Product Description
The Complete Illustrated Woodworking Course teaches the basics of woodworking through step-by-step, easy-to-follow skill-building projects. No matter what your experience level, you will learn the right techniques and how to choose the appropriate materials and tools for the job. Best of all, any projects such as a birdhouse, towel rail, picnic table, work bench, Shaker cabinet, and kitchen chair can be completed affordably, in the comfort of your own space, and at whatever pace works for you. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

awesome
I bought this for my girlfriend. Now she loves to help when I decide to do a project.She has made 2 things, by herself, from this book so far and she loves it.I love it too I made the platform bed and it turned out awesome.

disappointing
I purchased this book for the furniture projects.The projects (too modern) are nothing that I would build for myself or as a gift.
The rest of the book is informative.

Sound too easy
My wife wanted this book, as she liked some of the designs. Furniture building is not for beginners! There are too many pitfalls to cover, and this book doesn't cover them. The author does start with a shop bench, but she calls for 2 x 4 spruce, which is not run of the mill.

The designs are excellent, but to call this Woodworking 101 is rather misleading. "Woodworking 305" would have been a better title. Being a fairly accomplished woodworker, I found some interesting comments.

Great for beginners and advanced alike
I bought this book for a friend who loves do-it-yourself projects and has some experience with woodworking.She found this to be a great resource, and has already applied some of what she learned about tools in particular.It's not just for women!

If it's good enough for a woman...it could be even better for a man
I'm a man and I'm getting into woodworking.I'm good with my hands and have built basic furniture pieces but never learned technical stuff.I've been reading magazines and looking for a good woodworking book.I came across this one by "accident".It was mis-shelved.Curiosity got me and I flipped through it.I was really impressed.
1. It's very clear.2. It comes from good experience.3. It's concise. 4. This lady has some creative touches in her furniture design. 5.It's no-nonsense construction.This is fine woodworking made simple. 6. It's more than 101...I'd say it's 101-401.7. This book is better than several I have seen or purchased.It is a good book as a compliment to other books.
This is not your encyclopedia.It's not a large book with 20 projects.It's small with only a few. ... Read more

Product Description
This text presents a collection of work from gifted woodworkers to entertain and inspire those who enjoy beautiful things made of wood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ideas
As a woodworker it is always good to see what some of the leading edge furniture designers and builders make. Some are conservative, to see how the profession has reached it's height throughout furniture building history, others are way out there trying out the new possibilities, all awesome work! It truly is fascinating what these books inspire in furniture designer/builders and interior designers. The photography, in most cases is truly spectacular and very detailed there where it is supposed to be detailed. The only, slightly negative, comment I have is that information is cheap at best. Don't expect any information of why a piece was designed / built the way it was, or some of the woodworking difficulties that were overcome in building a particular piece. I am sure that there would be some very interesting captions and explanations to be written about the furniture and other items displayed in this, otherwise, wonderful coffee table book.

A Short Course In Fine Workmanship
There is a considerable difference between the following plans part woodworking and the artistic design part.Like anyone else who enjoys the thrumming sounds of a happy workshop, following plans is a soothing process with a satisfying result.But getting an idea into my head (and then trying to make it real) is more frustrating - my life lacks the spare 'dream time' needed.As a substitute, I like to look at the work of others. And Taunton Press's series of design books is a fine place to start.

Each book is like a juried shop with some 10,000 original entries.There are sections on cabinets, chairs and benches, tables, boxes & chests, desks, beds & furnishings, sculpture & carvings, turnings, and accessories & musical instruments.Some 266 individual pieces are presented.

The range of style and approach presented is wide.Everything from the ultra-modern to the ultra-traditional, each and every one of them marvels of craftsmanship.Some of my favorites are the cover shot of two chairs 'relaxing' on a table (Richard L. Ford, Jr.),a meticulous Arts & Crafts derives Gent'schest (Dan Mosheim), and the totally outré chest as a caricature of a stove (Kimberly Keizer).This issue includes a long essay by Scott Landis on apprenticeship that made me wish I could start out all over again.

GET THIS BOOK!
Even if you are not a woodworker, this book is excellent. You will be amazed by some of these pieces of art. If you are a woodworker, you will be blown away. Every time I look at the book I am amazed by how creative people can be. Most of the other ones are out of print and hard to find, so I suggest getting this one while you can.

Great photography & variety, not all practical.
This book consists of pictures of wood designs categorized by type of work.Each design is a combination of craftsmanship and artistic creativity.The photo reproduction is excellent.The level of woodworkingskill is incredible.I'm just an amateur, and many of the works usedamazing techniques that I wouldn't even think about trying.

