We’re getting close to shipping the August issue of Popular Woodworking. Subscribers shold get it the week of June 9th (that's next week) and if you’re still purchasing Popular Woodworking magazine at a newsstand you can find a copy by July 1st (but you should susbcribe – you'll save money!).

If you’re wondering what’s on the cover, where have you been? We’ve sent out a cover test to newsletter subscribers (be sure to register if you haven’t already) allowing them to vote for the cover they most liked (the comments were very interesting), and Senior Editor Robert W. Lang has a blog entry about two approaches used to buy lumber, one he used when purchasing the stock for his Craftsman Bookcase (the cover project) and the other approach was used when he bought the lumber for a workbench he’s building as I write (to read his entry, click here).

And now we’ve added a video, “Choosing Project Lumber,” in which Bob explains the process he used as he selected lumber for his bookcase at Frank Miller Lumber (click here to view the video or watch it in the player below.) Here you can see the pieces that became his bookcase. Was the 50 board feet of lumber he selected enough to complete the project?

Watch the video, read the blog and when the magazine arrives, you’ll have all the background information at hand to really enjoy the article.

By the way, this isn’t the only video we’re uploading for this next issue. We have an example of sand shading an inlay (this video is available now, click here or watch this video in the player below as well), an explanation of quartersawn lumber straight from someone in the know at Frank Miller Lumber and don’t forget our new column by Marc Spagnuolo, a.k.a. The Wood Whisperer.

And what do you think of the new video format (we've embedded them in the blog)? Is this better than clicking through to the video player at popularwoodworking.com/video? Leave a comment to let us know.

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–Glen D. Huey