Rating: 
Summary: These projects may self-destruct
Review: Anyone who has ever had to mess with a stuck door has confronted a troublesome fact of life: Wood moves. Write that down on a 3x5 card: "Wood moves." Hold this card in your hand and look at it from time to time as you thumb through Stevie Henderson's enormously successful <i>2x4 Furniture.</i> Because Stevie seems to forget occasionally.Take the first project in the book, for example. It is a coffee table with an edge-glued wood top almost four feet wide, screwed and glued to a frame running cross-grain to the top. Actually, the top is glued to some trim pieces which are in turn screwed and glued to the supporting frame, but it's pretty much the same deal. You can't do this, folks. A four foot width of pine is going to swell and shrink as much as 1/4" with the changing of the seasons, and it does so across the grain. Gluing it to a piece of long grain (which doesn't move) is like sticking it in a vice and repeatedly closing and opening the vice by 1/4". That's the theory, anyway, and if it's right, then something has to give. I would guess the miter joints in the trim would open up, or the table top would warp and split, or both. Indeed, something bad is definitely happening: In the photograph, you can see a big gap opening up between the tabletop trim and the supporting framework to which it is glued and screwed. Since this is a big full-color photo of a project for a woodworking book, you'd think they'd turn the piece's best face to the camera. The scary thing is, this may be the piece's best face. Have a look at some table plans from respectable woodworking magazines. Have a look at a table that's been around a long time. You won't see broad pieces of solid wood effectively welded to anything running cross-grain. You'll see things like slotted screw holes or tabletop clips that permit the top to move. Otherwise, the piece will explode like a bomb. Just kidding. But it will become a horrible crippled thing that you will want to blow up <i>with</i> a bomb. There are simple ways around this problem. For example, why not use plywood for the top? You're already trimming the edges all around. Or if you just have a thing for solid wood, trim the ends with "breadboards." Or just round them over and consider them trimmed. But don't glue them into a frame! This book is full of stuff like this. Solid wood panels with battens or cleats glued and screwed across the width. Why do you suppose your cabinet doors aren't made this way? Or your house doors for that matter? Because <b>wood moves</b>. Thus the genius of frame-and-panel doors. And the outdoor furniture. Have a look at the chairs on page 122. See the gap? You like your joints open to the weather? That's what happens when you build outdoor furniture with these huge face miters. How about the bench on the back cover? There's an easy and sturdy way to build a thing like this, but Stevie's piece relies mainly on screws going into endgrain, which is about the weakest thing there is. That bench is going to rack over like a beer carton the first time a fat guy jumps up on it and dances. People say this book's strength is the simplicity of the projects, but I find some of the stuff to be overbuilt for what it is. Look at the "rustic chest." That's a heck of a lot of wood and measuring and cutting and fastening to do what a 6-board chest does in, well, 6 boards. This is a good book for sharpening your critical eye, but it's not for a weekend warrior who just wants some plans to knock together. Perversely, you have to know what you're doing to get ideas from this book, and I think the opposite was intended.