I was lookingfor project ideas and the variety in the book far exceeds my tastes.Lessthan 20% of the designs actually interested me, though many had ideas thatI could learn from.The book doesn't include shop drawings or buildinstructions.It does, however, reinforce my determination to continueworking wood. ... Read more

Product Description
With more than 500 shop-proven solutions to your most challenging woodworking problems, this book contains inventive woodworking solutions, contributed by dozens of America's best craftsmen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

everything helpful
This book is everything a woodworker may need answers for.It includes solutions to questions or issues you never thought you would be faced with.Easy to read, follow, and apply in your workshop.

Good book -- lots of useful info.
I am new to woodworking, and I am in the process of absorbing as much information as I can to reach a decent level of competency. This book contains lots of useful info, tips, and ideas to accomplish various woodworking tasks. Most seem quite obvious when you read them, but I never would have thought of them on my own. Recommended.

To review or not to review.
That has been the question I've asked myself about this book. I rate this type of book (those with lots of tips, jigs, etc) based on the number of slips of paper sticking out the top. It gets an even higher rating if I have actually labeled the slips of paper. I've had this for over two years and there still isn't one flag waving in the air.

I'm sure there are some original tips here, but if you have several such books you may want to pass this one by. I've given it four stars based on how it might help someone with no other book of shop tips.

You can't go wrong with this book
It is the most useful and most often consulted woodworking book I have. It almost always has the information I need.

Must-have book for weekend woodworker's library
I'm just a week-end hobby guy and so I need lots of help. This book provides it.

This book provides lots of valuable, time-saving tips.I've found that whenever I'm facing some problem or task with wood, I look it up in this book and there is usually a solution.Makes life very easy in my work shop.

If you need an easy to read book with great pictures to show you how its done, this is the book.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

great workshops
I would recommend this book.If you are a subscriber to Fine woodworking magazine,you will reconize most of the shops from previous magazine articals.I would have liked to have seen more pictures of the shops especially of the woodworking machinery. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Practical, traditional, green, healthy
This book (2nd & updated edition) is about "Green woodworking". What is this? It is working on freshly cut wood, which has a lot of advantages (e.g. the wood is softer). The wood is also not sawn along its length, which results in much greater wood strength (no fibres cuts) and makes it less prone to deformations following variations of moisture. If thin pieces of wood are required, then they are obtained by splitting the wood along its fibres (grain). However, as the author honestly admits, it does not allow to build some styles of furniture that one can make with conventional woodworking (but I can imagine a combination of both kinds of woodworking should be possible for making at least all kinds of traditional furniture.)

But, as the author makes clear at the beginning of the book, green woodworking is much more than a mere technique. It is first of all a tradition : a know-how transmitted from generation to generation in traditional places such as the European countryside, since ages. Being a real tradition it is also a natural, green way of life: it requires using one's muscles in a natural manner (no need for "fitness" or diet), does not pollute the environment (no production of electricity required nor burning of gas). As it does not involve any dangerous machines, nor motor noise nor production of cancer-giving wood micro-particles, it does not imply a high risk of harming the woodworker's health as is the case with conventional (modern)woodworking. And is more pleasant : no need to wear ear protections or a particle filter... but instead using traditional, charming tools and performing those same gestures our ancestors have performed for so many generations.

It is nice to read that the author learned this tradition in the correct manner : from an old woodworker (in spite of the language barrier!), in a remote place high in the Swiss mountains. Throughout the book, I discovered that he also learned, although not directly, from other branches of traditions, such as Mennonite woodworking or Indians.

The major part of the book is about how the techniques themselves : materials (wood in general and different kinds of woods), knife-work, hewing, riving (splitting), shaving, boring, bending, joinery. All of the this is very seriously exposed, with many practical details but also some theoretical background. However I think he should also have covered working with wooden planes, such as the excellent planes manufactured by the German traditional company E.C.E.
The book teaching also various things, such as making a shaving horse, and covers also more than woodworking, showing how to use bark to make some kinds of Indian sacks, or how to use the inner bark to make the seating part of a chair.

I found this book excellent. It could have been even better if the author knew German (what a pity it does not, you really need to know German for such a subject), as the tradition of green woodworking has remained alive in Germanic countries. Some German books have parts on green woodworking, allowing one to know how it was slowly supplanted, starting with the early medieval times, by the fashion of using sawn wood, but remained alive among farmers living in forest areas. BTW I can recommend to those in Europe a practical and well exposed book available(...): Tove Yde's Grünholz Schnitzen (translated from the Danish).

The present book ends with a topically-arranged bibliography (unfortunately covering only English books). I highly recommend this seriously written book, as it is packed with information, may save you some money on power tools and may alsohelp you preserving your health : a good alternative to our pollution-based societies... ... Read more

Product Description
The important information is offered in a no-fuss, straight-forward presentation without glitz or glamour.

