Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Turning Wood by Richard Raffan
This book was recommended by a friend who is doing this kind of work and makes beatiful pieces.He had tried other books but said this one was special and easy to follow.Haven't gotten all the tools we need yet but are anxious to get started.

Loved the book!
First of all, I am somewhat of a beginner at wood turning. Did a few pieces a good number of years ago and have recently decided to get back to it.Looked around for a good book to supplement a couple that I already have - stumbled across Mr. Raffan's book.Went ahead and bought it.Very, very happy with it. Great stuff.Haven't had time to get out to the ShopSmith to try his lessons but I am fired up!Definitely recommend this.

Horrid Customer Service!
I realize that this is the place for a product review, and not an amazon review, but people interested in the DVD should know about this.

I ordered this DVD over a month ago.Amazon claimed at the time, and still claims that this item is "In Stock".However, it has still not shipped to me.Amazon's customer service has been exceptionally terrible in regards to this order.The only excuse they gave me was, "trouble receiving product from supplier".Now, by no means am I trying to critique amazon's business practice....but if you can't get a product from a supplier, and you don't have any on hand for sale, how is it "In Stock"?Amazon has always treated me fairly, but it seems for this one product, they simply don't care about following through.Still I wait, with the DVD in my open order's window.Another month to go before my purchase 'might' ship.I can only hope that it's worth the wait.

Woodworking is not just a popular do-it-yourself pastime; it can also be an artistic means of expression
Woodworking is not just a popular do-it-yourself pastime; it can also be an artistic means of expression, a source of lucrative income, and a successful counter to the stresses and strains of daily life. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded third edition, "Turning Wood" by internationally acclaimed woodworker Richard Raffan draws upon his more than twenty years of experience and expertise to provide aspiring woodworkers with a superbly presented and profusely illustrated instruction manual for turning out such beautiful objects as wooden bowls, boxes in the round, lamp bases, and furniture parts. Beginning with a 'users guide' to the lathe, "Turning Wood" covers such areas as 'Fixings'; Cutting Tools; Safety, Tool Handling & Cutting; Measuring, Centerwork, Facework, Hollow Vessels, and Finishing. Of special note are the two appendices 'Troubleshooting' and 'Selecting and Seasoning Wood'. As informed and informative as it is practical and step-by-step instructive, "Turning Wood" is an invaluable and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, school wood shop, and community library woodworking reference collections.

Turning Wood
This "Fine Woodworking" DVD was purchased to replace a broken VHS tape of a title that's not available on DVD. For library patrons who like "how to" DVDs, this is the kind of high-quality non-fiction titles they want. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a new and exciting aspect of wood turning, similar to traditional style turning except for gaps left between each segment. Step-by-step instructions and color photographs illustrate a basic vase project that can be completed in a weekend. You won't need any special turning equipment or tools other than an easily constructed jig. Wood selection and preparation, jigs, glue, turning tools, finishes, and advanced techniques are all explained and illustrated. Combine various woods and patterns to produce beautiful vases, boxes, and sculptural pieces. With practice, you can create some really spectacular work! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Open Segment Vessels
This book really takes the mystery out of making an open segment vessel. My first attempt came out great thanks to having read this book.

Open segmented turning
This book is well written and targeted specifically towards Open Segmented Turning. If that is what you're after than this will be a valuable addition.
Tim

A solid work for an unusual hobby
I was intrigued by the possibility of turning a bowl with "holes" in it, so I purchased this book.Mostly out of curiosity... "How do they do that?" was my question.This book shows the process in very helpful steps with good pictures and jig ideas.It's not my "go-to" book for wood turning by any means, because the open segmented style is not my favorite.But I do intend to add some of these elements to my turning over time.I'm glad I bought the book.

