Reviews (30)

Simply excellent, from start to finish
This book is a must. It will show everything from start to finish.

It helped me with my DIY furniture !
As I went into some DIY woodworking projects and needed some help, I bought this one together with another Taunton series: Gary Rogowski's "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Joinery". Excellent books both of them. The sections are very well balanced and the techniques are discussed starting from a logical sequence in a furniture building project (framework, joinery, sides etc). Moreover, it gives you freedom to choose the most appropriate technique but you also have the basics (without power tools) which is very helpful in order to understand them better. No fuss about gear and promotion of one brand or another, the book it is very careful about that and it gives you freedom to choose between category of tools and not vendors. Also it has some chapters about wood finishing which are very well done, providing information in a very concentrating manner. For this one alone Taunton convinced me to buy another one, Jeff Jewitt and Susan Jewitt's "Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing". The photographs are beautiful and high quality print (it is printed in Italy, famous for its publishers) and worth the money. Really, you have a lot to learn if you are a beginner or mid-advanced in the art of woodworking and it is a very practical lecture whenever you want to build something wood-wise. Also, the book is a very good reference for those that are teaching these techniques given the quality of the pictures and clarity of text. Five stars, worth every penny IMO.

Ideal Starters
As you would come to expect from Taunton Press Books, they know their stuff when it comes to woodworking. The person who would like this book would be someone who is looking for an overview of all the techniques and hardware that can be used to create fine furniture. It tries to accomplish a lot in one book. So if you are looking for a book to be a idea starter, this is a good reference. I would suggest that you get this to set the foundation and add more books as you pick up a technique you would like to learn more about.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Cabinetwork    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Design & Construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Furniture    7. Furniture making    8. House & Home    9. Woodwork - Furniture/Cabinetry    10. Woodworking    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    12. Furniture & cabinetmaking   

Reviews (11)

Detailed Information
Very clear and detailed information.All steps are covered.This will be in my shop, close at hand!

Required for all wood workers out there...
Great book.Presents all the tricks of the trade for finishing wood projects.This book helps me to manage all my finishing tasks much easier.No longer do I "hope" for a match when it comes to staining.Through the techniques presented I have been able to take most of the guess work out of the process.I highly recommend this book for those serious about their project finishes.

Jewitt does it again!
There have already been excellent & thorough reviews of Jewitt's newest book on finishing - but I must 'object' to the quite negative 1* rater who was disappointed that the book did not contain enough information on re-finishing - Jewitt's book is entiled '....Finishing' implying on how to prepare & use finishing products on new wood.There are plenty of other books on re-finishing, and if one is looking for a specific need then a review of the contents of the book or a perusal of the book in a store and/or library would seem a first suggestion.Bottom line - if you need a book on how to finish your 'new' projects, then this is an excellent choice; having said this, I am currently reading the new edition of Bob Flexner's book on finishing - another outstanding contribution to this often confusing area (and let me warn those who are interested in 're-finishing' - only one chapter, so don't apply). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Furniture finishing    4. House & Home    5. Woodfinishing    6. Woodwork - Furniture/Cabinetry    7. Woodworking    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (6)

very original designs
I found this book very helpful in my artwork. I also was very pleasantly surprised to find it enjoyable to read. There are stories of folklore explaining the beginings of the differents dragons and thier formations from one type to the other. The designs themselves are beautiful to look at. I am constantly researching diffrent designs/drawings of dragons and find few that I like. I was very pleased with this book and its one of my favorites among the rest of my collection.

Great Book of Dragon Patterns:the Ultimate Design sourcebook for Artists and craftspeople
I love not only do you get help with drawing and patterns, you get a history lesson on types if dragons.