This book is a complete guide to everything a woodworker needs to know about working with wood. Detailed enough to satisfy the experienced craftsman, but also written in language clear and precise enough to be a great benefit to the beginning woodworker as well. This book is one of the most comprehensive guides to multiple woodworking topics offered in a single volume. Starting with understanding how wood grows and how to mill it, and all the way through the finishing process, this book belongs above the workbench of every do-it-yourself woodworker. This book, first published in 1976, stands the test of time and accurate, authoritative and timely to this day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Totally Disappointed
For a woodworking book to be promoted in woodworking magazines as a must have item I was completely disappointed.This book really does not rate a one star.Total waste of my money.

Wood workers bible?
I am an long time furniture maker, I have an extensive library of woodworking books.I saw an article some place for this book, it waslisted as a "must have for any new or serious woodworker", so on impulse I ordered it.As titled, it's "a wood workers bible".The information inside is a old as the bible!I do not recomend this book to any one trying to get started in the craft.It is of no value to a beginner and old hat to anyone with experance. It is kinda neat, in its own way, old school hand tools and stuff, but the methods described are outdated and of no practical use.The cost of the book could be put to better use, on the cost of a new cordless drill motor, or a cool new router bit. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (10)

The Seven Essentials of Wood working
This is a fantastic step by step guide to working with wood for the first time. I highly recommend it to beginners. the Author is hilarious attitude and has a great. We use this book in my furniture class.

Back to the Basics
This book was very good at explaining how to get back to the basics with simple hand tools.He describes how to sharpen blades to a razor sharp finish.He explains how to use your basic tools properly so as to use them as effieciently as possible.I really like this book.

hand tool woodworking essentials
The 7 essential of woodworking are 1) Wood, Glue surface & joint making, 2) Measuring and marking wood, 3) Sawing to a line, 4) Sharpening tools, 5) Using Hand Planes, 6) Making Mortise and Tenons, 7) Wood Finishing.

Through out the book he advocates the use of wood tools to a point that on some occasions it is an obsession and therefore quite opinionated, such as using the bow saw ("... only 2% of woodworkers can use one..."). Some of his methods, such as how to find the center of a board by over measuring a greater distance then the know half amount, from each side and then splitting the distance between the two marks by eye and adjusting the amount and after 3 or more times you will be exact. That is tedious and there are far more easier and exact ways to determine the exact middle of the board quicker then this trial and error method. Being an teacher and he not using or mentioning these methods, made me a little skeptical to accept his suggestions at face value.

In the section labeled "Marking techniques for end planning", his instructions were very confusing and required a little analyzation.

On the section about sharpening chisels, the author points out that he has settled on Japanese water stones, but since they can be confusing to use, he explains how to use diamond stones and a leather strop. Not bad to know, but would have liked to know the best way too.

I found the book to be instructive, informative, because in areas it deviated from what the majority of other books I have read, advocating for using hand tools and methods in woodworking. I think some of his view points are more for an intermediate woodworker who has some experience to evaluate his point of view, than a novice or a beginner. Yet a novice or beginner can find value in the book.\

From a Novice point of view I rate it a 3 and from an intermediate point of view,I rate it a 4.

The seven essentials of woodworking
I really enjoyed reading this book .It breaks downthe basics of woodworkingin toessential steps, that one can use to build up their woodworking skills. I wish I had read this book 26 years ago, when I went to maple ridge vocationalschool in B.C. Our teacher taught us todo most of thework with power tools,There was very little instructionon using hand tools properly. The focus was on power everything . When I taught woodworking classes inadult education. The focus again was on power tools. This bookis a great introductionon the use ofquality hand toolsto start your woodworking carrer or hobby.

Brings the Fundamentals into Focus
After trying to learn woodworking "the right way" over the past several months from the current crop of woodworking periodicals, best sellers, Web sites and older woodworking texts, I felt like I knew the lingo but still had no idea about some of the basics.My last shop class in school was 30 years ago, and making a gun rack back then was not the definitive education for quality woodworking.Reading The Seven Essentials has given me a good grasp of the fundamentals of woodworking and how they fit together.Thank you, Mr. Guidice.

This book is not a treatise; I read it (and reread parts) in an evening and was in the workshop practicing cutting to straight lines with my limited arsenal of hand tools the next day.Over 3 weeks I've read it maybe 3 or 4 times.Its brevity is key to its appeal--one man's methods for what works and how to develop the skills to get there.Oh yeah, he talked me into getting a bow saw in the process, too!

Unlike the Magazines and the Web, Guidice cuts to the chase and says this is what I do, this is what I teach, and this works.Sure, he's opinionated but he isn't afraid to let the reader know it.He wants his readers to be working with wood ASAP and not caught up in high tech machinery and debates on methodology; he wisely wants his readers to learn to walk before learning to run.We've probably all made things with butt joints and no glue, struggled with basics of marking, cutting, planing, and finishing, and wondered in bewilderment why it looks so easy in the magazines and with Norm and the NYW.

