1 comments about Folk Art Fish Decoys.

1. This is really a visual book with supporting text. The book was purchased as a coffee table book for a lakeside residence. The subject matter showcases generations of fish decoys. I enjoy seeing the workmanship of the hobbyists that spent many an evening/weekend in the garage or basement workshop perfecting their craft. It's not really a how to book for building fish decoys. However, I am inspired to grab some scrap wood and create some decoys (albeit of likely lesser quality) of my own with my boys. Who knows, maybe they'll end up as family heirlooms displayed on the mantle sequestering carbon for generations to come.

No comments about How to Make Simple, Sturdy, Inexpensive Furniture from Cardboard.

1 comments about Carving 20 Realistic Game and Song Birds: Complete Patterns and Instructions (The Woodcarver's Favorite Pattern series).

1. This book, plus the three others in this series, are a super find for anyone doing bird carving. They include background info on each bird, instructions and most importantly, a pattern showing the side view, the top view and front view. Tips on making feet, how to texture and burn your bird are covered and suggestions for mounting are included. I am in a weekly woodcarving club and I have seen the owl, hummingbird and the robin carved from patterns in this book and they looked really good. I carved a pair of chickadees that I am very proud of. This book shows only bird patterns, Lehman's other books cover other birds, plus a few animals. You really need to get all of his books for yourself--and to make yourself popular with other carvers. My only complaint, and it is just a minor one, is that I wish that information on painting the completed projects had been included.

2 comments about Intarsia: Artistry in Wood: 12 Projects for Every Occasion.

1. The authers begin by helping you through a project step by step. I followed along with them and my first project was a beautiful Brown Pelican. Their Instructions included wood selection and pattern use. You are then incouraged to go solo and hone your skills. The degree of difficulty of the patterns range from basic to an intermediate level. I encourage anyone with a scroll saw to begin with this book and getting into the fasinating hobby of intarsia. In no time they will be creating items of beauty to be proud of.



2. This is an excellent pattern book for getting started in Intarsia. The book contains 12 projects varying from wildlife to Christmas to a puppy in a basket. Each project gets a little more challanging. All projects include a color picture of the finished project and full size plans to make the project, along with narration about the projects special features and 'Helpful Tips' to make the project easier to complete.

   The first project includes 12 pages of narration and 41 color photos explaining and showing the different techniques of intarsia. Just follow along, step by step, and before you know it, you have a complete Brown Pelican you can be proud to display. The second project, Puppy in a Basket, has 16 pages of narration and 58 color photos to guide your way to a beautiful completed project. The last ten projects do not go into as much detail, only a few paragraphs and the completed finished color photo. However, many of the techniques discussed in the first two projects carry over to almost ALL intarsia projects.

   A great beginner book for Intarsia, some nice simple Intarsia plans and a few challanging ones for the more experienced sawyer. A must for every scroll sawyer collection.

1 comments about The New Best of Fine Woodworking, Vol. 1 (6-Volume Set: Designing Furniture / Small Woodworking Shops / Working with Routers / Building Small Projects / Designing and Building Cabinets / Traditional Finishing Techniques).

1. After reviewing this set for our woodworking blog, I wanted to share a big thumbs up with others. This is a great collection of articles from the last decade of Fine Woodworking Magazine and a great place for beginners to get a jump on learning. For the more experienced, having the articles aranged by subject makes it easy to find solutions and alternatives when faced with uncertanty. For more reviews check out NothingSeveredYet.com.

No comments about The Handyman's Book: Essential Woodworking Tools and Techniques.

5 comments about Create Your Own Tabletop Fountains.

1. If you've read the other books by Paris, you know that they are filled with information. Paris thoroughly researches her subjects and when you've finished reading, you feel like you've been given an education. There are from one to four outstanding, detailed color pictures on every page. The fountains range from very simple to advanced in degree of difficulty in assembly. The instructions, like the photos, are highly detailed. The book will make an excellent gift for anyone interested in fountains.



2. I compared several fountain making books, and found this one to have the most complete information and the best instructions. The step by step photos are better than the drawn diagrams found in other books, because they tell the exact sequence of events in building a tabletop fountain. I also found this book to have the most useable projects ( I was not interested in outdoor fountains and the plumbing challenges inherent in making them). I have already made 3 awesome fountains, the most ambitious being the copper leaf fountain, which sounds like music and drowns out the noise of traffic that I used to hear in my living room. I had no trouble putting it together following the photos and directions. When it splashed too much, I found the remedy in the book, too. The author's lists are amusing and informative (example: 10 ways to hide the cord, how to quiet noisy pumps, and 10 ways to know you need "fountains anonymous") . The book describes a fountain as an "oasis connecting you to nature." That pretty much sums up my feeling when I go home after a busy day and hear throughout my house the endless sound of falling water.Because the projects vary in difficulty, I would highly recommend this book, no matter how much fountain building experience you've had.



3. Wow! Lots of great info and imaginative projects in gorgeous color layout. The feng shui cures, tips on hiding the cord, and how to drill slate were particularly helpful to me. I got a noisy pump, and this book tells ways to make it operate quietly! It answered all my questions on fountain plants, how to turn the fountain off and on without getting under the couch, where to get decorating accents, and how to water seal and patch clay pots.

   The illustrated projects make it so easy to get the results I want. I am very happy with my purchase and feel like I know the insiders' secrets.