An extremely well-written, easy to follow how-to book!
I was fortunate enough to see a live demo that the author gave at my turning club's meeting. Prior to that, I hadn't had much interest in open-segmented turning. It's not that I didn't think it was interesting, I just didn't think I had the equipment needed for such precise work, or the patience or time needed to devote to it. But seeing Bill's work, as well as seeing how easy he makes it to do this type of work, changed my mind completely! I immediately bought a copy of his book (which is a steal considering the detail he put into it, and how well written it is!) and set about making my first piece, following the example he includes in the book. My friends and family were amazed when they saw this first piece and encouraged me to do more of them! And I couldn't believe how easy it was to do. My hat is off to Bill. He's a great demonstrator, and does a phenominal job putting that skill into words and pictures. This book is a must own for any turner!

Be sure to check out the author's website:
http://www.smithart.us to learn more about Bill and his work.

Best beginner book on segmented wood turning
This book is very well written and easy to understand. It is the book I recommend to anyone just getting into segmented wood turning. William takes the reader through jig making to final product in a down to earth approach to the subject. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Turning Green Wood, by Michael O'Donnell
An excellent instructional vehicle for the newcomer or the moderately-skilled wood turner.Clear, understandable writing, supported by fine photography and sketches, with good explanation, and, as a bonus, good "homey" advice.Bought two copies, one, so I could return a borrowed copy, and one to give as a gift.

Turning Green Wood is a great resouce book
If you want to be successful when you turn green wood or newly cut lumber on your lathe. I recommend purchasing this book and reading it all the way through before you begin your wood turning project. When you use green wood there are different procedures that you need to follow than when you use dried lumber. I had tried to turn some green logs on my lathe and had many problems with wood cracking and was very unhappy with the results.After purchasing this book I learned the reasons why my previous attempts had not been successful.I only wish I had gotten the book at the same time I purchased my new lathe. It is an excellent resource on how to use green logs and newly cut lumber that can add flexibility and save money on wood costs when you use "found wood" and cut the logs yourself.

good as it gets
Great book - great photos - great ideas - great explanations and written so anyone can understand the directions and concepts (even me).

Turning Green wood
Great and a must have for all turners. The book is more oriented toward bowl turning but covers a ton on green turning with plenty of pics and diagrams. Michael O`Donnell goes to great length to educate the reader on how wood dries based on where it is cut form the tree.

a god basic book
this is a good basic book of how to deal with green wood and also the use of crotchwood. well written and illistrated ... Read more

Product Description
Woodturners learn how to cut and combine pieces of wood to produce multicolored geometric designs in turned bowls and vases in this highly illustrated book. Techniques are provided to achieve the accuracy required in segmented work, and professional tips reveal how to create preliminary blueprints. Step-by-step instructions and hundreds of color photographs explain how to accomplish the often-complicated tasks involved with sphere turning, building a porthole-style ring, and inserting diamonds and round designs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Excellent guide
After reading other reviews, I purchased this book.Best guide to making segmented projects. Plenty of photos, but text has the details that you want to know.

Not for beginners
I had no idea what I was getting into when I purchased this book. I'm sure it is great instruction for advanced turners who have completed many segmented projects. If you are new to segmented turning "this is not the book for you" It would not be fair to the Author to rate this book poorly, although I do believe some indication of its advanced nature should be noted in the description. I'll put this book on the shelf and find a book that really explains segmented wood turning for the beginner.

The Art of Segmented Woodturning
Book wasnot what I had expected as advertised. Would not buy it if I had a chance to see it before purchased, for me personally a big letdown.

The Art of Segmented Wood Turning
The Art of Segmented Wood Turning by Malcolm Tibbetts.Good book-very helpful-fast delivery.Will use often.

The Art of Segmented Wood Turning:
This is a great book on segmented wood turning covering all aspects from design and form to making tools to help facilitate assembly.Much better than others I have read. ... Read more

Product Description
Using over 230 color photographs, an introductory text about basic wood turning techniques, and step-by-step instructions, Mike Cripps guides his reader through the turning of bird houses, planters, and bulb planters known in England as garden dibbers. The bird house and planter projects are turned from unseasoned lumber. New hobbyists and seasoned professional wood turners alike will enjoy this book and the freedom they will derive from turning unseasoned timber, which is free from dust and needs virtually no sanding or difficult-to-apply glossy finish. A color photo gallery will fire the wood turners imagination. Patterns are provided for each project. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intermediate
I got this book from a local library. It is a collection of articles that cover a variety of areas in turning which for the most part are intermediate level techniques. There is some basic level stuff that isn't very good.

