Customer Reviews (5)

My Most Treasured Book
I bought this book in 1983, shortly after the first edition was released.It is a wonderful account of the "old" days by one of the last of the great wood finishers.George's ability to weave a story in such a way in incredible.I was fortunate to meet and correspond with him on several occasions when he lived in Florida.He was almost boyish in his excitement when I asked him to autograph my book.A once in a lifetime read for anyone interested in the art of wood finishing.

THE woodfinishing story........
Tastfully written account of a man who wrote the book on early finishing development.'Colorful' stories and accounts that take the reader on a journey to the European melting pot of furniture production in this early time period. Great technical information dressed in wonderful tales of George Frank's workplaces, employers and friends. Not to be missed!

Makes A Fine Gift
Fun stories about the old days of wood working/finishing in Europe.It is more fun to read than one might imagine.Note the price for a new copy is near two hundred dollars !I am glad I bought this book and can reread it over and over.Contains some practical how to info also.This is world class wood finishing by one of the all time masters for some of the most demanding customers on the planet.

If the reader is interested in high end wood working they will enjoy and treasure this book !

Great Read
It is rare that a book is both informative and entertaining, but this book fully fits that description. Frank grew up in post WWI europe and tells stories that also instruct. Frank is a master at coloring and finishing wood, whose life spanned 94 years. His advice is timeless, and the book, published in 1981, covers most finishing materials available today, as well as, finishing materials and methods that seem bygone now. Any woodworker will find this an incredible story.

Enjoyable read about the life & times of a master craftsman
This has been the most enjoyable woodworking book I have everread.Mr. Frank's story makes fascinating reading, his knowledge of wood finishing is still amazing after eighteen years of "progress" since the publication of this book.

I don't knowwhy Taunton has allowed it to fall out of print, but they need to bring it back. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces wood finishing tools, materials and techniques, and covers oil finishes, stains, shellac, lacquer, varnish and water-based finishes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (90)

Finally I found it
This author knows woodworking and wood finishing. His comments about wood finishing myths and his explanations about the real chemistry of finishing wood is spot on. I had to read it a couple times because there is so much to absorb ;-). His history lessons about old techniques and materials are fun to read as well, and they help when refinishing older pieces (oh the horror, don't lose the petina).

Literally classic
A superb book, every woodworker should own it.I don't understand how anyone could possibly rate it less than 5 stars.I'd give it 6 if I could.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FINISH WORK
i have gone thru 5-6 finish books and spent 5-10 hours just to narrow that list down to 5.
i read many reviews such as i am writting now. i am refinishing a 100 yr old victorian
and have used wood for everything, wood beams,trim,baseboards,floors,built in. so i wanted
to be dam sure about the how and what i used to finish approx,20,000 worth of hardwood. i have done everything from raw lumber. this is the best book b/c its disscusses the chemistry of the
different finishes and what many of the different products actually contain. this is imo the biggest
problem with any finish(you have no idea whats in it) 90% of the products dont contain what the lable says. example tung oil most have a little tung oil and mostly mineral spirts and varnish.
most of the new finishes are not very good, they are driven by epa concerns not quality of use and product. ie water based poly sucks,imo. you will have to sand your wood 3 times instead of one. thats imo not bobs. try it on a sample board. it will raise the grain so bad you have to use a belt sander to take it down. i would love to see a new addition thats up dated and spends some time on wood trim. almost all of these books only refere to furniture. and imo, many more of us work on doors,trim,built ins,shelves floors,etc.
for me i am using oil varnish,pure tung oil,mineral spirts, its excellent for woods that are difficult to stain like oak. its hard to find and expensive but the most expensive finish is the one you screw up and have to redo. try striping and sanding a botched up poly job and you will know what work is. bob thank you for doing the work that others couldnt or wouldnt do. bob if you send me a picture i will gladly display it on the fire place i stripped and restored.

Great Finish Book
This is a great book on how to finish wood. It's easy to understand and very interesting. It also seems very acurate to my industry and up to date.

The best book for DYI wood finishing
In order to make our kitchen remodeling dollars go further we bought unfinished oak cabinets.After looking at lots of recomendations online I found some tips by Bob Flexnor. They were so well written that I decided to buy this book before attempting to finish them. I was not disappointed.Bob writes from much experience and his techniques are easy to understand.I would highly recommend this book for anyone considering finishing their own cabinets or furniture.BTW, the cabinets look great and it was easy. ... Read more

Product Description
Forest Products and Wood Science: An Introduction, 5th Edition is a completely revised and updated edition of the venerable classic textbook. Expanding and updating key data, the new edition of this text will provide students, wood scientists, and wood product professionals with a comprehensive overview of the anatomical and physical nature of wood and the relationship of these characteristics to its use as an industrial raw material. With updated research findings and expanded discussions of key areas in wood science that reflect the changing face of the forest products industry, Forest Products and Wood Science: An Introduction, 5th Edition will continue to be an indispensable text for students and professionals in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

More than pleased
Book was in better condition than description stated.Very pleased. Second timed used this way to purchase book and was not disappointed. Will definitely use again and recommend to others. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn how to buy, dry, store and mill timber. This text explains which species are good for which jobs and how to design joints that accommodate wood's seasonal swelling and shrinking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

If it's from Taunton, it must be great.
Once again Taunton Press delivers a fine product. Been a subscriber to Fine Woodworking since issue 1.

