Reply To: Woodworking Books
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One book that seems to have polarizing opinions about it is “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” By Christopher Schwarz. I think it is a great compliment to Paul Seller’s “Essential Woodworking Hand Tools” you can compare and contrast the tools that both authors feel make good set of tools for furniture making. Also in one of the appendices in the back of ATC is the recommended tool lists from five or six older books on getting started in woodworking and tool selection.
I agree with the original post, both of Paul’s books are great. I also agree that “Woodwork Joints” by Charles Hayward is a keeper (Look for a used hardcover, mine was a discard from a HS library). Bob Flexner’s book “Understanding Wood Finishes” is a MUST READ in my opinion. The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing is a solid read, it made me think about techniques more than tools.
By Hand and Eye (and By Hound and Eye) by George Walker and Jim Tolpin are also good books. By Hound and Eye was a disappointment for me, I have an engineering degree and do a lot of technical drawing, so I understood By Hand and Eye on the first read and there was not really much new information in By Hound and Eye. If By Hand and Eye has you a little baffled or confused By Hound and Eye is a great companion, otherwise you will not miss much by skipping it.