Books for/about - woodworking

Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Details for Builders and Designers (For Pros by Pros)

Publisher: Taunton
Authors: Rob Thallon

ISBN: 1561583537
List Price: $34.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: Great Series
I found this series of books to be very well written and drawn. What is great is that they present several different ways to accomplish a task, instead of limiting you to one conventional method. The writing is very clearly written, and I own and recommend all three books in these series. Excellent reference.

Summary: Graphic Guide to Frame Construction
Start at the beginning... The spiral metal binding is great, a real manual, easy to keep page being referenced open infront of you. Graphically the pages are consistent in their layout and composition so that the important information is easily seen. Not like many references where drawings,details and notes from different sources are obviously pasted into pages. It reminds me of the famous Architectural Sheet Metal manual published by SMACNA, that is a part in nearly every architect's reference library.
Organized generally in 5 Sections/Systems: Foundations, Floors, Walls, Roofs, Stairs, the information is clearly drawn, diagramed and noted. It is organized and referenced to show the relationship between different conditions within framing systems, and the details at specific locations, both within the 5 systems and conditions between one or more systems. Clearly diagramming the actual construction joining, with cuts, material and fastening shown at specific, critical points in that constuction.
Good general reference information as well re: standard types of prefabricated structural lumber assemblies such as I-joists and trusses and information on type and use of lumber grade designations.

Summary: This book is top of the line and to the point...
This book gives the skinny and does it quickly. You can see at least 2 and sometimes 4 or 5 options for framing and trimming out most every situation you will encounter. As a professional I can say I have used this book not only for my own refrence but as a guide when training new apprentices. Very detailed and well labeled drawings.

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The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction

Publisher: Taunton
Authors: Andy Rae

ISBN: 1561584029
List Price: $39.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
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Summary: 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.

Summary: A Handy Book-By Joe
If you are going to be doing any wood work like making cabinets, shelves, doors ect. this is the book to have. This book will show you layouts, type of cut, clamping, its a very versatile explanation of what you need to do. A Must Have...

Summary: Furniture and Cabinet Construction
I found this book to be "just what the doctor ordered". I am building a new kitchen for our house, and found a great many tips, guidelines, and plans that were invaluable.
I'm retired, and restore antiques (not refinish), and I also found some info to help me in my restoration business. Thanks!!!

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	Tree Houses You Can Actually Build: A Weekend Project Book (Stiles, David R. Weekend Project Book Series.) Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Authors: David Stiles Jeanie Trusty Stiles
ISBN: 0395892732 List Price: $18.00 Amazon Price: $11.70 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: "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! Summary: 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! Summary: 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. Summary:

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Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing (Complete Illustrated Guide)

Publisher: Taunton
Authors: Jeff Jewitt Susan Jewitt

ISBN: 1561585920
List Price: $39.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: 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.

Summary: 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).

Summary: Must have addition
Finishing is one of the few areas in woodworking where modern technology can add to the craft. It's also an area where I know many woodworkers start to scratch their heads over the options available. This book does two things very well.

Firstly it outlines all of the different finishing option available today and considers their pros and cons and explains why you would use one on a particular project instead of another. The finish on an outdoor teak bench will likely be much different than that of a display case. Reading the book will give you an excellent understanding of why.

The second thing I especially like about the book (and all Taunton books) are the great pictures that outline each project. By following the techniques and pictures you have an almost foolproof guide to great results.

An excellent addition to any woodworker's library.

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New Built-Ins Idea Book (Idea Books)

Publisher: The Taunton Press
Authors: Sandor Nagyszalanczy

ISBN: 1561586730
List Price: $19.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
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Summary: Great ideas!
To make the most of our new home, I was looking for ideas for custom made cabinetry and other storage options.
Although the style of quite a few examples are not to my taste, I still got enough ideas and inspiration. Also a plus; the book gives you tips for matching built-ins to the rest of the room, to get a coordinated look.
My favourite chapters: Passages (great storage options to be found there!!) Window seats (you will see small window seats as well as really large ones) Workspaces (they show you practical workspaces even in tiny closets) and Utility Areas. In the kitchen chapter I liked the small details, like the pantry and appliance garage.

Petra (from the Netherlands)

Summary: Great ideas
I want to install severeal built-ins in my older home, as space is limited. This book definitely gave me lots of ideas. The pictures are excellent and really provide inspiration - whether you copy exactly or adapt the ideas to meet your needs. Full of ideas and inspiration - not a how-to.