Depends on what you're looking for
What it is: 20 or 30 articles reprinted from Fine Woodworking magazine, between the 1970s and early 1980s. The articles cover a range of topics, only a few of which deal with drying lumber on the scale of a beginning-to-mid amateur.

A lot of the topics are of interest: spalted wood, a bit of the theory behind wood's material properties, essays on a few favored species, turning a trunk into lumber, and even logging with a horse. Don't laugh - I heard of one guy who makes a very good living using his horse to remove unwanted trees from ecologically sensitive areas.

What it's not: an organized discussion of any one topic. Maybe you'll find a few good grains in this collection, but a lot of chaff. The few articles that spoke to my needs were too short to give a discussion that I'd find worthwhile. For example, I won't be pouring a concrete slab for my drying barn any time soon. I do want to understand the relative merits of drying logs whole vs cut into planks, and I want some idea of how long to dry wood of various species and sizes under different conditions - topics that aren't addressed.

//wiredweird

A fun read
Like other Fine Woodworking books it's basically a collection of articles from their magazine.But they are very interesting articles.I enjoyed reading it and learned alot about how to cut and dry lumber myself.Plenty of info on air drying and solar kilns but I wished it revealed the mysteries of a large kiln.I would like to see a drying table with humidity control and more on stress relieving wood.

Excellent resource for sawing/drying/do-it-yourself kilning.
Book is a compilation of articles on growing timber,sawing methods using a variety of mill types as well as how to stack and air dry lumber. It also includes a detailed section on kiln construction for the hobbiest. Different types of kiln plans are included including solar, anddehumidification types.Overall, an inexpensive resource with a lot ofusefull information for the serious wood hobbiest that harvests, saws anddrys their own lumber. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Woodworking doesn't have to take a long time, as shown in this sensational collection of weekend projects. Designed to be built in 20 hours or less, these projects include lovely furniture pieces like a cherry Morris-style chair or a selection of tables, as well as quick, easy decorative items for your home and garden. There are attractive and functional items as well, such as a tambour-door breadbox for the bakers and a seedling starter for the gardeners. There truly is something for every interest and skill level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Projects are demeaning
The book is loaded with stupid projects such as a wood pin you attach to your shirt or jacket.The bench on the front of the cover is why I bought the book.I didn't realize the legs were not solid.Also the top is made of slats. Construction methods are shoddy as well.
The rest of the projects are, for example :name plaque, lawn sign, picture frame,candle holder, miniature plant holder, miniature adirondack chair, small tote, decorative wood trinkets.Not to be entirely negative, there is a sofa table (one of those that you put behind the couch), a country harvest table (one of the best projects) and a chair that must have leather cushions the exact size of the chair. This is the first book that I have EVER returned. ... 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

Customer Reviews (5)

excellant information
This book was great. It has information I have not been able to find anywhere. I loved it so much I purchased his other one.

A Master Carver Teaches How He Works.
Frederick Wilbur is the American Master Carver of our time. In this book, written with scholarly erudition, Frederick Wilbur finds the plain words to show us how he works and how we can hope to improve our own carving. This book is indispensable for every wood carver's library. Read it now and refer to it for years. William Tapia

Very very good
This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. It is quite large, very thorough, is loaded with colour photos (every second page?) and as well, colour diagrams. It covers everything (that I can think of) with almost step-by-step instructions and many examples from both real life (pictures of buildings, doorways, windows) and the workshop (finished items on the table). I find the colour photos very useful, as they give a good indication of the kind of beauty you can aim for, and the photos of work in progress also very useful. I don't think black and white photos are as good for this kind of book, so I was very happy to see so much vivid colour.

I would say you would need to be a bit beyond beginner to get the most out of this, perhaps early novice would be enough.

Overall a very useful book, well worth the money and the best I have seen for carving these kinds of things, and I have the Taunton books (which often seem lacking, somehow).

Great
Just what I was looking for. Thanks

Elegant work
This work is very descriptive in both word and picture of architectural detail. It demonstrates methods of calculating the plan or measuring the details to permit you to lay out elegant but traditional carving projects.It has been a wonderful source of learning for me and a guide to several carving motifs. The author is publishing a second book that I am anxious to see. ... Read more

Product Description
A guide on how to create sculptured wood pieces, this book offers a range of projects, for example lamps, tables and vases, which can be made without use of a large workshop or expensive machinery. The author provides tips on safety, design and project applications and, to assist those with a less experience and a limited tool supply, he suggests methods for performing various wood shaping tasks. The book is intended for beginners and skilled woodworkers alike. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: University of Wisconsin--MadisonPublication date: 1916Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1910.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: New York, E. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more