5 comments about Illustrated Cabinetmaking: How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works.

1. I own probably a half dozen books on furniture construction and joinery and found this book to be the best source for joinery techniques period. From it's detailed explanations to numerous pictures and drawings it thoroughly covers all aspects of great cabinetry. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I am not a book reader. The chapters are laid out well and are written as though a beginner might be picking it up, but don't let that fool you, this is a book an experienced woodworker will enjoy as well. There are tons of ideas and explanatory plans, while these plans are not measured drawings or as detailed as some other book, I feel they provide enough information to develop your own set of plans from. Most of the plans cover height, width and depth only, but the joinery is covered and the general concepts are there.
   
   As a professional finish carpenter by trade and a furniture builder for fun and profit I find this book a great reference tool as well, I use it often. I highly recommend it for any serious woodworkers library.



2. Definitely NOT for the beginning woodworker. This book does not give measured drawings or instructions on how to make pieces of furniture. It has a section which gives drawings of a large number of woodworking joints, BUT does not discuss how to make them. This part of the book has been done in many other books along with "how to" information. Thus, this part of the book could have been eliminated without losing any real value.
   
   HOWEVER, the rest of the book is worth its weight in gold!!!! It takes virtually all types of "Case furniture" (cabinets, chests, tables, desks, etc) but not chairs, and it gives well-researched, thorough, easy to understand diagrams on how they were constructed -- that is, what types of joints were used throughout the piece. It also provides excellent references to more detailed sets of plans and descriptions of each piece. The beginning woodworker won't know what to do with this book. The professional furniture maker will not need the book, but the vast number of serious weekend warriors of woodworking will find this book to be invaluable.
   
   The potential purchaser of this book should realize that it was published twice, under the same name. Rodale published it in 1998. Readers Digest published it in 2003. Today I examined both editions side-by-side. Except for their ISBN numbers, the two editions seem identical. I examined a number of pages side by side, and I could not find any differences. They have the same number of pages. The only differences I could detect were in the paper used. The original Rodale edition has a more glossy paper, and the print seems to be slightly darker. Both of these differences are insignificant.
   
   I have seen this book referenced in many places as one of the best resources in the field of woodworking. It is a masterpiece. This fact is made obvious by the difficulty in finding copies of the book for sale in either new or used form. Last week (Aug 2006) I saw three copies for sale on Amazon from $79 to $129 and all sold quickly. PLEASE NOTE - I also saw three "for sale" listings for this book last week by using a FROOGLE search. Three different Electronic bookstores indicated they had a copy of the book in stock. I contacted all three and found that they weren't really "bookstores" but rather are organizers of individuals who sell books and use the electronic bookstores as a central clearinghouse. All three said to contact the actual individual sellers. I did. None of the three had a copy for sale, even though all three of the electronic bookstores had listings saying that they had copies in stock for sale. I found a number of negative comments about these electronic bookstores when I searched. To their credit, FROOGLE stated that you should check out a seller before making a purchase. I hope this information helps you. I am very happy that I was able to buy a copy of the book. If you really want to see this book and can't buy a copy, go to your library.



3. I bought this book because I have difficulty in two areas. One is in visualizing the construction details for a design I've sketched out. The other is in deciding what joints will be most appropriate. This book covers those two topics extremely well. In fact, better than any other book in my library.
   
   The text is very well written. He says what he has to say in a concise and easy to read way.
   
   I think it was written for intermediate and advanced level woodworkers, but I see a lot that would be of great value to beginners who want to try their hand at something a little more challenging.



4. This thick little book is filled with dimensional drawings of all kinds of furniture, including the very high-end furniture and some historical pieces. The author goes into great detail about every type of joint with some practical commentary on the pros and cons of each type. There are also detailed sections on legs and feet, table types, and drawer construction.
   
   My only letdown, as an amateur furniture hobbyist, is that there is little or no talk about tool usage and how to make some of these pieces. The author favored information about origins, history, and aesthetics. However, the book makes up for this with its great perspective drawings on every page, complete with dimensions and names for each component. This will be a great resource down the road when I need to know how to construct a unique joint or when I just want to see something new to inspire me.