Dragons galore
Dragons galore, the renditions of the dragons in this book are great as far as they go, there are a lot of dragon heads, there could have been more on the body, having said that I would like to congratulate the writer on the dragon law and types of different dragons, even though short and concise it was very interesting giving the reader a reasonable amount of information on different breeds and sub species of dragon.
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Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Dragons    5. Dragons in art    6. General    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Reference    9. Subjects & Themes - General    10. Techniques - Drawing    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    12. Decorative arts & crafts   

Reviews (21)

The One to Have
Leonard Lee's "The Complete Guide to Sharpening" is a wonderful (make that essential) addition to the home or shop library. A writer once told me that a really good title should only fit one book, and this one certainly does. After reading the table of contents I was awakened to the idea that almost every tool needs something sharpened, reshaped, or polished to perform its tasks the best. How about sidecut pliers, tweezers, various drill and router bits? They're covered in this book.I appreciate the photographs and illustrations of various cutting edges under extremely high magnification. The whole "a picture is worth a thousand words" cliche takes on serious meaning in this book. Some prospective buyers may look at the sheer scope of this work and think it's overkill -- too comprehensive for most hobbyists. I strongly disagree. This work should be read, followed, and kept for future reference. I would not have thought of sharpening my pruning shears, hedge trimmers or other tools had I not purchased this book. I find it well-written, comprehensive in scope, founded in facts, and easy to follow. I consider this book the equivalent of a doctoral dissertation on sharpening. Buy it and use it.

Now my tools are scarey sharp!
Prior to reading Mr. Lee's book my approach to sharpening was to fire up the grinding wheel and make some sparks fly from the tool's cutting edge.The results were less than satisfactory.I needed a mentor.
Best Book for Sharpening Skills
This is the best book by far that I've found for sharpening every tool in the workshop. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carpentry tools    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Hand Tools    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Power Tools    7. Reference    8. Sharpening of tools    9. Woodwork    10. Woodwork - Tools    11. Woodworking    12. Woodworking tools    13. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (25)

Exceptional, but not perfect!
This book contains a great wealth of information, my only complaint is the data is not referenced for sources of information.Trying to verify or follow up on specific information is not easy.

Excellent book
After you've advanced past the Time-Life 'how to' style books, get this one.
Analise em Lingua Portuguesa (In Portuguese)
Ainda nao li o livro de forma exaustiva, mas do que li pareceu-me um bom livro para Engenheiros do sector das Madeiras ou para pessoas com conhecimentos de Ciencias suficientes para perceber os conteudos abordados. Para os outros, penso que tambem podera ser um bom livro, mas neste caso terao de se ficar por uma analise mais qualitativa. Enfim, estou satisfeito com a compra que realizei, e estou mesmo a pensar comprar o outro livro deste este autor (Identifying Wood - ISBN 0-942391-04-7). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Hobbies/Crafts    3. House & Home    4. Wood    5. Woodwork    6. Woodwork - General    7. Woodworking    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Woodworker's Tool
A basic guide that covers just about all you need to know on the subject.Taunton is always the source to use for the best in anything to do with carpentry and home repair.

Starting Out Right
It's not like me to wax poetic over a an introductory how-to book, but Lonnie Bird's tome on Using Woodworking Tools really is one of the finest effots I've ever seen.Taunton continues to set the bar with their 'complete illustrated' guides, but this one is exceptional for even that series.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Furniture    4. Hand Tools    5. House & Home    6. Power Tools    7. Woodwork - Furniture/Cabinetry    8. Woodworking    9. Woodworking tools    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    11. House & Home / Woodworking   

Reviews (4)

Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Turning
Excellent book covering many begining to intermediate aspects of turning.Good book for learning new techniques or technique review.Every turner should have (and use) this resource

almost complete
This is a very good book:
"Til by turning, turning, we come round right."
I've avoided lathe work for a great many years, satisfying my lust for sawdust by cabinetry and furniture.But in the back of my mind there has always been a little voice that would ask me 'why not?' every time I looked at a block off wood with beautiful grain.Well I finally broke down and spent the sizeable amount of money needed to buy and equip a good lathe."While I'm waiting for it to be shipped," I thought, "I'll read a book about it."After all this is how I've taught myself just about everything else.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. House & Home    4. Lathes    5. Turning    6. Woodwork - Tools    7. Woodworking    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    9. House & Home / Woodworking   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Update to a Classic Woodworking Text
This book is an expanded and comprehensive update of the (out of print) classic "Working with Wood: The Basics of Craftsmanship" by Peter Korn.It also includes some of the wood structural information from "Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology" by Dr. R. Bruce Hoadley.
A 'must' for any who regularly tackle woodworking projects
Andy Rae's Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide To Working With Wood is a 'must' for any who regularly tackle woodworking projects. A step-by-step reference covers different techniques for working with the wood, packing in nearly a thousand photos and drawings to show how to buy lumber, dry it, store it, join it, and machine it. Andy Rae has his own woodworking business and designs his own furniture; his extensive background making furniture and teaching woodworking lends to a splendidly simple presentation outlining different wood qualities and how to work with them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction - General    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. House & Home    5. Wood    6. Woodwork    7. Woodwork - General    8. Woodworking    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    10. House & Home / Woodworking   

