5 comments about The Woodcut Artist's Handbook: Techniques and Tools for Relief Printmaking.

1. I found the previous reviews to be helpful and true. I read it cover to cover immediately and can't wait to try some of the tips and to find a couple of tools I found quite interesting.



2. Walker has taken woodcut, arguably the oldest of printing techniques, and brought it into the twenty-first century. Albrecht Durer would certainly recognize everything that goes on in a woodcut artist's shop. It's the tools, inks, papers, and especially subject matter that have changed. This book steps clearly through every step, combining very readable text, illustration, and samples of original prints.
   
   The book starts with the block itself. That can be something as homely as a cut slab of potato for a child's effort. It can also be linoleum, a wood plank, or a piece of plywood for regular woodcut. Wood engraving, which differs mainly in the fineness of the cut marks, requires fine, hard surfaces: end-grain boxwood, maple, or cherry in traditional technique, or man-made materials that may be lest costly and more predictable. The rest of the book continues in equally exacting detail: tools and especially their sharpening, cutting with hand or power tools, papers, classic and modern inks, taking the impression with simple or complex presses, and deciding on the edition. Although specimens appear thoughout the book, the last chapter is a gallery that shows the variety of people, techniques, and subjects in contemporary woodcut. Back matter is very helpful: glossary, artists' biographies, bibliography, access to resources, and a helpful index. The resource list may age quickly, as art suppliers come and go, but everything else has lasting value.
   
   There are a few oddities. For example, Walker uses the term "monoprint" to describe images from uniquely inked cut blocks. I can't argue that usage, even though the term is more widely understood to describe prints from inked but uncut surfaces. And, despite otherwise complete coverage of multi-block printing, he omitted the idea of the counterproof. That technique inks the key block and prints it on paper, then uses the paper to transfer wet ink to the blocks to be used for other colors. Although traditional, the technique may lack the precision needed for wood engraving, and may have been overtaken by photocopying and other modern techniques.
   
   I recommend this to anyone who appreciates woodcut, as an observer or as an active printmaker. It's beautifully printed and bound, and, despite the antiquity of the technique, completely up to date.
   
   //wiredweird



3. I have just begun engraving wood and found this book to be extremely helpful. It describes the differences between carving and engraving and gives ample information on tools and printing processes for a beginner.



4. How any book claiming to cover woodcut prints could fail to mention the works of Antonio Frasconi and Leonard Baskin, yet show half-baked attempts at wood engraving, or champion Barry Moser's soul-less technique as "mastery" is fundamentally lacking. While I thought the love of the medium did show through, and the coverage of the tools and techniques was sound, I think many lesser artists were mentioned, and without these two, it yields an anemic visual source for the interested artist.



5. This is in response to the Jeffery C. Chase review in which he incorrectly states that the work of Antonio Frasconi and Leonard Baskin were not mentioned in the Woodcut Artist's Handbook. They were mentioned and their work would have been reproduced in the book as well if the publisher had been granted reproduction rights. Frasconi's work is referred to on page 20 and The Complete Prints of Leonard Baskin by Alan Fern and Judith O'Sullivan (1984) is suggested reading on page 150. We tried to include as many artists as possible but because of copyright restrictions and limited resources we could not include everyone. Thank you for your comments.

3 comments about Field Guide to American Antique Furniture: A Unique Visual System for Identifying the Style of Virtually Any Piece of American Antique Furniture.

1. Excellent and easy to use reference book, illustrates styles in thier purest form. Does not treat the subject of authenticity but notes characteristics and idiosyncracies of various examples.



2. This book is good for a quick reference. It is filled with sketches that are grouped into categories (chairs, tables, beds).
   It can help you identify the style of a piece of furntiture, but doesn't help authenticating the piece.



3. Get this one. It shows and tells what a novice needs to learn about antique furniture. Also...a great refresher for long-time antiquers.

5 comments about The Table Saw Book: Completely Revised and Updated.

1. This book is simply excellent. I can't say enough about it. The one slight negative thing I could say is that the last chapter does not read as well as the rest of the book. Reading the last chapter you almost get the impression that it is written by a different person or that they felt they were rushed and didn't do as good as the rest of the book.
   
   Overall though I just cannot believe how this book reads so well, easy, straight forward, no nonsense. I wish more books were like this.



2. The Table Saw Book was a great book to read as I began to get into doing some basic woodworking. It was extremely clear and an easy read. However, I found the information very good and on a level that I could understand. I would recommend to anyone who is just getting started in woodworking to read this book first. You will find that you refer back to it time and again.