4. Paris Mannion's Create Your Own Tabletop Fountains (1-58180-103-3, $24.99) provides a fine guide to creating the fountains which have become so popular in hardware and houseware stores. From supplies and materials to crafting 15 selected fountains using shells to pots, this provides color photos and directions for a range of fountains.



5. I bought this and a couple other tabletop fountain books, the 'Simple Fountains' book by Dorcas Adkins was much better. This book shows how to make the basic functioning parts of the fountain, but it looks like it was made by a 3rd grade art class - some of the fountains are just plain ugly.

4 comments about Decorative Furniture Finishes With Vinegar Paint (Decorative Painting).

1. I've been looking for a book on this topic for a long time. I had seen some examples of vinegar painting in a magazine and was blown away by the wonderful dimensional effects it produces but the article contained no instructions as that artist called the process his "secret". Well, Bill Russell (bless him) is an artist who's happy to tell how it's done. This beautiful book is full color with very complete instructions and photos for creating the dimensional illusions which are the hallmark of vinegar painting. Personally, I think the results exceed most of the time- consuming oil paint approaches. The supplies are basic and affordable and it's a very health-friendly art form. The effects can be varied endlessly to give you completely unique designs that can be used together in a project without becoming repetitious to view. I'm surprised vinegar painting hasn't become more well known to artists as it is surely the most user-friendly way to create sophisticated faux-texture effects. People invariably look at my vinegar paint pieces in amazement and ask how in the world I did that (it looks like it takes forever--it doesn't). Maybe no one else has been able to find instructions either...

   If you're interested in creating stunning paint effects that (almost)no one else is doing, you will love this book. I think this is the only book currently available on the topic (I certainly did look) but it really is the only one you need.




2. You've seen all those lovely one or two page articles and photos in the popular magazines about how to do vinegar graining on furniture, boxes, and frames, but they left you wanting more. Well, look no further, for this is THE answer. Loads of pictures with the author working on all kinds of stuff. Lots of different tools to use. Very detailed...this author shares his love for this craft (really artistry) and his sources with you in this book. You'll even want to sign up for his workshop in Philadelphia, PA if you can't get enough here! AND...don't forget to add these to your list as they will round out your selection of decorative painting books/photos/techniques: THE ART OF FAUX by Finkelstein, PROFESSIONAL PAINTED FINISHES by Marx, and FOLK FINISHES by Teles. You won't go wrong by adding one or all of these to your shopping cart. Knowledge is power...and these books give you the power to do great things with glazes and paint!



3. Many years ago I was at a stranger's house (maybe the house was for sale or for rent), and I saw the most beautiful painted piece of furniture. This armoire was finished in a variety of rich brown textures, and I asked the woman how it had been done. Although she was the artist, she was very secretive, admitting only that she had used a wine bottle cork to produce one pattern.
   Since then I've been looking for a book that would show me how to create these results. I've bought at least a dozen 'paint your furniture' books, but they focused on flat applications of paint. Admittedly pretty, I wanted instead to produce the illusion of depth and exotic wood grainlines that I had seen.
   Yesterday I received Bill Russell's book, and this book reveals the secret! The pictured projects are gorgeous, the illustrated instructions are some of the clearest and easiest to understand that I've ever seen in hundreds of how-to books, and the necessary supplies are explained in detail.
   Bill uses a variety of tools to manipulate his paint, but not a cork. Yet following his explanations I can see how to use one, both on its side and using the end. Bill suggests making sample boards out of inexpensive cardboard to test colors and techniques. What would happen if I used a sponge? A piece of crumpled cloth or lace? Based on his solid basics, a decorative artist could have a ball exploring the possibilities. But one doesn't have to be an artist to produce lovely results using Bill's suggested colors and combinations. What a fantastic book!



4. Don't let the title fool you.
   This book is for anyone who does decorative painting, not just furniture.
   I just recieved my copy and am having a ball experimenting with all the great information I have found in this book.
   Most of my painting is on the paper mache objects I create, but I see more wonderful possibilities for more vinegar painting.
   Like the room divider/screens I purchased for a steal this summer
   at yard sales. I kept wondering what can I do to make these screens look unique and different. I found my answer in this great book.
   I highly recommend this book. It's a real treasure!

3 comments about Die Design Fundamentals.

1. an excellent book for engineers or technicians with no experience in die design. This sets you up for a new and another dimension in the world of tool and dies. It is worth having one in the shelf.



2. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning to go into die design. It is extremely thorough and up to date. More importantly, it not only explains how a die works but it also helps in the designing process. It takes you through a step by step process and each chapter is dedicated to a part of the die i.e., the punch, the die, the stripper plate, pilots, types of die processes, die buttons, front and back rails, etc. For those already in the field, it helps to have this book handy.



3. Great book for beginners. This book is essential material if you want to go in this field and learn about Die Design. I would definitely recommend it as a starter. Very good indeed!

1 comments about Animal Portraits in Wood: Crafting 16 Artistic Mosaics with Your Scroll Saw.

1. IF YOU ENJOY USING THE SCROLLSAW, THESE PATTERNS WILL BRING LIFE TO YOUR PROJECTS, I HAVE COMPLETED 2 OF THEM, AND HAVE REALLY ENJOYED THEM. MUCH EASIER THAN INTARSIA, BUT WITH THE DIRECTIONS, THE PATTERNS CAN REALLY COME TO LIFE, AND YOU DON'T NEED A BIG INVESTMENT IN EXOTIC WOOD