Reviews (1)

Another Winner
Sandor Nagyszalanczy has just added another excellent book to his growing and versatile collection of woodworking guides.The organization of his Jigs and Fixtures book is first rate,logical and easy to follow.It starts out with a short section on how to use the book and then follows with sections organized in a very useable way.Safety notes are interspersed throughtout and are appropriate for novice and professional woodworkers alike.I have several other jigs and fixtures books which are generally boring to read and used only to look up a specific jig. However,this is not true for Mr.Nagyszalanczy most readable and informative works which I enjoy cover to cover. I have another of his books on built-ins which is also great, and have preordered his new shop organization book.He is a frequent visitor on DIY Network's "Tools and Techniques" hosted by Popular Woodworking's David Thiel . He is as enjoyable to watch and listen to as his books are to read.I rate this book at 5 stars and my only minor critique is that the many color photos, while excellent and instructional, tend to be a bit smaller than my 64 year old eyes like to see, but that's not a big deal.As an aside,most Taunton Press woodworking guides,of which I have many,are typically of very high quality. I look forward to more guides from this extremely knowledgeable and entertaining professional woodworker.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Jigs and fixtures    5. Woodwork - General    6. Woodwork - Tools    7. Woodworking    8. Woodworking tools    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (7)

Read this book first!
Having muddled my way through about 6 years as a hobbyist woodworker, I wish I would have found this book first.It provides excellent instruction on basic woodworking techniques, but it also unashamedly recommends the surprisingly few, but high quality tools one needs to produce beautiful furniture.Had I read this book first, literally hundreds of dollars in unnecessary or substandard tools wouldn't be cluttering up my shop today!
Excellent for a beginner like me
I am a weekend amateur woodworker who has gone through many of the typical problems you run into when you think that wood is something straight and two pieces are easy to joint even when you cut them "almost" right. This book is excellent if you are new into woodworking. Everything is explained and illustrated with very good pictures.
Very Good For the Self Taught Woodworker
I have found it difficult to find a book with actual exercises to build hand skills in an organized manner.I think many self taught woodworkers have peaks and valleys of skills due to the nature of "solo woodworker" learning (project plans and piece meal magazine articles).Sometimes my inefficient methods have taken more time and wasted more wood than I would care to admit.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. House & Home    5. Woodwork    6. Woodwork - General    7. Woodworking    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (7)

High quality work
I took the initiative to build the carved corner china from the plans in this book and they are excellent. When I was done with my project I wrote Mr. Gottshall with photos of my project and he wrote back immediately, as I am perhaps the only other person he knew who built this particular project.
Instructions and Measured Drawings for 40 Classic Projects
I gave this book "Making Antique Furniture Reproductions" as a present to a person who is learning how to make furniture. This book was very well received and appreciated for all of its detailed information and illustrations.

Gottshall will be a good companion.
Franklin Gottshall has written a number of great woodworking project/reproduction books and periodically reshuffles and reassembles his popular plans. This book one is similar to an earlier red cover version on Reproducing Antique Furniture. I built a variation of the blockfront chest. Gottshall's construction explanations are very clear and his drawings are thorough, and accurate. I wanted a four drawer instead of a three drawer chest. I used a Kittinger catalog to rescale the piece, but basically followed Gottshall's construction. His piece did call for full 7/8in sides which required a little research to find.A source supply would have been nice. I accomplished the carving of the shells from his layout, though I modified the center design somewhat, and thought his shell looked a little thick, but simply thinning it down did the trick. Because when I built the piece in 1974, I didn't have the variety of router bits available today, I found I had to design some templates and jigs to ensure success on the complex cuts. But all that is doable. Recommend that you draw up full scale plans from Gottshall's plans for complex pieces. It will help you learn the construction. Even if you do not like or build all the pieces, it is a valuable reference on fine furniture construction that you'll reference often. It's a great book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Furniture    6. Furniture making    7. Woodwork - General    8. Antique furniture    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    10. Furniture & cabinetmaking    11. Reproduction of artworks   