If you want a place to start your serious woodworking, a straightforward approach to know what to do and why, and some exercises to build your skills and confidence then this is the book.It's actually made all the other stuff (Web, magazines, etc) more relevant given the frame of reference Guidice teaches.Machines are great fun, but realizing that I didn't have to buy a planer and jointer to flatten and square a board was a relief.

What kept me from giving this a 5-star rating was Guidice's insistence on expensive planes (Lie-Nielsen, but in my dreams).The experience I've gained from resurrecting old Stanley wood planes was worth it, and I'll take issue with his position that it can't be done.My 90-year-old jack plane can take tissue paper thin shavings, my 40-year-old fore plane will hold its own as a poor man's scrub plane, and my grandfather's block planes from the '20's and '30's work like a charm when unpacked after 50 years.Tuning a plane is as fundamental as sharpening a saw or chisel, and these old planes provide big bangs for few bucks.

I'm finishing my workbench and organizing my basement workshop right now.I'd like to build a table as my first "real" furniture, and Guidice's book on building tables has climbed to the top of my list! ... Read more

Product Description

For everyone who enjoys attracting wildlife to their backyard, farm, woodlot, or lakeshore home, Woodworking for Wildlife is the perfect resource. With all the latest information on how to attract everything from bluebirds, chickadees, purple martins, and wood ducks to bumblebees, toads, owls, and woodpeckers, the book features thirty designs for nest boxes and nest platforms that will accommodate forty-six species of wildlife. It provides easy-to-follow diagrams for cutting out and assembling the nest boxes, accompanied by over three hundred beautiful color photographs.

Carrol L. Henderson has dramatically improved and expanded the book with the best techniques for building, placing, and managing nest boxes. He provides new information on how to eliminate predation on nest boxes by raccoons and cats, as well as how to reduce competition from exotic species such as house sparrows and starlings. The book also includes new designs for houses for flickers, great crested flycatchers, toads, bumblebees, buffleheads, and purple martins.

Woodworking for Wildlife is a great reference for backyard wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, youth group leaders, teachers, woodworking instructors, and parents and grandparents who are looking for outdoor projects to do with children.

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent and Easy
Great info and plans for bird houses.I upgraded from an early edition and am very glad I did.

Not just for woodworkers
My brother, a woodsman from the days when there were woods and with a house full of bird guides and binoculars, says he's learned more about bird habits in here than anywhere else.And, you can buy many of these birdhouses (sources included here) if you don't want to build them.This is one of those books that you can't put down once you start to browse,nor need you be a Minnesotan to benefit from it.

Home is Where the Habitat is.
I'd reccomend this book to anyone wishing to construct homes to attract wildlife and enhance habitat.It is comprehensive with respect to species which nest on platforms and in boxes, and the plans are consise and easy tofollow.There are also alternate designs for some species, based on howdetailed you wish the construction. I have referenced this book severaltimes over my years owning it, and the 7 or 8 pairs of wood ducks thatreturn to my pond every spring are testament enough. ... Read more

Product Description
Build any one of 50 top-quality toys with the help of exploded diagrams, photos, material lists and detailed step-by-step instructions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

wonderful projects and easy to understand instructions!
This book goes over several projects to make classic toys for kids.The instructions are very clear and come with scaled plans that you can actually understand and use.
Some of the projects are a little harder than other for beginners, and make for great practice projects.I went out and bought a second copy due to people always wanting to borrow my copy.

Toys for Boys!!
Whilst this is a great book for boys toys (trains, planes, cars, boats) I could only find one or two that would appeal to a young girl - the best one being an animal train "greatest show on earth" pull along toy. Also, everything is in inches and for overseas buyers, metric dimensions would be handy. Still a great little woodworking book though.

My Favorite Toy Book
Of the several wood toy building books I own this one is by far the best. It has very practical easy to follow instructions based on 3/4 lumber making the projects easy to build the only thing I recall as not being 3/4 inch were the narrow wheels.

I've built several of the projects in this book. Iam especially fond of the cars and trucks.

Something for everyone
As a semi-pro woodworker with a shop full of tools I found his step-by-step directions clear and his planscomplete. Whether you have a Shopsmith or a Unisaw, you'll find something in this book for your kids or grandkids. I personally recommend the Pull-Along Train for the novice, and the biplane or P-40 for more experienced and better equiped weoodworkers. My only suggestion is this: Get better wheels. If you can't figure out how to mmake them, buy them.