I did a bit of searching and as far as I can see there are no attributions for who wrote the articles.

Here's a summary of the topics that are covered:

1. Quick Donut chuck construction
2. Make your own chuck out of wood and a hose clamp
3. Tools: Basic intro and Sharpenning
4. Green wood turning and how to dry with a microwave
5. Turning between centres.
6. Stave Bowl Construction
7. Face Plate Turning, Bowls and Hollow Vessels
8. Stack Laminated Bowls
9. Split turned hollow vessels

Items 2, 3 and 5 aren't worth reading, the treatment is way too general and cursory to be useful. A good introductory book covers these topics in much better detail.

Item 1 is useful.

Items 6, 8 and 9 are why I gave 4 stars. This is a collection of excellent articles on the listed topics. Not only do I look forward to using these techniques in upcoming projects but they are why I am on Amazon looking for a copy of the book.

The rest of the articles are all right but don't really offer anything out of the ordinary from other books that are more readily available.

In all cases the drawings are excellant and the photograpghy is great. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the outgrowth of problems given to high school pupils by the writers,
and has been compiled in logical sequence. Stress is laid upon the proper use of
tools, and the problems are presented in such a way that each exercise, or project,
depends somewhat on the one preceding. It is not the idea of the writers that all
problems shown should be made, but that the instructor select only such as will
give the pupils enough preliminary work in the use of the tools to prepare them for
other models following.
The related matter on the care of the lathe and tools, the grinding of chisels, the
polishing of projects, and the specific directions and cautions for working out the
various exercises and projects with the drawings, make the book not only valuable
for reference, but also as a class text to be studied in connection with the making of
projects. The drawings show exact dimensions and are tabulated in the upper right-
hand corner in such a way that they may be used in a filing case if desired. At least
two designs are shown for each model, and these may be used as suggestions from
which students, with the aid of the instructor, may work out their own designs.
... Read more

Product Description
Dick Sing has directed his creative wood turning skills to the design of six attractive projects with variations. Three variations of bottle stoppers and decorative jar lids can transform the practical into the beautiful. The weed vase and the small mirror can make charming gifts; the spinning top and baby rattle will delight any young child. Instructions for each project along with step-by-step photographs make these fun projects easy to learn and fun to do. Variations provide a challenge for the more experienced turners,and a gallery with numerous examples encourages the adventurous to experiment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Useful Beauty: Turning Practical Items on a Wood Lathe
I like this book because it shows how in pictures. As a new turnner this book was not to simple and not to complex either.A nice addition to the collection and for refference.

Useful Beauty
I found this book to be interesting and informative. It had some good suggestions for, as it says, useful beauty.Although most books are on the how to's only, this book did include design ideas. However, the items were not all that unknown and different, so I found myself interested more in the technique he used than in the ideas themselves. I think it is a good beginner book but not really interesting to a more experienced turner.

Nice general instruction in a good and well organized book
Dick Sing is one of the better woodturners that can explain things to my level as an average person.I like them!

useful beauty: turning practical on a woodlathe
i thouch it was a very good book and come in handy

Fun Projects
The author (D. Sing) really likes his work.It shows in this book.He has put together a lot of just fun to do projects that still have usefullness beyond beauty.

My only real complaint about the book is it isn't always easy to understand how to construct the project.Some of the turing can be tricky, and there needs to be more explanation on some of these turnings.

One problem I have found with most "how to" books is the person writing the book really has a knack for this kind of work.They just breeze through painting, drawing, wood working, wood turning etc and often just can't recongnize what the problems are for those of us who do not have the built in knack.And, of course the person has been doing these projects for years and can do a lot of basic things by eye or they just "know" how to hold the skew (or paint brush or whatever).This book suffers somewhat from that problem.What is just no big deal or not even thought about by Mr. Sing is very hard for me to do.