Reviews (7)

Scroll Saw Workbook
This is an EXCELLECT book!!! It tells you all different ways to use the scroll saw, like Fret Work, Intarsia, Compound, Stackables and many others. It gives step by step instructions, Very easy to follow and do. If you're not sure what kind of scroll sawing you want to do this book will help you choose that one. Or maybe you're like me and you'll end up liking them all. A definte or any one who enjoys the SCOLL SAW!!!!

Best Book to Buy
This is the best book to buy to learn about using a scroll saw.Great instructions, explanations, and fantastic excercises in logical order to move you forward in expertise and confidence.
Nice guide to start
Very nice book. It guided you step by step on the use of the scroll saw and explains the differences between saws. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Power Tools    5. Woodwork - General    6. House & Home / Power Tools    7. Woodworking   

Reviews (9)

Great book on workbench philosphy and design
This is a great book for what I wanted - a survey and idea book to design my own bench. Essentially the author surveys a number of different woodworkers and what type of benches they use and why. The book is broken down into logic chapters on various components of the bench including the top, base, vises and holding techniques. He covers ideas on how the bench fits in the shop, ergonomics, tool storage/trays, holding wood, and other issues related to layout and placement. It covers some history of workbenches but isn't a history book.
Buy this book
Though I am a huge fan of Scott Landis' book on this subject, I think I like this book even better.Because I will soon build my third and final bench (yes I am a dreamer), I have been reading a lot about this subject lately.This book does a great job of grabbing your interest, showing you the thought process you should use to determine what design and features are best for you, and then showing many beautiful examples of hard working benches in scores of woodworking shops.
Excellent Book
This is an excellent book.If you are thinking of designing and building the perfect workbench, you absolutely should buy this book.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Design and construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Do-It-Yourself - General    5. Equipment and supplies    6. Furniture making    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. House & Home    9. Woodwork    10. Woodwork - Furniture/Cabinetry    11. Woodworking    12. Workbenches    13. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    14. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (13)

Outstanding Book
I am new into woodworking and this book is the best intro to woodworking I have seen.This is outstanding.
Excellent!
I just got this book a few days ago, and I've had a hard time putting it down.There are lots of full-color pictures, with thorough descriptions of almost every aspect of woodworking.I've already learned a lot about different types of wood, how to make several kinds of cuts with several kinds of tools (including suggestions for what to do even though I don't have a large selection of power tools), and have some projects picked out to start as soon as I can get the lumber!It is a very thorough book, unlike several others I looked through at my local bookstore.I would highly recommend it to anyone who's interested in woodworking!It is both fun and informative.Almost half of this substantial book is general background information and instruction, including a detailed glossary, and the rest is a good selection of detailed, well-illustrated plans.
The Not Quite Complete Book of...
I've been hesitant to review this book because, despite its title it is by no means a 'complete' book, and yet it is well written, and what it does it does well.It is well written, and covers many of the important subjects - Setting Up Shop, Designing Projects, Introduction to Wood, Joints, Finishes, etc.And it provides a host of projects suitable to the beginner.It's hard to fault what it does do, but there are several problems with what it doesn't do.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork    6. Woodwork - General    7. Woodworking   

Reviews (60)

Improve Your Finishing Knowledge
This book dispels many myths and misleading thoughts about wood finishing.I've done a few simple finishing projects over many years, daunted by confusing and conflicting instructions, poor results when precisely following the instructions, etc.
Finally, it all makes sense!
I'd read several books on refinishing (I have a craftsman house and am refinishing the built-in woodwork), and though I was learning, it all seemed like like an arbitrary collection of independent facts -- some made sense, some I could not quite figure out, some seemed contradictory -- all very confusing. Then I got Flexner's book and everything finally made sense. He explained the "why" behind all the seemingly arbitrary "rules" so you can truly understand what is going on, figure things out, and make your own judgments. I have 4 other books, and none of them comes close... Really! Oh - and it's nicely organized with a good index too!