3. After reading all of the positive reviews, I was a bit disappointed after securing my copy of Mehler's Table Saw Book. Maybe my expectations were a little high, but I was left wanting more. I was hoping for something similar to Hylton's Woodworking with the Router.
   
   The first two chapters (Introduction to and Buying a Table Saw) can be completely skipped by anybody who already owns or is familiar with a table saw. I felt Mehler spent WAY too much time touting European saws. These pages would've been much more useful on topics more relevant to most of us. I also wasn't particularly impressed with the Crosscutting chapter.
   
   On the bright side, the book does contain some valuable information. The chapter on Safety is excellent. Mehler also consists of some good tips on maintaining your table saw. I liked the chapter on cutting various joints. Lastly, the book includes very good color photos and black-and-white diagrams.
   
   Pros: Cheap, good newbie information, alignment and maintenance tips
   Cons: Too much pre-buying info, infatuation with Euro saws
   
   Recommendation: If new to table saws, this book is great. However, for experienced woodworkers, I'd look elsewhere.



4. While the box covers the basics of a table saw, I was expecting a broader section on the design of jigs for use with a table saw. The jigs provided, however, are the basic ones commonly used.



5. I found this book very disappointing. As others have pointed out he's very dismissive of anything other than top of the line equipment and he's nearly obsessed with "European" saws. I feel certain that many people buying this book are like me and have already purchased a mid-level "American" saw. It really doesn't help me to tell me over and over that I've wasted my money on a piece of garbage and then sing the praises of expensive equipment I can't afford. I really get the idea that he feels that if you can't afford a $3000 saw using $200 blades and a thousand dollars worth of dust removal equipment you're just throwing your money away. This teaches me nothing about how to make the best use of what I have.
   
   I was also put off by his dismissal of working with plywood and would have liked some more examples helpful to those of us who aren't master carpenters working with unlimited funds.
   
   I guess I should have saved my money (and taken out a second mortgage) for a better saw instead of getting this book.

5 comments about Practical Design Solutions and Strategies: Key Advice for Sound Construction from Fine Woodworking (Essentials of Woodworking).

1. I would not recommend this book to a complete beginner. There are more important books that should be read first (like Tage Frid's books and Taunton Press' "Basics of Craftmanship"). However, assuming that you have a bit of background and experience in woodworking this book is a great way to build your skills in designing great furniture or cabinetry as well as confronting the occasional design decision that creeps into "cook-book" projects.

   Since this book is compiled from articles from Fine Woodworking Magazine there is a great breadth of topics and each topic that is covered is explored in depth. However, there are still a great deal of design related topics that are not touched upon. Make no mistake, this is not a textbook of furniture/cabinetry design. It is a collection of design focused magazine articles. Infact, some of the articles aren't even that focused on design. If you want to focus on design and design alone, this isn't the book for you.

   Some of the articles are better written than others, although all are well written and applicable to pretty much any woodworker. The way the articles are grouped together is sometimes baffling, but if you just treat this as a thick magazine with no advertising and no fluff, you'll be impressed.

   This is a great read and an important book to have in your woodworking library. As a woodworker that builds "stuff", you won't be able to avoid design decisions, and this book is a great way of getting your feet wet and stepping away from the complete construction plans you see in every woodworking magazine.




2. The furniture in this book isn't just built to last. It's built to win. As in, if you hit it with a car, the furniture will win. Or if you drop it out of a window onto the sidewalk, the furniture will win.

   You don't have to build everything the way they do. I'm about to make some end tables with drawers, and I'm not going to use dovetails and haunched tenons. I'm going to use dowels. But the important thing is that I now know the right way to do it, and I know my way will at least work, and I know why some other designs won't work. I won't blindly follow plans or make design compromises out of ignorance. And one day soon, I'll make something the right way.

   I knocked a star off of the rating because the book is an anthology of previously-published material and kind of a broad-ranging hodgepodge. But it is an excellent hodgepodge nonetheless.

   I think books like this should be read not just by people who aim to build furniture but by anyone who uses furniture.




3. Taunton Press has two collections of articles on woodworking design in publication. As the title indicated, this collection focuses in the practical issues of furniture design, primarily to do with construction decisions. Speaking as someone who has occasionally 'created' himself into a corner, this is important material. After all, it never hurts to have a good grasp of what it really is going to take to make an interesting idea into a good piece of furniture.
   
   Well illustrated and lucidly presented the six sections are Conceiving Your Projects, Organizing Your Projects, Engineering Furniture to Last, Construction Options for Tables, Construction Options for Cabinets, and Construction Options for Chairs. Each section contains articles of considerable interest. The detailing on table construction and the two articles on chair making are particularly interesting. Both focus on the 'holistic' factors of the project rather than simply covering joinery.
   