It is indeed a great wooden toy book.
I've been using this book to make toys for children for 15 years and find the drawings and instructions clear and easy to follow.I like how all the projects are designed around stock lumber.One reviewer mentioned that thedrawings are on grids for easy scaling.I should note that only items that are odd shaped and can't be drawn full scale in the book are on grids, but that is all that is needed. The only toy that I would have liked to have been included is a dump truck, but I designed my own once I got the hang of how his trucks are designed. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

Great foundation builder
This book teaches you all the fundamentals you need to know to begin woodworking. With great pictures and lots of tidbits that feel more like advice and wisdom rather than lecture, the book is a great read and makes you want to get your hands dirty as soon as possible. Highly recommended!

Mile wide, inch deep
I have been trying to find the perfect book for a novice woodworker and this is not it.The word "complete" in the title implies that it is for beginners -- as an experienced woodworker would most likely buy more specialized books -- such as a book just on dovetail joints.

For example, it has a chapter on all the different kinds of joints you can make -- which is good for a beginner.But then they have a how-to on using a hollow-chisel mortiser - a machine that no novice has in their shop.

They will often show how to do things on upper-end machinery that is out of the price-range or has too large a footprint for a beginner.Some of these things can't be done as well (if at all) with entry-level tools (like cutting down the width of a board with a band saw).

So it is good if you want to understand the big-picture world of wood working, but it is equally silly to give quick lessons on how to use upper-end tools that a beginner just wouldn't have.

If anyone from Taunton is reading this, it would be great to have a book geared toward the beginner who mostly has bench-top tools and doesn't have tools like jointers and shapers.

What can I add?
I have been a woodbutcher for many years.I did this as an advocation. Wanted to dedicate serious time to fine furniture, and cabinets.As reviewers who rate this text positively note. "It is a great book for getting started."I have had discussions with woodworkers who have different levels of expertise. They have shared similar information to what I can find in this excellent text. It is criticized for being "pedestrian" and this is actually a good quality. Habits and skills come from practice, making mistakes, and doing what works for me. I have other similar books, They are more cutting edge, but this is seriously a great book for people who want to reduce personal mistakes in building mental skills toward planning and preperation. It is not a simple "how to book" but a mentoring manual.

Greatest Book !!!
This is the greatest book to learn how to woodturn.You won't be sorry!

Crisp, great photos, lots of content and pedestrian
Taunton does an excellent job of producing attractive, well written wide market appeal products.The content of Complete Illustrated Guide is a convenient collection of the same articles you will find in their "Fine Woodworking" magazine.The authors are knowledgable, and very successful in thier space.Unfortunately, in building the mass appeal formula, Taunton had to give up anything edgy, its all vanilla and no "rocky road".A recent copy of Fine Woodworking for example rated central dust vacuums.They rated 3 "best" each was from the product line of one of the top three manufacturers each of whom advertise heavily in thier publications.As I recall there is usually one "best" and then others follow.This straddling is what I mean by no edgyness,they are trying to appeal to everyone and offend no one.In the end this approach results in what I believe is the best vanilla product out there and I love to consume what they produce, just have to take it for what it is, mass production.If you have progressed in woodworking to the point where you are becomming an artist or want to learn something new, look here for foundation and elsewhere for creativity.Most folks will benefit from both. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Ideas source
Another excellent source of design ideas from Taunton.I often use these books for little jogs to my brain when it lacks inspiration.While not all examples are to my liking they offer a plethora of design diversities.I would kave liked some background information on the construction methods used in the designs.

A welcome addition to the woodworking library
Fans of period furniture may be disappointed by Design Book Eight's focus on contemporary furniture design, but the book gathers an impressive portfolio of contemporary work organized by category (tables, beds, seating, desks, case goods, accessories, and production furniture). Works by Gary Rogowski, Kevin Rodel, and Thos. Moser share pages with many lesser known makers, and the approaches and construction techniques described are as varied as the contributors. The text accompanying the lush photography varies in utility, but the sources of inspiration suggest avenues for further reading. Design Book Eight is not a how-to manual, but more advanced woodworkers will find it useful as they consider their own designs.

Great book with nice pictures
I recommand this book. It has a nice collection of useful furniture and good descriptions.

Design book eight review
A new design book from Taunton Press continues a long tradition of Fine Woodworking documenting the Studio Furniture movement.Lots of good pictures and interesting commentary from makers; good for collectors, aspiring makers and students.Nice addition to design and craft section of your library/bookshelf.

I was disappointed
I was disappointed because a lot of the furniture in here has been covered in other places, most notably in a magazine produced by FWW about 6 months ago.I've seen probably seen half of the furniture in other publications.

However, if you've never seen this furniture before, you will be quite happy if you like contemporary styles.The authors decided that the book would cover new styles and not cover old styles that have been covered in many other places.