For those who like to understand what they're doing
Understanding Wood Finishing is aptly titled.Unlike most books I have read on wood finishing, Flexner's work gives a great deal of attention to understanding the subject.Other books I have read, including one of my favorites, Finishing Methods of Work, are compilations of methods and instructions.Flexner explains the mechanics of the finishes instead of just the properties and dogmatized applications.Make no mistake, he provides instructions on those areas as well, but he leaves the reader with an understanding of the products that will allow him or her to improvise with a high likelihood of success.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Stains and staining    7. Wood finishing    8. Woodfinishing    9. Woodwork - General    10. Woodworking    11. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (1)

The missing manual that should have come with your router

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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Routers (Tools)    6. Woodwork    7. Woodwork - General    8. Woodwork - Tools    9. Woodworking    10. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (31)

"A Most Helpful Tree House Guide"
David Stiles seems to know exactly what aspects of building give us would-be owners of tree houses our cold feet.He has organized this book so that our every little fright is answered before it occurs.Every potential problem has, if not a clear answer, at least a path for readers to "whomp up" an answer themselves.I was wonderfully impressed!Come fall, one or two trees in my backyard may be wearing houses themselves!

Tree Houses You Can Actually Build
There's a lot of info in this book that would have been hard to scramble up on my own.And, is presented in such a way that even a beginning carpenter can put together one of these or just use the info to design one's own. I especially liked the info on the "extras" such as rope ladders and other tree house accessories. It's a real "how-to" book and I can't wait to get started!

Critical resource for the first-time builder
I used this book to build a great tree house. I found the line drawings to be much more useful than the photographs in the other 3 tree house books I bought. The drawings offer advice for beginners (including don't saw the branch you are sitting on) that seem frivolous till you start working in the tree. The book gives a few plans, and though none would quite work in my tree, I was able to combine ideas from all of them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Construction - Carpentry    3. Design and construction    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    8. Tree houses    9. Woodwork - General    10. Building construction & materials    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    12. Woodworking   

Reviews (8)

Wood ID
This is probably the most comprehensive wood identification text out there. I highly recommend it.

For scientists only
I am sure this is a wonderful book for those interested in a cellular approach to identifying wood.It is not appropriate for those of us who want to identify wood by observation. The book is too sophisticated and technical for the everyday user.

Identifying Wood : Accurate Results with Simple Tools (Hardcover)
I think it is a great book to identify wood. It has some great pictures of wood samples. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. House & Home    4. Identification    5. Wood    6. Wood Technology And Products    7. Woodwork    8. Woodwork - General    9. Woodworking    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    11. Timber & wood processing   

Reviews (2)

It has hooks
My husband has had the desire forever and I found a class to get him started.This is the first book he brought home from the shop.I read it today and found the illustrations worthy of framing alone.There is one very detailed how to example that takes many baby steps where you gain further skills in multiple cuts and design.VERY IMPRESSIVE.
Great photos and artist's reviews!
This is one of the best sources for a variety of new ideas that I've come across in a while. I carve and sell quite a few woodspirit walking sticks and the excellent color photos of the many professional artists profiled inspired many of my own original ideas. Great selection for any serious woodcarver's library! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Woodwork - General    6. Carving & carvings    7. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    8. Woodworking   

Reviews (4)

For The Experienced Woodworker Only
I'm starting my second electric guitar project, and so recently re-read my copy of this book. Okay, but limited
A book which contains nice plans and outline for a single guitar project, but does not explain things well enough to allow the inexperienced reader to design their own guitar, except as a slight variation of the project included. Good to add to a wwodworking/guitar building library, but not the place to start if you are building your first guitar (I strongly recommend Hiscock's book for the neophyte electric lutier.)

My dream Guitar
This book by Roger SIminoff is one of his best.Through reading the book, I was able to build a guitar, something that I had no knowledge of previous to this reading.I would reccomend this to anyone who would like to builodsomething themselves, as this book brings you from A-Z ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music    2. Music/Songbooks    3. Musical Instruments - Construction And Repair    4. Musical Instruments - Guitar    5. Reference    6. Woodwork - General    7. Music / Musical Instruments / Guitar    8. String instruments