Overall, a good book with a lot of fun projects. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Good resource
This is a nice resource that covers a broad spectrum of woodturning. I find it helpfull to browse it occasionally and get ideas to help me through projects that have me stumped.

great starter set
This is a great set of books for the beginner or someone with experience. I have a modest amount of experience but Ive now learned optional techniques and have increased my final products beauty. These books cover everything you need to turn wonderful projects.

This is a great set of turning guides
These books provide a very thorough and well-written guide to turning just about anything.They include detailed examples, and wonderfully clear color photographs and illustrations.If you are looking for some help buying a lathe, choosing tools, sharpening, selecting wood blanks, making and practicing cuts - this is the boxette for you.If you are a more experienced turner looking for some advanced techniques, design elements, marketing ideas - this is the boxette for you.Here is the deal: you don't know me from Adam, and never will.Furthermore, you have no evidence of my woodturning book critic qualifications.But if you are looking for a complete guide to woodturning you should get this set of books.Enjoy!

TurningRichardRaffin
The three volume work is well done and was written by one who knows his subject. He approaches each topic with an organized process and was easy to follow,even for a beginner, which I am. I have just finished the first two volumes with one to go. I like the way he works in his cautions about turning ,with humor and not preaching. I know I'll re read sections a second and third time as the need arises. The work is complete and much more than I expected. Happy I made the purchase.

Richard Raffans Turning wood, Boxes, and Bowls
"FANTASTIC" !!!!!!! Great for beginer and experienced woodworker. Covers everthing you have to know or would want to know. ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Along with stone, mud, and animal parts, wood was certainly one of the first materials worked by primitive human beings. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood. The development of civilization was closely tied to the development of increasingly greater degrees of skill in working these materials. Among early finds of wooden tools are the worked sticks from Kalambo Falls, Clacton-on-Sea and Lehringen. The spears from Schöningenprovide some of the first examples of wooden hunting gear. Flint tools were used for carving. Since Neolithic times, carved wooden vessels are known, for example, from the Linear Pottery culture wells at Kückhofen and Eythra. Examples of Bronze Age wood-carving include tree trunks worked into coffins from northern Germany and Denmarkand wooden folding-chairs. The site of Fellbach-Schmieden in Germany has provided fine examples of wooden animal statues from the Iron Age. Wooden idols from the La Tène period are known from a sanctuary at the source of the Seine in France. ... Read more

Product Description
A guide to creating miniature objects in wood, such as table and kitchen accoutrements, dolls' house furniture, and lace bobbins. All of the projects are described and illustrated in a series of large-scale step-by-step photographs. ... Read more

Product Description
Exhibition Catalogue

This survey exhibition and publication of modern American wood turning, a joint venture of the Wood Turning Center and the Yale University Art Gallery, is testimony to the belief that lathe art has come of age. As this book shows, pictures of lathe-turned objects are worth a thousand words.

The curatorial team's early discussions and selections were informed by the Wood Turning Center's library and achives. Reviewing 500 turned objects, selceted from over 20,000 slides, hundreds of artists' files, and original historical documents, led to many lively discussions. Artists' responses to the team's questionaire contributed tremendous information and insights. Trips to study institutional and private collections added unique perspecitve to the search for information and representative objects for the exhibition.

This catalogue contains full color images of the objects from the exhibit; descriptions of the artists work, processes, and inspirations; essays on the history of turning, focused on the last 100 years; and technical descriptions of working with wood as a material. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Peoria, Ill : The Manual arts press in 1921 in 116 pages; Subjects: Crafts ... Read more

Product Description
The Jane and Arthur Mason Collection is one of the world's premier collections of lathe-turned wooden objects. Comprising more than 125 extraordinary works by 43 craft artists, the collection ranges from bowls and vessels to abstract sculptural pieces, many made from exotic or unusual woods. The artists represented include most of the major figures in the field of wood turning from 1960 to the present-such as Virginia Dotson, David Ellsworth, Ron Kent, Mark and Mel Lindquist, Ed and Philip Moulthrop, and Bob Stocksdale-men and women who have used their artistry to reveal and heighten the natural beauty of wood.