Summary: Talk about IDEAS!
This book, by far, exceeded my expectations! It is full of wonderful photos - cover to cover. We are getting ready to build a new home and we will definitely use a few of these creative ideas.

Stephanie from Cincinnati, Ohio

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	The Complete Book of Woodworking: Detailed Plans for More Than 40 Fabulous Projects Publisher: Landauer Corporation Authors: Tom Carpenter
ISBN: 1890621366 List Price: $29.95 Amazon Price: $18.87 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: Outstanding Book I am new into woodworking and this book is the best intro to woodworking I have seen. This is outstanding. The second half includes doezens of plans for different wood projects. Although I don't plan on making any of these, it gives a great insight into how to build different things. Anyway, this is highly recommended. Summary: 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. Enjoy! Go make sawdust. Summary: 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. First and foremost of these gaps is that the book is entirely power tool oriented. Given that a woodworker rapidly gets surrounded by a host of machines, it never hurts to spend time on saws, planes, and the other hand tools that are part of good woodworking. Good hand tools are berely cheaper than machine tools, and selecting the right ones is one key to achieving top-grade results. The book flies too high to provide important detail on the tools that it does cover. Power saws, planers, drill presses and anything else require knowledge in order to be used safely and successfully. And to make the right choices when purchasing. This book would serve best the beginner who has access to a full shop, not one who is in the process of putting a shop together. The projects are very straightforward - too simple in some cases to keep the attention of someone who wants to attain levels of artistry. There is no effort to rank the projects by complexity, or connect the skills required to section of the book. This can trap a beginner into a task that takes experience to complete. I'm also informed that some of the shopping lists are incorrect, so make a point of checking before buying. Nothing is more irritating than having something become scrap because you followed the directions. So be warned that this book is of the greatest value t someone who is both a complete beginner and has access to a full shop. Access to a competent woodsmith wouldn't hurt either. If you fit in that niche the this could be a satisfactory purchase. If not look about you. Several of Taunton Press's efforts may be more useful to you. Summary:

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Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology

Publisher: Taunton
Authors: R. Bruce Hoadley

ISBN: 1561583588
List Price: $39.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: Excellent book
After you've advanced past the Time-Life 'how to' style books, get this one.

This is an absolute Bible of working with wood. The amount of usefull, intelligent info in here is staggering. This one definately covers the "whys" of wood (why does it do this or that). If you want to know "what" to do with wood (joinery, etc) then look up Tage Frid. I feel the need to say that this book is actually rather scientific. By that I mean it has lots and lots of details and microscopic pictures and things you'd learn in a college class. If you're not really into that kind of stuff, you might not find this book usefull to you.

Personally, I wish I would've gotten this book a long time ago and not ruined so much nice wood in the mean time!

And as always, Amazon has a great price and had it in my hands within a couple of days (literally 2 days) from ordering it.

Summary: 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).

Summary: Wood Lover's Dream
I LOVE this book. Hoadley's style is great; his knowledge of the subject is unsurpassed; the photography puts all other so-called "wood reference books" to shame.

Did I say that "I LOVE THIS BOOK"?

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Woodworking with the Router: Revised & UpdatedProfessional Router Techniques and Jigs Any Woodworker Can Use

Publisher: Readers Digest
Authors: Bill Hylton

ISBN: 0762108002
List Price: $29.95
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: The missing manual that should have come with your router

In the revised version of the most definitive router technique and information book, Bill Hylton has out done himself.
Written in a conversational and friendly tone, he gives you all the lessons you need to get the most enjoyment and precision out of the most versatile tool in your workshop. There are more pictures, and they are in color. The new version is available in hardback (something that you will no doubt appreciate if you keep this by your side in your shop --as you should).

At over 300 pages, by far, Hylton's book is the most comprehensive book on the subject. I find the local woodworking stores frequently referencing and recommending it to their customers. It's a great bargain, especially if you are considering taking expensive router 101 courses. This has it all. I'm surprised that this didn't cost a whole lot more because I found myself reading it and trying out the techniques for weeks after I got it. Remember those old Kung Fu movies where the main character walks around and encounters all these wise old masters? He fight thems, and then gets them to teach him their technique. Well here, you get the benefit of all his wisdom, and you don't even have to get hurt along the way!

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