Some of the pieces have sidebars regarding construction techniques and others are sorely lacking in detail (a point that is acknowledged by the authors).The photos are superb but several pieces would benefit from having multiple views of the piece shown.

In conclusion, I pre-ordered this book because I really enjoyed volumes 1-7. But when I read this book, there was a huge sense of deja vu because this furniture has been published before. Actually, the more I think about it, I'm really quite disappointed in the re-hash of their magazine from six months ago.

BTW, the book focuses on furniture and shies away from stuff like musical instruments, abstract art and boxes. ... Read more

Product Description
For anyone wanting to get started in woodworking, building a box is a great introduction to this time-honored craft. And with the simple instructions in Box-by-Box, any novice can construct spectacular wood pieces.

- Each box can be assembled in small spaces and built with basic tools, such as a hammer, drill, and screwdriver--perfect for beginners without their own workshops

- Projects increase in difficulty, allowing readers at any experience level to hone their skills as they progress through the book

-Step-by-step projects include a trinket box, a box with drawers, a jewelry box, and a box with a fitted lid

With Box-by-Box, readers will not only create stunning boxes, they’ll also become more accomplished woodworkers ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Just got it
I have not built anything from this book yet but flipping though it looks like I will be doing lots from it.

excellent book
This is a fine book for the hobbyist or fine woodworker looking to make a few fun projects.Great, easy to follow directions that anyone with some decent skill should be able to make.

WOOD CRAFTERS TAKE NOTE
Box by Box (Popular Woodworking)

My husband has ALWAYS loved boxes -- and since his wood working hobby became his second hobby (his garden and love of gardening will always be first) this book seemed the ideal gift.AND IT WAS!!This is now one of his favorites books -- it's full of lots of ideas and the instructions are easy to follow for not only advanced wood workers but those beginners just starting out.

My favorite box book
I don't write many reviews since what needs to be said usually already has been. This is true with this book as well but I have enjoyed it so much that I felt the need to add my two cents. This is a great book for beginners and offers some great lessons for more advanced woodworkers as well. It starts with the most basic box you can build and project by project it teaches a new skill. I think some of the concerns expressed in previous reviews may be due to the advancing nature of the lessons. Once one new skill is learned, a new one follows. There is not a lot of variation in box types at any one level. But with all the lessons available, I'm sure that anyone will find at least a couple of boxes that they just have to build. If you are looking for a book that deals in depth with basic woodworking skills with lots of pictures of each step involved, the Taunton book may be a better purchase. But if you want lots of great ideas with a good basic instruction on each step involved, you can't go wrong with this book.

Advances a little quickly for beginners
I would agree with Boxmaker. This is a good book but the projects advance very quickly to more advanced designs. I got some good ideas that I will eventually use but there are several that I will never attempt due to their complexity.
If you have already built some boxes and you need more ideas and designs, you could do worse than this book. If you are a beginner and have a bandsaw, I would recommend "Making Beautiful Boxes with your Bandsaw."
Build on! ... Read more

Product Description
Here's more proven shop tips direct from issues 48-78 of Fine Woodworking magazine. The previous edition sold over 100,000 copies. Illustrations. ... Read more

Product Description
Woodworkers can make one of the most versatile power tools in their shop even more useful with professional woodworker Kenneth Burton's plans for innovative jigs and fixtures.

Burton demonstrates how to build 15-20 jigs and fixtures and then applies those to three beautiful projects using detailed step-by-step illustrations.

Almost every woodworker has a band saw, so almost every woodworker can use these ideas to elevate his or her craft by cutting tenons, puzzle parts, perfect circles, even making elaborate boxes.

Building on the success of Cutting-Edge Table Saw Tips & Tricks, Cutting-Edge Band Saw Tips & Tricks will have woodworkers ripping, beveling and dovetailing in new ways in no time! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

BAnd Saw Tips and Tricks
This is a very easy read and provides great tips that you would have never have thought of on your own.It has saved me hours of time and lots of money.

Detailed and informative
This is an excellent overall guide book for anyone serious about elevating their woodworking skills through the use of the band saw. The book is chock full of of excellent tips and suggestions with plenty of photos. A great addition to your knowledge base.

OK, nothing new
Mostly the same old tricks and tips- although I did get probably $4 worth of tips.I would have rather spent the money on a magazine subscription.

Very nice practical guide
I already owned Lonnie Bird's and Mak Duginske's books... Sincerely I purchased this because it was coming with a good offer, but on a retrospective I must say that it adds good information to the other books I already owned.
There is not any "purchasing guide" section (I think the best book with such an information is Lonnie Bird's), so it's a book for who already owns and is happy with his bandsaw.
Information are very straightforward, not much talk but many well made pictures with explanatory captions.

