures on our blog.

'Handplane Essentials' Pre-Sale Price Ends Friday

Just a quick reminder that the pre-sale price of $27.99 for our new "Handplane Essentials" book ends Friday night. After Friday, the price will be $34.99 – and we won't offer a discount again until at soonest January 2010. Also good to know: This book is shipped free anywhere in the United States.

Last week we reviewed the printer's proofs of the book, and we're pleased with the quality. The paper is nice – even nicer than the paper we use in Woodworking Magazine – and the photo reproduction is crisp. We also reviewed the book's hardbound cover, and the quality there is also excellent. The book should be bound and in our warehouse sometime next week.

Position Hardware so it Looks 'Just Right'

Sometimes you can center your hardware on your project and it looks great. Sometimes the dead center isn't the right place for it. Recently, Editor Christopher Schwarz installed pulls on a chest of drawers, and he tried to find a working system to place the hardware using antique furniture as a guide.

Visit his blog to discover what he found out and be sure to leave a comment if you have your own system for placing hardware so it looks "right."

Father/Daughter Lounge Act

Passing on woodworking skills to your children is the best way to ensure that the skills of today become the traditions of tomorrow.

Popular Woodworking Books Editor Jim Stack and his daughter Kelly worked together to build an ambitious project – and they had a wonderful time working together on it. You can read more about the project on our blog.

Free Marketplace Admission at St. Charles Woodworking in America

The Marketplace at the Woodworking in America: Furniture Construction and Design conference will be free and open to the public throughout the three-day event. If you're near the Chicago area between August 14-16, stop by the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill., to test-drive the latest wares from Lee Valley Tools, Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Tools for Working Wood and many more (click here for the complete list of exhibitors). And, to spend a weekend learning about furniture construction and design, register for the full conference (or just one day) here.

New on the Web

Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog:
Week Three on the Road
Sharp Shootin' Shiraz
The Best Dogs Are Mutts
Large Blanket Chest from August 2009 Cover
Father/Daughter Lounge Act
Woodworking Design for Regular Guys

Woodworking Magazine Blog:
Place Hardware So it Looks Right
Bound Up On the Topic of Glue
'Handplane Essentials' Sale Ends Friday
Make a Ridiculous Tool, Get Good Breath and Win
More Glue Than Wood: At Work on the LVL Workbench