<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Three ways to do everything
Review: All of the major woodworking operations are covered. The three methods are: 1) Hand tools (e.g., a hand saw) 2) Portable power tools (e.g., a Skilsaw) 3) Stationary power tools (e.g., a table saw)Regardless of your skill level or tool inventory, this book will explain the basic operations of woodworking. It is a good introductory text for beginners, and a good reference book for more experienced people (or people getting new tools and learning how to use them).
Rating: 
Summary: excellent comparison of techniques
Review: As a beginner woodworker, I was intrigued by the different techniques that I read in the magazines. For example, why was a box joint used on one of the projects while another project used a dado joint? This book did an excellent job of explaining the pros and cons of various joints, in addition to many other topics. It also has a good section on making several commonly used jigs. The writing and illustrations are all first rate. After reading the book from cover to cover though, I had only wished that it would cover some additional topics critical to the success of a project, such as wood selection and finishing. Nonetheless, this is a must read for anyone who wants to know the why, not just the how, of woodworking techniques.
Rating:
Summary: A great resource for beginners and experts alike!
Review: I've always had the philosophy that the first step to becoming skilled at something is to know what tools are available to help you succeed. Once you know what choices you have, you can become skilled at each one as you need them. This book teaches you what tools (both hardware and techniques) are available to help you succeed in woodworking. It will inspire you, guide you, and teach you as you hone your woodworking skills. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Woodworking Techniques for the Real World Shop
Review: In an entertaining and well constructed text, the author reviews basic layout techniques, shop geometry for laying out more advanced pieces, sharpening and glues. The text moves on to cover the preparation of stock including surfacing rough lumber, saws, resawing, crosscutting, ripping and gluing. Part 3 covers joinery. Part 4 picks up the shaping of legs, moldings, curves and panels. Part 5 discusses the construction of shop jigs and fixtures. I learned a new way to do almost everything in the shop, often finding explanations for why some things failed in the past. The text acknowledges that most of us don't always have the optimal tool for the job and explains how to work around that issue with other tools we might have at hand. While not a design book, the text does encourage design. And, while not a safety book, the text explains why some techniques have problems and suggests ways to mitigate those. Few instructional texts qualify as "page turners," but I found this one genuinely hard to put down. I hope to read more from this author in the future. Finally, this deserving text is hardbound.
Rating:
Summary: Woodworking Techniques for the Real World Shop
Review: In an entertaining and well constructed text, the author reviews basic layout techniques, shop geometry for laying out more advanced pieces, sharpening and glues. The text moves on to cover the preparation of stock including surfacing rough lumber, saws, resawing, crosscutting, ripping and gluing. Part 3 covers joinery. Part 4 picks up the shaping of legs, moldings, curves and panels. Part 5 discusses the construction of shop jigs and fixtures. I learned a new way to do almost everything in the shop, often finding explanations for why some things failed in the past. The text acknowledges that most of us don't always have the optimal tool for the job and explains how to work around that issue with other tools we might have at hand. While not a design book, the text does encourage design. And, while not a safety book, the text explains why some techniques have problems and suggests ways to mitigate those. Few instructional texts qualify as "page turners," but I found this one genuinely hard to put down. I hope to read more from this author in the future. Finally, this deserving text is hardbound.
Rating:
Summary: Great info and fun to read.
Review: Other books put you to sleep sometimes, even though they have great info. With this one, you never forget that an actual PERSON wrote it. He doesn't try to disguise his preferences, which is great. You can usually see through that anyhow. Instead, he explains why he prefers one method over the other and leaves it up to you. The author also has a great sense of humor. (like most woodworkers) He gives three ways to accomplish each task, and explains where one method might be better than the other. The illustrations are either hand drawn or they're computer generated to resemble hand drawings. At any rate, they are much easier to decode that a comparable photo. They are excellent and everything you could ask of an illustration. If you're only going to have two woodworking books, make them this one and "Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking Volumes 1 and 2" This one is slightly more interesting to read, but I think Tage Frid's book has more info packed into it. Also, you will be hard pressed to beat Amazon's price. For what it's worth, I have three all around woodworking books, and the Nick Engler library, and if I could only have one, this would be it.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for beginners and advanced woodworkers
Review: The author does a great job of describing in detail just about every aspect of woodworking, from cutting to glueing to sharpening to finishing. There is a lot to cover and he does it very succinctly and with enough detail and various methods that the reader is given a LOT of ideas on how to go about any given project. The hardcover is a beautiful book. Even if the content wasn't as good as it is, it is still a beautiful book to look at.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for beginners and advanced woodworkers
Review: The author does a great job of describing in detail just about every aspect of woodworking, from cutting to glueing to sharpening to finishing. There is a lot to cover and he does it very succinctly and with enough detail and various methods that the reader is given a LOT of ideas on how to go about any given project. The hardcover is a beautiful book. Even if the content wasn't as good as it is, it is still a beautiful book to look at.
Rating:
Summary: Alternate Methods
Review: This book is essential in any workshop library. It gives simple, easy to follow instructions on many handy techniques, and allows for different methods of accomplishing the same task. This is nice for the beginner, and the experienced craftsman alike, because some techniques require more skill, and experience, and some just require the right tools, and set up time. This book is well written, in plain english, and is an invaluable asset when attempting any of the included techniques.
<< 1 >>
| 
