Rob Johnstone

  • Nothing Like an Old Fool

    With our April Fool’s eZine effort behind us, I would like to say thank you to all the folks who liked our effort, and to direct you to the Feedback page, where some of your own humor is on display. To those of you who did not find my editorial funny and/or had some questions about the piece, here are my responses.

  • Woodworking Is for the Birds

    Thank goodness that Spring has officially arrived — although it is always more of a concept than a reality for those of us who remain suffering from cabin fever here in the frozen North. Still, that concept has us thinking of days to come when the snow will have fled and the grass will be green, and the birds will return from the warmth of the South.

  • Table Saw Injury Lawsuit

    There’s been quite a bit of virtual ink used to discuss the recent settlement awarding $1.5 million to a woodworker who injured his fingers using a table saw.

  • Woodworking Wood Freaks!

    Last issue I asked you to tell me what your favorite hardwood might be. Great shugga-bugga, you folks really like hardwood! Nearly 250 of you sent in your selections, and what a diverse lot you are. There were 39 species identified as faves, with selections ranging from obscure (jatoba) to bland (poplar). There were, of course, the class clowns who had to raise their hands to say things like “free!” or “veneer,” but I must confess I found those answers amusing. (It takes a wise guy to appreciate a wise guy…)

  • My Favorite Hardwood

    While the question “what is your favorite hardwood” might seem like one of those silly magazine cover lines (What is YOUR workshop I.Q.?), I am actually serious in my curiosity. Why, you ask? Well, because if you had asked me three or four years ago what my favorite was, I would have answered without hesitating – cherry lumber, specifically, curly cherry. But if you asked me today … the answer would be different.

  • Brave New (Social) World

    As eZine aficionados, you are probably hip to the world of social media (or at least you’ve heard the term…). Woodworker’s Journal is fully engaged in this new world and wants to make it easier for you to find the woodworking Facebook pages, Twitter™ feeds and YouTube videos that are becoming an important part of the online woodworking community. (And we’re not stopping there… there are also blogs, Flickr® photos, message boards – and the list continues to grow!)

  • Wood to the Rescue!

    Editor-in-Chief Rob Johnstone found an interesting idea during his daily trip around the Internet & wanted to share it with our blog readers.

  • Woodworking Projects Galore

    As I stated recently, there is no time like right now for getting into the shop and getting busy. Which brings you to the woodworker’s eternal question: “Which project should I start next?” Personally, I solve that question by starting a whole bunch of projects at once. Which leads me to the next question of: “Will I ever finish a project?” But of course, that’s just me…

  • No Time Like Now

    The holidays are past, in my neck of the woods it is not fit outside for man nor beast, and my social calendar is woefully empty: what a great time to do some woodworking! This is truly the best time of the year to get into the shop and make some sawdust. Distractions are few, and the winter stretches out in front of us without apparent end. For some, this can be depressing; for us woodworkers, it does not get much better than January and February in the shop.

  • We Wish You a Happy New Year

    This time of year is notoriously busy — for reasons that can be both sound and silly. The hubbub that surrounds our work and family life can sometimes become overwhelming, and it is easy to let an important obligation slide by.