Rating:
Summary: These projects may self-destruct
Review: Anyone who has ever had to mess with a stuck door has confronted a troublesome fact of life: Wood moves. Write that down on a 3x5 card: "Wood moves." Hold this card in your hand and look at it from time to time as you thumb through Stevie Henderson's enormously successful 2x4 Furniture. Because Stevie seems to forget occasionally. Take the first project in the book, for example. It is a coffee table with an edge-glued wood top almost four feet wide, screwed and glued to a frame running cross-grain to the top. Actually, the top is glued to some trim pieces which are in turn screwed and glued to the supporting frame, but it's pretty much the same deal. You can't do this, folks. A four foot width of pine is going to swell and shrink as much as 1/4" with the changing of the seasons, and it does so across the grain. Gluing it to a piece of long grain (which doesn't move) is like sticking it in a vice and repeatedly closing and opening the vice by 1/4". That's the theory, anyway, and if it's right, then something has to give. I would guess the miter joints in the trim would open up, or the table top would warp and split, or both. Indeed, something bad is definitely happening: In the photograph, you can see a big gap opening up between the tabletop trim and the supporting framework to which it is glued and screwed. Since this is a big full-color photo of a project for a woodworking book, you'd think they'd turn the piece's best face to the camera. The scary thing is, this may be the piece's best face. Have a look at some table plans from respectable woodworking magazines. Have a look at a table that's been around a long time. You won't see broad pieces of solid wood effectively welded to anything running cross-grain. You'll see things like slotted screw holes or tabletop clips that permit the top to move. Otherwise, the piece will explode like a bomb. Just kidding. But it will become a horrible crippled thing that you will want to blow up with a bomb. There are simple ways around this problem. For example, why not use plywood for the top? You're already trimming the edges all around. Or if you just have a thing for solid wood, trim the ends with "breadboards." Or just round them over and consider them trimmed. But don't glue them into a frame! This book is full of stuff like this. Solid wood panels with battens or cleats glued and screwed across the width. Why do you suppose your cabinet doors aren't made this way? Or your house doors for that matter? Because wood moves. Thus the genius of frame-and-panel doors. And the outdoor furniture. Have a look at the chairs on page 122. See the gap? You like your joints open to the weather? That's what happens when you build outdoor furniture with these huge face miters. How about the bench on the back cover? There's an easy and sturdy way to build a thing like this, but Stevie's piece relies mainly on screws going into endgrain, which is about the weakest thing there is. That bench is going to rack over like a beer carton the first time a fat guy jumps up on it and dances. People say this book's strength is the simplicity of the projects, but I find some of the stuff to be overbuilt for what it is. Look at the "rustic chest." That's a heck of a lot of wood and measuring and cutting and fastening to do what a 6-board chest does in, well, 6 boards. This is a good book for sharpening your critical eye, but it's not for a weekend warrior who just wants some plans to knock together. Perversely, you have to know what you're doing to get ideas from this book, and I think the opposite was intended.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book for short projects and for beginners .
Review: I have never done any woodworking outside of 8th grade shop class where we made a napkin holder. I wanted to do some woodworking and I thought this book would be a good start. It was. I am very happy with this book. They lead you through step by step, which if you do not know how to read a woodworking "plan", makes it comprehendible. This book uses very few actual 2x4's, but rather 1x2's, 2x2's and other easy to get lumber. You need very few tools and they don't cost much. Be sure to use clamps! First project I didn't and results are unimpressive. I love this book and highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting projects
Review: I must take exception to Johnthebarkeep's characterization that making raised panel doors on a table saw is dangerous. Any time you use a table saw, there is the possibility of injury, but making raised panel doors can and has been performed safely by many amateur woodworkers. I find his statement uninformed and needlessly alarming.
Rating:
Summary: Scant offering
Review: I was disappointed with the variety of projects in this book, and the "..Great Looking.." in the title should be changed to "..OK Looking..". Otherwise a good book. The material lists are helpful, and the instructions are good.
Rating:
Summary: Use it as a starting point
Review: One of the best books I ever bought! Got me started on this great, productive hobby. Even my family is helping me. One thing, the book does not always list the dimensions of the projects. This should be listed so you will know if the finished product will fit in your home.
Rating:
Summary: 2 x 4 Furniture: Simple Inexpensive
Review: One of the best books I ever bought! Got me started on this great, productive hobby. Even my family is helping me. One thing, the book does not always list the dimensions of the projects. This should be listed so you will know if the finished product will fit in your home.
Rating: 
Summary: Confidence builder
Review: This book is a great confidence builder for beginning woodworkers. The designs are simple and easy to build, the instructions are well written, and few complicated tools are required to complete the majority of the projects. The projects include a wide enough range of designs to provide one or two projects appealing to most any beginning wood craftsman. This book is a great confidence builder because it provides some nice looking, easy to build projects to launch most anyone into wood working with a pleasurable experience and satisfying accomplishment.
Rating:
Summary: Confidence builder
Review: This book is a great confidence builder for beginning woodworkers. The designs are simple and easy to build, the instructions are well written, and few complicated tools are required to complete the majority of the projects. The projects include a wide enough range of designs to provide one or two projects appealing to most any beginning wood craftsman. This book is a great confidence builder because it provides some nice looking, easy to build projects to launch most anyone into wood working with a pleasurable experience and satisfying accomplishment.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: This book provides excellent instruction for simple furniture. Very few tools are needed for the projects and the materials used are fairly inexpensive. I would definately recommend.
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