|Review by Craftsman on the lake||posted 04-29-2009 10:54 PM||2633 views||1 time favorited||15 comments|
Author: Nick Engler. I’ll bet a lot of seasoned LJ’s already know about this book but many others won’t so here goes.
So, you’re relatively new to woodworking and you want to know which of the seven types of chisels and firmer gouges you have. In this book you can see a picture of each, and explanation of what each is and how it’s used and sure enough a picture of yours. You’ve got paring chisels, the type to be pushed with your hands not a mallet.
Or, you’re not new to woodworking but you don’t build a 12 sided table everyday. You find out on page 70 how to calculate the exact miter angle to cut each piece.
I asked a question about resawing last week. Someone recommended this book. I ordered it and got it asap from Amazon. Wow, is there a lot of information here.
Woodworking design and construction: 8 chapters in this section
Woodworking tools: 9 chapters
Woodworking techniques: 14 chapters
Woodworking and materials: 5 chapters
This book is like an encyclopedia but each chapter is intertwined. For example, the section on types of joints: Pictures and explanations of all 36 kinds. Thirty Six, who would have thought of that many. Not only that but when to use each one and even what types of wood and what grain direction will give you the strongest joint for each type. Then it shows each type of joint applied in a specific type of furniture as it moves on to how to make chests, cabinets, beds and so forth.
I’m opening it up randomly. I see color photos of five different types of finishes; tung oil, shellac, lacquer, poly, water-base varnish on 56 different types of wood. Of course in this section everything about each type of finish, when it’s used, filling, sanding, moisture effects and much more are included.
Explaining an encyclopedia isn’t easy so I’ll stop here. Suffice to say that I’m sure I’ll refer to this book over and over again. If I have a question I’m sure it will be there. I’m not that knowledgeable about woodworking. This will be like having someone to call if need be. Of course I always have LJ’s too. The book is large, hardcover, and is 392 pages and profusely illustrated.
Woodworking wisdom is available on Amazon for about 1 cent as of this writing. Full price is $26 but if purchased used it can be much less. I opted for the $2.64 one as it was advertised as ‘used hardcover but like new’. And sure enough it was. Total with shipping was about $6.
-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.