5. If you're looking for a book on how to build cabinets, this ain't it. This is a primer on how to build furniture (which is often referred to as cabinet-making) but references to building cabinets are brief and limited. It's really an overview of furniture building rather than a hands-on, how-to book.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Sharpening.

1. This is an excellent book that delves into the foundational knowledge that supports the techniques it illustrates for sharpening tools. I was fascinated by the exploration in the topics when bringing the techniques into practice sharpening my chisels and plane blades. It addresses many different types of tools and is a great reference for learning and continuing to learn how to sharpen tools, especially as they apply to woodworking.



2. You have to admire the author. He packs a huge amount of detailled and easily read information in this book. The electron photomicrographs, showing various sharp (and not so sharp) edges using various abarasives are excellent. Leonard also seems to know everything there is to know about the history of steel making, and abrasives. There are excellent chapters on just about every kind of woodworking tool imaginable, with plenty of excellent photographs. If I were a woodworker I would regard this book as being the one and only complete reference text.
   
   BUT... my personal interest is in sharpening kitchen knives. And the chapter on knife sharpening is the least informative in the book, and really tells the reader nothing new that is not already available on many web sites.
   For a complete knife book, you would be far better off with Chad Ward's new book "An Edge in the Kitchen", far better than this book by Mr Lee.
   Also the advice to use plastic book binders as sharpening guides is quite simply useless - they slip off and/or distort under pressure.
   
   I don't mean to disrespect Leonard Lee, or this book. But it is really for woodworking tools, not kitchen knives. Sorry!!



3. What should I say? No need anymore to write other books on sharpening. It is well written and very informative on every detail. If you would like to know everything about sharpening, buy this book and you're done.



4. This book provides a very detailed look at the physics behind sharpening blades. I would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to learns the fundamentals of sharpening.



5. I was looking for more of a how to book. This book does have a lot of information, different angles, types of stones and hones, and a method of sharpening for any edged tool or knife. It just doesnt really show how to do it all.

5 comments about Drywall: Professional Techniques for Great Results.

1. I noticed that the 3rd Edition of this book has a copyright date of 2008 and the cover of the book notes that it is completely revised and updated. Any review written before 2008 is almost certainly for the second edition. The 3rd edition is a reasonably hefty 210 pages of content; it is printed on nice paper, is nicely organised, and has an index.
   
   I am an experienced do-it-yourselfer and bought this book to get an update on the latest corner beads made of vinyl and some made of metal and paper. I also wanted a little more knowledge on available types of drywall and joint compounds.
   
   This book is very comprehensive and covers drywall techniques, tools, and materials. Consistent with the reviews of the earlier edition(s), this book focuses almost exclusively on drywall (which is also consistent with its title). There is a section on soundproofing which I believe is very useful.
   
   I would rate this book as a must read for anyone who wishes to learn about drywall techniques. The text is clear and there are many photographs to illustrate the points that the author is making.
   
   I would have liked it if the author covered skip troweling but this is a little tricky to learn from a book (so this omission did not bother me much).
   
   I already had a good amount of knowledge about drywall and this book has given me another step up in knowledge. I am completely satisfied with this book.



2. We bought this book to help us "finish" our garage with insulation and drywall. This book was great. We were first timers to this type of project. The book was very informative from choosing our supplies, tools we would need, all the way to taping and finishing off the joints. We were able to complete our project from start to finish with just the help of this book.
   
   I would definitely recommend it to anyone taking on a drywall project for the first time.



3. My husand borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much he wanted me to buy it for him for Father's Day. He is in the process of finishing our basement and found it very helpful.



4. I started out doing drywall back in 1980 and I've been doing it professionally ever since. I thought I knew everything, but Myron has shown me some methods that have improved my work. The guy who gave the 2 star review is right, it doesn't teach the pro mud applications and if you need to tape and mud 5 houses a week, you won't need this book. For the rest of us though, it really helps and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn drywall and drywall finishing very highly.



5. This book is all you need to drywall. I found it to be very comprehensive, I learned more about the different thicknesses of drywall and the different types than I ever cared to know. It did its job though and provided enough info to drywall from start to finish.

5 comments about Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship.

1. As everyone else has mentioned, this book contains wonderful introductions to the techniques and vocabulary of fine woodworking. In addition, it also can be a great introduction to the use of hand tools, for those who might be familiar with power tools and woodworking in general, but with no hand tool experience.
   
