In this month's Good Woodworking

Getwoodworking.com’s Ben Plewes is making the big news inside this month’s GW as we launch a new series-concept called ‘Notes from a small workshop’. Ben will be putting the spotlight on working in a small space (9sq.ft if we’re talking Ben’s basement). He’ll be offering tips on how to make the most of your space, he’ll be sharing ideas from readers and getwoodworking.com members, too, and he’ll be making projects ideal for small workshops. This will be an ongoing dialogue, so don’t expect tidy set pieces, instead Ben will be writing almost in real time, so you’ll be able to join him in making the projects, as he makes them (which suddenly sounds all very Gordon Ramsey, oh dear). Which could lead to some sticky moments if Ben’s designs are flawed! As well, you can communicate with Ben about Notes here on getwoodworking.com. It’ll be challenging…

We’ve got three projects for you to ponder. Dominic Collings talks us through a wall-mounted table for depositing post and keys (on and in). The project caused him no end of headaches. Dom’s table proves the adage the best form of learning is through mistakes – preferably others’, not your own. Meanwhile Mike Sturgeon has fashioned a very modern coffee table in sapele and maple that calls for some innovate leg-making techniques. And if you fancy something altogether different then in Significant Styles Martin Aplin tackles Indian design in making a chest.

Andy King’s been busy too with whole pages of wisdom on buying and renovating old tools. Whether you’re talking planes, saws or chisels, Andy has great advice on what to look out for and what’s repairable and what’s not.

In Around the House Phil Davy revives a well-worn Workmate with some 22mm birch ply, a can of paint and some canny ideas. It’ll spark fond remembrances with those who remember Phil’s My Mate Workmate series.

Good to see too that the sponsorship of our letters pages – Letter of the Month wins a £75 Skilsaw – has sparked life in the wordsmiths among you. Keep it up! Ah, we haven’t even discussed our profiles of Tim Rinaldi or the Brighton Wood Store yet. Nor mentioned our regulars in Solutions, nor our columnists. Yeah, this month GW’s very busy, rather packed. We really like it, we hope you do too.