There are great information on self construction of a rip fence (including setting it up for blade drift), mitre gauge table (if your saw doesn't have one of those), increasing table size and various other nice jigs for various operations.
It contains a good deal of information on bandsaw joinery, like mortise and tenons (yes, it is the only book where a nice mortising jig, of course for your router, is described), dovetails, lap joints.
Also, template cutting with a bandsaw.
Other techniques on how to lumberize logs, resawing and veneering, also "related" subjects with suggestions on what to do with cut veneers jigs to trim them to precise edges...

It's a book that doesn't take the bandsaw as a stand alone tool but with the interactions with other woodworking tools, ways to make of it the core of your workshop or at least value it to its full potentials.
Also "advanced" techniques, such as building a 3d puzzle, a bowl (I didn't know you could make a bowl with a bandsaw...)

Nice projects are included,I found particularly nice the cabriolet legs-table projects...
Little information on blades (where Duginske's shines), guides (Bird's), but the book has probably a different aim. Bandsaw tune-up is on the other side well done (not nearly well though as Duginske's), with a few nice suggestions.
All with nice pictures and "hot tips" for practical how-to ideas.
All in all I recommend purchasing the book, well, maybe with one of the two other books I mentioned.
... Read more

Product Description
Here's all the information woodworkers need to find good used wood, clean it up without ruining their tools, then create impressive, display worthy pieces.

Inside they'll find ideas and plans for XX projects. Each comes with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photos for making shelving, end tables, mailboxes and more. Readers will save money on wood and have a great time doing it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book for used lumber
This is a good source for info on used lumber. It gives useful tips on where to find lumber and many uses for it. I give it a 4 star because the projects are fairly plain. It is well worth the price of the book for what you can learn from it.
Most woodworkers will read this and think of all kinds of things to do with basicly free lumber. Enjoy

Little Information about reclaimed lumber
This book is just a collection of plans, that the author made with reclaimed lumber.There are 4 pages dedicated to finding reclaimed lumber, 1 page of text and 3 pages of pictures.I was hoping to get more information about getting and cleaning up used lumber, rather than just a collection of projects. ... Read more

Product Description
Woodworking Techniques brings together the best articles on the construction techniques necessary for both amateurs and pros to assemble, decorate, and complete fine furniture. The editors provide seasoned advice from well-known experts in the field on every type of furniture project, with special focus on details such as hinges and locks, moldings, veneers, and inlay. Over 300 illustrations and photos help move projects from the idea stage to reality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a book for advanced amateurs
Well written well illustrated, its a book for serius amateurs looking for a very accurate and detailed way to fit a drawer, install hinges, locks and several other tips useful for an advanced amateur or woodworker in smallscale and/or fine work. It is not for industrial scale production. Thechapter on veneering and inlay is just a copy from a good book published byfine woodworking:Veneering Marquetry and Inlay. Overall, it's a goodbook,that will give a severalgood ideas, however don't expect theultimate guide in woodworking techniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Of all the hand tools used in the modern shop, planes exert a special fascination. Though quite simple, planes are enormously versatile and practical when skillfully used. The articles in this book, collected from Fine Woodworking, illustrate a host of topics, including basic plane operation, how to choose the right plane for the job, and specialty planes. Step-by-step instructions show how to build wooden planes — a popular project for hand tool fans — and how to correctly tune and sharpen, essential for proper plane operation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Interesting collection of articles, not quite a 4
As pointed out there are differing POV expressed here which is useful.I am not sure that some of the material is relevant--spoke shaves for instance.There is an article on the Stanley 55 that I fond interesting but the 55 has been out of production for years.It is uncommon to say the least selling on the used market for $800 to $1100 when you can find a complete one. The other problem is that someone new to bench planes will only find the relevant data on use and adjustment by going through three articles.Also while I agree with one author about folks obsessing about sharpening he and the others promote oil stones which are largely irrelevant anymore.Further no one mentions the radius that should be used on various plane irons, but just rounding the edges of the iron.One author mentions having problems with a scrub plane; but he didn't radius the iron to the 3" that is necessary for these planes.Also the differences between bevel up and bevel down planes were not mentioned nor was the use of a slight relief bevel opposite the main bevel.Also some of the information is rather out of date; e.g. Lie-Nielsen makes 3 scraper planes the 112, 212 and 85; not just one (also the price quoted is wrong).One unfortunate omission is that there is no mention or evaluation of sharpening systems.For instance the Work Sharp WS2000 Tool Sharpener and its ilk are useless for sharpening plane irons as the available abrasives are not nearly fine enough and as the 25º sharpening port (1 3/8" max) is far too small for anything but small block plane irons ad they are generally to short to use it.At least an article on how to select a sharpening system would be handy.

Over all a good reference and worth while book with a lot of good information.