   One of my favorite things about this book is that the author, Peter Korn, is not afraid to give recommendations for which tools to buy and which you can do without. He sometimes will even recommend a specific brand of tool, which is great since tools may all look the same even though they are most certainly not built the same.
   
   Overall, a great purchase.



2. With this book you need a lot of expensive machines.
   I don't consider this basic...............
   A book of pictures.
   Hope you can find better,finally all is here is on the web too, but free .
   LM



3. I had nothing but a curiosity about woodworking when Amazon brought this book to my attention as a highly rated book for beginners. This book does an absolutely fabulous job of boiling the craft down to the basics for readers unfamiliar with the subject.
   
   This book will not make you a master in any technique, nor will it cover anything in particular detail. What it will do is give you an introduction to wood, common tools (both hand and powered), and basic techniques for making fine furniture. This book was the beginning of an addiction for me, and for that I am grateful!



4. I read this book with knowing almost nothing about this subject. Though I have not tried to use the knowledge presented in this book in a practical sense, I feel that I have gained enough insight from this book to begin to do so. This book will probably be appreciated the most by those that are seeking a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of woodworking. If you are already working with wood, this book is probably not for you. For those of you who are not, this book will provide a foundation from which to do so. I would not rely on this book alone though as the only source of information on this subject, as it seems it is not comprehensive enough to encompass the whole of the subject matter.



5. First, I'd suggest you ignore the less than five star reviews; The authors don't seem to get the point.
   
   This book is not about specific technique. It is about the thought process you go through in selecting and applying a technique. It is about approaching things from a self-conscious perspective of Craftsmanship in woodworking. That probably sounds like the mystical-babble that most practical craftsman hate, but I found myself in complete sync with the author's thought process in about the first four paragraphs of the introduction, and I am all about practicality.
   
   As so many of the other reviewers have noted, I wish I had found this book years ago and started with it, but then I might not have understood it at that point.

5 comments about Tree Houses You Can Actually Build: A Weekend Project Book (Stiles, David R. Weekend Project Book Series.).

1. What a fantastic book! My kids and I have had so much fun browsing through and getting ideas for their tree house. From the basic tree house to more elaborate designs, it's in here. With the help of this book, you can actually build one affordably.



2. Excellent guide for treehouse construction. We used the book as a basis for our treehouse and modified one of the designs. This book was extremely valuable for us and guided us through alot of potential pitfalls. Highly recommend!



3. Color pictures of some fantastic tree house ideas. No limits on imagination here. One caution: Don't let the kids see it first! Can't wait to start one of these ideas.



4. I think you have to be a master carpenter to actually do any of them in a week-end but the detail is pretty good.....odd thing is, I bought this book and already had it at home! I must have really liked it!



5. Works for kids, works for adults, very clear and very helpful. Very graphics oriented and the sketches make the text very clear.
   Unfortunately does not even mention escalating tree houses beyond the backyard project - if this were a full-revalation book, you would see the new engineering miracle, the Garnier Limb.
   
   We were quite pleased - PS we are hard graders, hardly anything gets a 5.

5 comments about The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction.

1. I found this book very disappointing. The pictures were very pretty but that is pretty much it. The illustrations were confusing and of little use. It gives too much of an overview and no real specifics. I found woodworking for dummies to be a much better book for the beginning woodworker.



2. I don't buy many woodworking books because most, especially the ones sold by home centers, aren't very good. They lack detail, they're incomplete, and I often get the feeling that they're just cranked out without much thought. But this one caught my eye in a local bookstore and I'm glad I bought it.
   
   First of all, the book can be used either as a reference or as a complete primer on woodworking. There's lots of information there, but not so much that you get bogged down. At first I just used it to brush up on specific topics, and then I went back to the first page and started reading it straight through. It's well-written; words are used well and not wasted. Photography is superb. Despite the reference to generic "Furniture" in the title, the book is heavily oriented toward cabinets, which it covers in great detail, even to the point of describing how to construct multi-light glass doors.
   
   The first few pages are a little off-putting as the author describes what he considers an appropriate collection of tools and a space to put them in; unfortunately, many woodworking books assume that the reader has acres of space in which to set up a shop. As you read on, though, the text is more friendly toward the hobbyist.
   
