Fine Woodworking, No. 311: July/August 2024

Good woodworking is often a matter of choosing the right approach for the piece in front of you. In Fine Woodworking, No. 311, the projects and practical articles move from a Shaker side chest and an Irish stick chair to dovetailing, turning, and finishing. The result is an issue with plenty to consider at the bench—and ideas for woodworkers who enjoy understanding not just how a technique works, but when it is useful.

Furniture with purpose and character

Christian Becksvoort’s Shaker-inspired side chest gives a classic form added utility with a bottom shelf. Christopher Schwarz’s Irish stick chair feature takes a different path, showing how basic tools and considered strategies can make chairmaking approachable. Together, these projects offer two distinct ways to think about traditional furniture and the decisions that shape it.

Joinery, turning, and a better finish

Bob Van Dyke presents multiple ways to cut a dovetail, making the article relevant to woodworkers weighing different methods for different situations. Matt Monaco’s turned pepper grinder brings a satisfying small project to the mix, while Adam Godet tests hard-wax oil finishes and considers their application and results. These features offer practical subjects to explore without reducing the craft to a single recipe.

Understand the material—and the shop

Jeffrey Schucker looks at air drying, kiln drying, and thermal modification, broadening the issue beyond project-making to the behavior and preparation of wood. Tool reviews, workshop tips, and a closer look at a large lathe add further shop-floor reading, while the readers’ gallery provides a glimpse of work made by fellow woodworkers.

For makers who like to keep learning

With furniture, hand skills, turning, finishing, material knowledge, and tools all represented, this issue suits woodworkers looking for both inspiration and useful technique. Keep it close for a project idea, a joinery refresher, or a thoughtful read between shop sessions.