Excellent book
After reading it, this book went right to the top of my list of favorites and will remain within easy reach for reference.This is a book that every woodworker should read, if for nothing more than to learn of alternative methods to the typical woodworking by machine of today.

Although I own several very good sanders, sophisticated breathing masks, shop dust removal and air filters, I've turned to hand planes to try to reduce or eliminate sanding and the problems that accompany the sanding process, especially the breathing of the dust. This book is probably the best I've read, when it comes to covering all of the alternatives that are available. Scrapers and planes are explained very well, how to set up, tune and use them. It even includes good pieces on how to make wooden scrapers and planes along with beading and molding tools.

I already own some good planes. This book will help me use them more efficiently and I intend to make several of the more esoteric planes and scrapers that are detailed in the book. The best part about this book is that it isn't aimed at pros. A novice user can derive significant benefit from this book, especially those that are on a tight budget. Making your own planes are challenging and rewarding. This book helps you do that comfortably.

Highly recommended.

Not my style of book
You can find some usefull piece of information in this book. The illustrations are great.

Because this book is composed of a series of articles you feel that the text is disorganized and sometimes hard to follow.
You also keep feeling that you read the same stuff over and over again, plane with the grain, tune your plane.

This is not a bad book just not my style.

Love it and a must have for every woodworker....
I have a collection of Taunton Press books and won't stop until I get them all.Most of them are collections of articles from their magazine Fine Woodworking.Can't go wrong giving this as a gift....

A great collection of information
I have read many books from the New Best of Fine Woodworking series and this is among the best of them.Though this is really just a collection of articles written by many different authors surrounding the general theme, there is a lot of very valuable information here.As always with Taunton, the writing/editing is excellent and the color photographs and illustrations are quite good.In my mind, this "collection of articles" approach is even more valuable than a book by a single author.The reason for this is that as you read expert advice from many woodworking pros, you get the sense that they don't all agree on everything.In my mind this is one of the most important lessons to learn... woodworking methods and techniques are an extension of the woodworker and as such there is no single "right way" of doing things.

As for downsides to this book, it can get a bit tedious to read about tuning a block plane for the fifth time if you grasped the concept the first time it was mentioned.Fortunately there is a lot of information given beyond just the basics of tuning and maintaining your planes, including actual techniques to employ in various situations.

All in all, I highly recommend this book as an excellent resource to all beginner to intermediate woodworkers interested in beefing up their hand plane skills and anyone else interested in a tool that mankind has been using for thousands of years... ... Read more

Product Description
The router is one of the most versatile tools in any shop, and router tables make it even more versatile by incorporating it into a stationary platform.

The router table opens up a whole new world of using the router that simply can't be done using it freehand. Ultimate Guide to the Router Table starts by giving the reader the option of building their own router table (with plans) or buying a manufactured table (with suggestions on what to look for when buying). In either case, this book gives the woodworker all the information they need to use their router table. Basic router-table knowledge is covered in the first chapter: safety issues, setup fundamentals, feed direction and workpiece control. The next chapters cover specific operations unique to the router table. The woodworker is not only how to do an operation, but why to do it in the way explained (and the pitfalls of trying to do it another way). Sidebars and tip boxes will highlight appropriate router bit choices, details on how to construct jigs that can be used in conjunction with the router table and other essential information. Illustrations and close-up photos show procedures clearly. *A router is mounted under a table with the business end of the router protruding up through a hole in the table. This enables the user to perform tasks that can't be done with the router hand held. Operations such as edge profiling, making mouldings, cutting lock-miter joints, box joints, rabbets, grooves, splined miters, using templates, pin routing and more can be done using a router table. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Tips and Tricks
Another book by Bill Hylton that I love. This book, combined with Woodworking For the Router and Router Magic make up a near-perfect reference collection for the router. Lots of pictures and tips that router users of any skill level will find useful. Some of the extra pictures are useful if you are considering building one of the router tables in Woodworking For The Router. Lots of great advice that have made the router my tool of choice for a lot more jobs :)

Very informative and helpful
A great book for the beginner router user, but probably useful enough for relatively experienced users too.
Being almost exclusively aimed at router table usage, not just general router usage, allows it to be very comprehensive and cover a lot of details.

Highly recommended

Excellent handbook
This book is a fantastic, comprehensive review of all important router techniques.Has enough detail and tricks to really get something done.It dispenses with alot of the fluffy theory and gets down to it.Excellent organization and highly instructive.Pictures are excellent.

Techiques well described
Hylton gives great advice and instructions for working with a router table. It could use a fiew project ideas so the reader wants to try the new skills. Those ideas are readily availiable everywhere, but for the book to score 5 points I'd want to see some in here too.

Bill Hylton's Ultimate Guide to the Router Table
An excellent book, with advice on simple yet effective means of accomplishing various routing objectives, while also covering advanced techniques. ... Read more