   In short, this is a great woodworking reference or tutorial. Don't be put off by the beginning of the book; it gets better. And the Amazon price for this book is much lower than the $40 I paid in the bookstore.



3. Got this for my husband for his birthday and he loves it. Hasn't had a chance to build anything since, but it will definately come in handy. The quality of the book itself is very good especially for how low the price was. There are good pictures to follow and very thorough information and directions.



4. Given the scope of this work, I'm not sure what I expected, but I feel like, after reading a book on furniture and cabinet making, I ought to have some idea of how to construct a basic cabinet. While this book covers a wide variety of general techniques and types of joints commonly used, at no point does it tie them together; it discusses possibilities, but never synthesizes them into anything tangible, leaving me, at least, wondering which of the book's assorted grab bag of clever tricks might be combined to actually produce a cabinet. I already knew what a sliding dovetail was before I bought this book; what I sought to learn was the architecture and structural elements needed to design a cabinet. Strangely, I feel like I'm no closer to that knowledge than I was before I read the book.



5. Had some ok spatterings of information , but overall I found it a bit dissapointing. Its a fairly big book but doesnt seem to really show anthing ground breaking. If I had seen it before hand I wouldn't buy it again. Thats not to say in the right hands this book wouldn't be handy .Has some interesting info on how to make your own hinges, apart from that the rest is pretty standard stuff.

5 comments about Trim Carpentry and Built-Ins (Build Like A Pro).

1. I'm new to trim carpentry and wanted a step-by-step book to accelerate my learning and minimize mistakes while improving quality.
   
   Within 10 minutes of reading, I picked up several great new ideas and one new and important technique. I was amazed that after completing two full rooms of crown moulding that there were so many shortcuts, secrets and techniques I hadn't picked up and wouldn't of ever learned on my own.
   
   Inside, there are many color photos, expert tips described in the margins and step-by-step instructions on how to best complete the project.
   
   I recommend this book for begginers BEFORE you start putting up crown moulding or starting other trim carpentry projects.



2. I am a firm believer in the KISS method of doing things. (Keep It Simple Stupid") Every step is covered in this book so that anyone can learn from it. The "Build Like A Pro" series of books are all laid out like this one. The "Expert Tips" are great. They show you short cuts to help you do the jobs right, but in less time. This is stuff you only learn by doing the job everyday. They are trade secrets.



3. I bought this title from the Build Like A Pro series based on a good experience with their "Build a Shed" book, which was like having an experienced carpenter explain how he would approach and resolve each construction issue.
   This title was written by a guy who obviously has the years of experience under his belt but needs a strong editor to map out the writing process. The author uses terminology several times before defining it many pages later, and in general doesn't leave the reader with a full understanding of how to proceed.



4. This book is very attractive and informative, but I found it lacking some of the very basics, and the production steps are often not laid out chronologically. In the crown molding section, there is no suggested nailing plan, so as someone who has never done crown molding but is planning to attempt it, this book alone does not suffice.



5. This book is very well illustrated and gives some great examples. I was looking for more examples on built ins and hints on what to do when you have a crooked wall. This book did not have an hints or examples of what to do in this situation. However for individuals that have other questions on how to do trim this book would be an excellent addition to your collection.

5 comments about Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Details for Builders and Designers (For Pros by Pros).

1. This is a good reference for framing details, which I turn to frequently as we work on the design for our new home. That said, there are numerous gaps and while some might be excused as esoteric, like framing a swept roof at the eaves (though it is pictured on the cover of the book), many others are not, such as flashing at masonry entry steps. I would like to see the book updated to include more "Building Science" lessons, OVE (Optimum Value Engineering)and perhaps SIPS. Still a good book, overall.



2. Have been using this reference for years as an Architect. Probably the best one out there that covers all the basics. Not overly complicated. Could use an advanced version for more complicated details, especially in roofing (half-hips, etc.) and foundations.
   Great reference for the nomencalture of all the parts.
   Do not expect to build from it as codes and structural sizing are required and vary too much, but good, basic detailing and understanding overall with plenty of illustrations.



3. I do a lot of non-professional new construction. For me, visualizing the right way do do something is the problem. Once the skin is on a building I have no idea what lies underneath -- I have no 'guide' to model my construction after. Also, building according to convention is useful -- for instance, it's good to know that you can expect to find a vertical stud in a wall every 16 or 24 inches, regardless of who built the building and when -- and this book clarifies what those conventions are.
   
