For over the past 30 years, author Thomas Begnal has held editorial positions at three magazines: The Woodworker’s Journal, Shopnotes, and Fine Woodworking. He has also written three books: The Woodworker’s Guide to Shop Math, The Handy Shop Reference, and Building Backyard Structures. As a freelancer, he has edited how-to books for Betterway Books and McGraw-Hill. Thomas’s interest in math goes back to his roots in mechanical engineering and an early career as a production engineer. Later, when his woodworking hobby led to an editorial position at The Woodworker’s Journal, he continued to put his math skills to work while designing and building furniture.