Woodworking Books
- This topic has 8 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 6 months ago by TaDa Man.
-
AuthorPosts
-
5 May 2016 at 2:50 am #137002
With the arrival of Paul’s new book, I thought it might be interesting to see what other woodworking books forum members find helpful.
I have Paul’s first book “Working Wood” which got me started with hand tools and have just started into the new one.
Others I have found useful are:
Woodwork Joints by Charles Hayward
The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing
Illustrated Cabinet Making by Bill Hylton
Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner
By Hand and Eye (and By Hound and Eye) by George Walker and Jim Tolpinand if anyone is interested in woodturning Richard Raffan is the Paul Sellers of the woodturning world. His book and DVD “Turning Wood” was how I got my start.
12 May 2016 at 10:23 pm #137177I agree I have those myself except for the Hand and Eye which I may get one day. But to be honest for the type of work I am interested in, I find Paul’s ( 2 ) books are my favorites.
Steve
13 May 2016 at 3:20 am #137188I agree completely Steve. I love Paul’s no nonsense approach which is reflected in his teaching.
13 May 2016 at 2:59 pm #137191I Like the wearing book a lot. I haven’t finished it but I like the Tolpin and Walker workbook by Hound and Eye. I don’t own it but Aldren Watson’s book, Hand tools is great. I like Christophe Pourny’s the furniture bible for finishing. Its really more for restoration but can be used for orginal finishing just as well.
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by David Perrott.
24 May 2016 at 4:36 pm #137400Yes, Aldren Watson’s book (“Hand Tools”) is one of the most beautiful books I have read on any subject (and I think PS admires it greatly too).
I think for a beginner the Collins “Complete Woodworker’s Manual” is a very comprehensive introduction (has nice colour pictures of many different woods).
For finding out everything there is to know about the wood itself, there can surely be no better book than the astonishing “Understanding Wood” by R. Bruce Hoadley. It was written in 1980 though, so might be hard to find. If you love wood, you will not regret tracking a copy down (it’s all black & white, but the information within it is marvelous).
I am looking forward to reading Paul’s new baby, but apart from his books, those would be the three I would recommend.
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by David Seymour.
[quote quote=137400]
For finding out everything there is to know about the wood itself, there can surely be no better book than the astonishing “Understanding Wood” by R. Bruce Hoadley. It was written in 1980 though, so might be hard to find.
[/quote]“Understanding Wood” was revised and republished in 2000. I own this edition and it features a lot of color images now. I can recommend it as well, even if it’s more a foundational knowledge book, I think it will help with designing and building furniture.
David
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by David R.. Reason: fix quote
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by David R..
9 June 2016 at 12:03 am #137689I bought a copy of that book at Highland Woodworking in Atlanta when I lived there about 10 years ago.
Steve
23 September 2016 at 4:09 am #140790There’s also Woodwork Joints by William Fairham. Paperback is cheap on Amazon, but it’s free online @ Gutenberg.org. It’s older and to the point – seems consistent in direction and tone to Paul.
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.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.