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Rating: 
Summary: Molly's Reviews
Review:
Informative Read ........ Recommended 5 stars
The Review
The work is a how-to book filled with glossy photos, step by step directions and a layout of various objects to be made using simple tools, easily gotten wood and a minimum of building expertise.
What caught my eye first is the lovely porch swing on the cover of the publication. The swing appears usable and used in addition to being sturdy and very, very inviting.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Use The Measurements Given
Review: I have built, the 2x4+1x4 chairs (a bench to match the chairs, as well as foot rests that slide under the bench "all my designs"), the small table and the barbeque table from this book and have to change all the measurements. She has the back supports for the chairs wrong, they don't work, you must use 17 or 17 1/2 inch back supports. Also the seat is too high for the arms so you must either lower the seat or shorten the legs (front and back). They are also uncomfortable for seating as built, I have found that lowering the back of the seat 1 1/2" makes them much more comfortable. After building the chairs, I just used the basic ideas and worked out the measurements for what I wanted since I couldn't trust the ones in the book. I have build some nice things from her basic ideas but they are not her plans but mine.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Use The Measurements Given
Review: I have built, the 2x4+1x4 chairs (a bench to match the chairs, as well as foot rests that slide under the bench "all my designs"), the small table and the barbeque table from this book and have to change all the measurements. She has the back supports for the chairs wrong, they don't work, you must use 17 or 17 1/2 inch back supports. Also the seat is too high for the arms so you must either lower the seat or shorten the legs (front and back). They are also uncomfortable for seating as built, I have found that lowering the back of the seat 1 1/2" makes them much more comfortable. After building the chairs, I just used the basic ideas and worked out the measurements for what I wanted since I couldn't trust the ones in the book. I have build some nice things from her basic ideas but they are not her plans but mine.
Rating:
Summary: Very nice!
Review: Interesting ideas for your home. I haven't made any yet, but I hope to. Who would have thought about constructing a backyard deck that's portable? Some things are bigger than others, but they are all built to please. Rudimentary knowledge of woodworking is advised, however--you should know your way around a hammer and nails, if nothing else.
Rating:
Summary: Very nice!
Review: Interesting ideas for your home. I haven't made any yet, but I hope to. Who would have thought about constructing a backyard deck that's portable? Some things are bigger than others, but they are all built to please. Rudimentary knowledge of woodworking is advised, however--you should know your way around a hammer and nails, if nothing else.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting
Review: Neat things that you can make to have a great backyard/patio/whatever. All it takes is some time. . .
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting
Review: Neat things that you can make to have a great backyard/patio/whatever. All it takes is some time. . .
Rating: 
Summary: Dumb and Dumber
Review: The authors, Stevie Henderson & Mark Baldwin, devote the first five chapters of this book going over materials, tools, techniques and safety. All of which I personally wish more authors would do. They go through everything from adhesives to selecting the type of wood to use.After the introduction the book jumps straight into building projects. The projects range from building a Birdhouse Table, an Adirondack Sofa, a Yard Light, an Outdoor Storage Center, a Privacy Screen, a Portable Deck and so much more. My favorite aspects of this book are the authors provide a lot of diagrams and pictures to help spotlight the amount of detail they provide. Also, each project has detailed lists of what material is needed and instead of just providing the reader with a Cutting List, and they provide a Material and Hardware lists. There's no more guesswork on what tool is used to make or do what! This book is very thought out and it is geared toward the beginner to intermediate. I enjoyed this book and look forward to building many of the projects for my own personal use. I recommend the purchase of this book.
Rating:
Summary: good starter book - bad plans
Review: This book is great for beginners in that it introduces and familiarizes readers with tools, lumber, and techniques. In fact, I would go as far as to say it's a great motivator to start building your own projects. As far as the plans in the book go, I recommend either redoing measurement calculations on lumber and hardware, or finding plans elsewhere. I built the lawn chair, and found some measurements to be wrong in lumber and in the screw lengths. I wrote down the corrections as I went along, and found that my second chair only took me a fraction of the time to make, compared to the first. Looks great! Just be careful if you're using the plans! Good luck.
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