This sumptuously illustrated book, the companion volume to a traveling exhibition organized by Mark Richard Leach, director of the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, features illuminating essays by two leading craft experts as well as by Arthur Mason himself.

141 illustrations, 130 in full color, 9 x 11 1/2"

SUZANNE RAMLJAK, a curator of exhibitions at the American Federation of Arts and a guest curator at the American Craft Museum, writes frequently for ARTnews, Art & Antiques, and American Craft. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

MICHAEL W. MONROE is the former director of the American Craft Council and the former curator-in-charge of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American Art. He is also the author of Abrams' The White House Collection of American Crafts. He lives in Reston, Virginia.

MARK RICHARD LEACH is director of the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was formerly curator of 20th-century art at the Mint Museum of Art. He lives in Matthews, North Carolina.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULEMint Museum of Craft + Design,Charlotte, North CarolinaMay 20-Oct. 8, 2000 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

TurningLove into a Gift
The collection that the Masons have built out of a love of art, craftmanship and wood turns into a real gift to those who do not have the luxury to study these pieces first-hand.The photos of their home showsthat their attraction with creation is not limited to wood but to light,paintings and melding life with art.

The photos display the pieces sowell that some just seem to glow and brighten on the page.It makes itdifficult to look at a tree or salad bowl without imagining thepossiblities. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Wood & Wood Products, published by Vance Publishing Corp. on January 1, 1993. The length of the article is 873 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: The woodworking industry has a sawdust waste disposal problem. However, one pound of dry wood waste can generate up to 9,000 BTUs of heat. This makes it worthwhile to look into recycling methods. One way is to burn the waste and convert it to steam or hot air for industrial use. To control the combustion process, wood scrap may be ground into chips and fed into a furnace automatically. If energy is in excess of industrial needs, the wood dust and chips may be converted into briquettes for easy storage and volume reduction.

Citation Details
Title: Turning wood waste into energy.
Author: Hans Zoellinger
Publication: Wood & Wood Products (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1993
Publisher: Vance Publishing Corp.
Volume: v98Issue: n1Page: p72(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Wood & Wood Products, published by Vance Publishing Corp. on December 1, 1991. The length of the article is 1890 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Wood waste: turning scrap into ca$h. (includes listing of companies that make wood waste processing equipment)
Author: Sean Derning
Publication: Wood & Wood Products (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 1991
Publisher: Vance Publishing Corp.
Volume: v96Issue: n13Page: p94(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
When machines were first made, human muscles furnished the motive power. A little later, man learned to harness water and animal power to drive his machines; then came the steam engine, and finally the electric motor. This mechanical application of power left the operator free to give his whole attention to feeding material to the machine, or to feeding the cutting element of the machine to the material. The aim of this book is to show by illustrations and descriptions how this work of hand feeding should be done correctly and, above all, with reasonable safety to the operator. A description of each woodworking machine has been included so that the operator can understand thoroughly how it works, how its different parts are interrelated, how they may be set and adjusted to perform certain operations, and how jigs and fixtures may be made and used on a machine for special jobs. CHAPTERS: 1) The Circular Saw 2) The Band Saw 3) The Jig Saw 4) The Jointer 5) The Planer 6) The Hollow-Chisel Mortiser 7) The Shaper 8) The Router 9) The Drill Press 10) Sanding Machines 11) The Woodturning Lathe 12) Multi-Purpose Tools and Machines ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Make beautiful things
Detailed explanations, photos, and drawings in this hard to find book. Authors Hjorth and William F. Holtrop make this educational reference book interesting. Vintage and yet practical and fun. Great deal, recommended.
... Read more