   This is a great book. The graphic representations are exceptionally clear and detailed. Many alternatives are given, and in building you simply choose the alternative that gives you the most of what you want and follow the diagram.



4. This book has a lot of good framing scenarios interesting tidbits. Both a good reference and interesting to page through.



5. A great reference for the DIY homeowner. Lots of drawings to show you the right way to do things from foundations to framing.

5 comments about Building Kitchen Cabinets.

1. I am a firm believer in the KISS method of doing things. (Keep It Simple Stupid") Every step is covered in this book so that anyone can learn from it. The "Build Like A Pro" series of books are all laid out like this one. The "Expert Tips" are great. They show you short cuts to help you do the jobs right, but in less time. This is stuff you only learn by doing the job everyday. They are trade secrets.



2. This book is very well laid out and easy to follow instructions to build the greatest custom cabinets. This is the best book I own



3. This book is well written, and easy to understand. The author gives you a solid understanding of the basics and some of the more advanced "how-tos" of cabinet making. I would recommend this book to people who have some knowledge of power tools and want to learn how to build kitchen cabinets.



4. This book was a great introduction to how to build cabinets. Being an experienced person in woodworking, this book gave the guidance towards me taking on this project. As a previous review stated, I also found an error in the calculation table but after doing the calculation over and over again, it seemed to have the wrong calculation formula but is was indeed correct. I did though find an area that the publisher and the author should have covered that was overlooked. When assembling the doors the author states to assemble the rails and stiles with glue, drive a couple of 1/2 inch nails into the assembly and remove the clamps. After doing this, I discovered those nails while routing the outside edges with my round-over bit. So, I will in the future take extreme care to where I place those nails, assuring that they will not be found later. I also modified my wall cabinets by using 1/4 inch plywood for the tops and in some assemblies I found that using the pocket hole method better for attaching plywood to plywood, less splitting when the screw is at an angle.
   Otherwise this book is an excellent source that gave me the confidence and courage to build my own cabinets, as I have them all built now, just waiting to stain and assemble them and install.



5. I bought this book and Danny Proulx's Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets (Popular Woodworking). Proulx's book focused on particleboard construction and mostly 32mm cabinets. I was very dissapointed as I was anxious to start building cabinets and particleboard is not what I was looking for. This book however, was just what the Dr. ordered. I'm very comfortable with my tools and have been woodworking for years now, but I still found some usefull tips in the book. I skimmed the book without reading all of it and immediately bought the lumber I needed and began construction. I had a completed bathroom vanity cabinet in 1 afternoon (not including stain and finish). As others have mentioned, his dimensions are not perfect, but since my house doesn't perfectly match the book, I used my own tape measure.
   
   Even with the dimension issues here and there, I highly recommend this book for anyone who actually wants to make cabinets. I have a few other books that discuss the "idea" of making cabinets. This one tells you the tools you need and how to do it. It focuses on pocket-hole joinery but it also shows how you can use other joinery techniques as well. I can't stress this point enough... if you are planning on building cabinets, you will love this book. If you just want to read about building cabinets, this book isn't what you want.
   
   I'm off to buy more lumber for more cabinets!!!!

5 comments about The Only Dog Tricks Book You'll Ever Need: Impress Friends, Family--and Other Dogs!.

1. This was a great book. Easy to follow steps. Needs more pictures. A DVD to go along with it would be better.



2. This is a very good book. It has may good points about tricks and teaching your dog.



3. I've purchased many dog behavior and trick books over the years. This little gem is definitely the best trick book. My golden and I have had many great times learning some of the tricks. Easy to follow and the progressive technique makes great sense. I'm amazed at how fast he can learn following the simple directions. Patience and consistency as always is the key.



4. It is definitely for beginners. The authors explains every detail about everything so you will be succesful in teaching which tricks you want and doing it correctly and efficiently. It displays a few pictures of dogs performing the tricks but its not a visual book, but more of a guide book that you have to read most of to understand who to do things properly. All in all its an amazing book if you want to teach your dog great, fun things.



5. Book in perfect shape. Arrived in very timely manor. Thank you for your great service.