4 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
As this issue goes to press,
Popular Woodworking is changing
ownership. The last few months
have been a rollercoaster of emo-
tions for me, my colleagues, readers
and contributors. There’s been un-
certainty about jobs, the status of
stories and projects, and an overall
sense of unease about the world
at large. And it’s during this time
that it’s been clearer than ever how
much woodworking means to me
and the role it plays in my life.
Just about a year ago, I tore the
kitchen of my 1906 house down to
the studs, which started a journey
that included rewiring and replumb-
ing the entire house, replacing some
rotted sill plates and spending more
time in the basement and attic
than I ever want to do again. At the
moment, I’m installing the kitchen
cabinets I built, and the end of the
project is visible (if not completely
in focus yet). When I talk about this
project with friends, I sound crazy.
I could’ve bought cabinets from a
store, or hired out portions of the
project. But really, this project is
exactly what I needed.
Spending my nights and weekends,
holed up in the shop with a complex,
multi-step project, is my favorite
choice of therapy (I’m betting it’s
also comparable in cost to the real
thing). Yes, I’m focused on the task
at hand, but there’s plenty of time in
between steps to think about those
things and ask the big questions:
What should I be doing with my life?
Are magazines the best way to serve
woodworkers? If I move my lumber
rack up a foot, could I fi t another
workbench under it? Where did I put
my tape measure?
I’ve never built an entire kitchen’s
worth of cabinets before. We’re
going to be living with them for the
foreseeable future. They need to be
up to the quality of the old-world
craftsmanship that’s throughout the
rest of the home, but still have the
modern conveniences a world-class
baker and cook must have. As much
as I want to get this project over
with, I also can’t rush it. Setting our-
selves up for success in the future
takes work, often unseen, to make
the result feel cohesive, eff ortless
and part of the house.FROM THE EDITOR
Woodworking
Through It
By Andrew Zoellner
That’s a lot like the journey this
magazine and brand has taken over
the last six months. How do we con-
tinue to publish inspiring projects
and stories and helpful advice, shoot
informative videos, interact with our
readers across social media and still
fi nd time to sleep.
It’s a process that’s always being
tweaked and improved, rethought
and rejiggered. I’m happy to report
that, for the fi rst time in a while,
things are looking up for Popular
Woodworking. And, I’ve forgiven the
previous inhabitants of my house
for the shortsightedness of their
last kitchen remodel.The past few months haven’t been easy,
but woodworking has made it better.