Even though we’re just days away from Christmas, our staff has propelled “full speed ahead” into 2011 to bring you lots of fine content for the February print issue. It’s due to arrive in your mailbox very soon. But Matt Becker, our Internet Coordinator, says I can share some details about the articles you’ll be reading at your leisure shortly. And so I will…let’s get a jump on the new year straight away!
Projects: Your February issue is packed with great project options to help you pass these long winter months to come. If one of your resolutions for ’11 will be to get organized, consider building Greg Wood’s Classic Walnut Bookcase. It’ll not only give you more shelf space but also help you polish your veneering skills. Or, consider displaying the new family wall calendar in an Arts & Crafts Calendar Frame. Wichita, Kansas, woodworker David Fowler has figured out an ingenious installation system for the calendar that features magnets…and I’ll leave it at that for now. Rob Johnstone radically revamps a country pine table that we originally ran in December 1990, giving it two-tone flair from a completely different wood scheme—you’ve gotta see this one to believe it. And, if it’s a shop project you’re after, Sandor Nagyszalanczy will help you turn a handheld belt sander into a nifty stationary tool in our Jigs & Fixtures department. It’s a quick jig you can make on a Saturday morning.
Tools: What issue would be complete without some tool-sy content? February’s bases are covered here as well. In “Today’s Shop,” frequent contributor A.J. Hamler discusses the reasons—and some will say virtues—of the “downsizing” trend in handheld power tools these days. In our Woodturning department, guest author Ellis Wallentine, host of Woodcentral.com, takes you on a quick tour of the funky family of hollowing tools so you can get started in hollow-vessel turning. Who knew there were this many options for getting the “inside scoop?” 
Your’s truly decided to take eight benchtop drill presses out for a test drive this time around in order to pick a “Best Bet” winner. Let’s just say I’m also now up to my gills in ash chips, after putting these handy machines through some tough drilling tests. And Sandor kicks off a six-part Skill Builder 
series for the new year on Power Tool Tune-ups. His first article focuses on the table saw. If yours could use some tweaking, Sandor will show you what to do in the print issue, then cover the topic in even greater detail as a “More on the Web” exclusive.
Techniques: While you’ll be able to try your hand at all sorts of techniques in this issue’s project offerings, master woodworker and long-time Journal contributor Ian Kirby offers a cerebral alternative in his new feature “Three Tenets of Good Design.” In fact, this is the first of several articles focused on design that he’ll be sharing with you in future issues. Improving our design acuity is certainly a skill worth pursuing, and Ian will explain the fundamentals.
Plus Much More: Of course you’ll also get those favorite tidbits of regular news we’d be remiss to leave out—What’s in Store, Tricks of the Trade, a new Stumpers tool, Shop Talk updates, and practical advice you can use in Finishing Thoughts and Q&A. Fresh and new for you, as always.
I think that about rounds things up for a sneak peek this time. Hope it makes you start pining for the new issue. And when those Christmas lights finally go dark in a week or so, let’s flip the shop lights back on and get down to business. I think February content might be just the inspiration to do it.
Happy holidays from all of us here at Woodworker’s Journal.
Chris Marshall, Field Editor