   By fitting into the niche that sees design and construction as a process, the reader will come to see how each decision effects the final outcome. This means that what you see in your imagination is more likely to appear in front of you as finished work. While this is not a volume for beginners, taking the time to go through this book and understand the principals will keep you out of trouble and increase your satisfaction with the final product.



4. Practical Design Solutions and Strategies: Key Advice for Sound Construction from Fine Woodworking (Essentials of Woodworking) The book is fine, clear, concise and plenty of photos and great information.



5. Sometimes you buy a book and it is exactly what it appears to be. That's the case with this book. This book contains a collection of articles from the magazine "Fine Woodworking". Good articles about various subjects related to furniture making. It is not a beginners book, but for the somewhat experienced woodworker it's good reading/reference material.

5 comments about Building a Strip Canoe.

1. 
   When I decided to build my own strip canoe I bought several books, including Gilpatrick's. Nearly everything I read was helpful, but "Building A Strip Canoe" was by far the best. He has included a number of different models (I built the 18' White Guide). And, his instructions are easily followed. Another plus was that Gil was available via email to help me get through some of problems, especially the fiberglassing. The result is a canoe that has made a number of trips down the Upper Missouri, and to the amazement of some of my skeptical "friends", has remained afloat. I recommend Gil's book without hesitation. "Canoe Craft" is good, too, for add-ons such as scuppers, and stem pieces.



2. This is a great book to learn how to build a half-way canoe. This is poorly done and offers building instruction that will leave you with an inferior boat. The best option is to buy Canoecraft...Canoecraft has everything you need to build a canoe and even includes plans and lofting directions. However many of the techniques described in this book are easier than those in canoecraft. But when you are out on the water you don't want to be worrying about if your boat is gonna hold together or not because you cut corners.



3. This is an excellent book. It includes patterns as well and easy instructions.



4. I have many of the common books on canoe building. This book is by far the easiest to use. There seems to be two major schools of thought when it comes to strip canoe building: 1) floating furniture (The Canoecraft way) and 2) utilitarian (Hazen and Gilpatrick). I've built a solo canoe following Gil's methods and it has served wonderfully for 5 years. I've bounced it down rocky rivers and used it for many trips to the BWCA and Quetico and it has served admirably.
   
   If you wish to build a work of art, then perhaps you should follow Moores's methods. Personally, I don't like external stems on a canoe. They widen the entry line and just look weird to me. Building them is also a fiddly undertaking and I'm not sure that they really add much.
   
   If you want a functional and tough canoe . . . that is beautiful to boot . . . this book will help you reach your goal. If you have questions write the author, he has replied to my emails; usually the next day.



5. Great book. I built a White canoe using Gil's book. It saw the water one time and is now hanging as a static display in a Health Spa in Door County Wisconsin. I remember taking it out one time and a random person pulled over to look at it while I was gassing up my truck. He asked,"Where did you get this canoe?" My reply- "I built it." I had wove the seats using the directions in this book and people still question if I really wove them myself. The book is awesome. I am actually getting another to replace my first one which is getting a little tattered. I have never written a review for a book before before but this is worth the time to recommend it to you folks.... Dan

5 comments about Shoji: How to Design, Build, and Install Japanese Screens.

1. Shoji are really beautiful. There is something wonderful about the light passing through the semi-translucent rice paper, creating an atmosphere that is romantic and relaxing. Having lived in Japanese houses for several years, it was something that I wanted to recreate when I returned to the US.
   
   "Shoji: How to design, build, and install Japanese Screens" was exactly the book I was looking for. Jay van Arsdale has written a simply, comprehensive guide on how to add shoji to an existing house, from very simple screens to much more complicated structures. Its a modern approach to making shoji, rather than bothering with traditional Japanese methods, and is very practical and doable.
   
   The book assumes that you have woodworking skills and tools, and isn't so much a "Beginner's Guide." He gives a list of tools that you will need, mainly a set of chisels, hammers, saws, polishing stones and planes. He does recommend that you invest in Japanese tools, as they are made differently from Western tools and will create a different look in the wood that will be more authentic and aesthetically pleasing. There are a few specialty chisels, specifically the yarinomi and the sokosarae, that will make your shoji-making much more efficient.
   
   The different styles of shoji in the book range from simple shoji, to glass-panel shoji, closet and cabinet screens and lanterns. For the truly ambitious there are instructions for ceiling fixtures and skylights as well as valances and hanging screens. Most of those projects are far removed from my abilities, but a more advanced woodworker will find some inspiring projects.
   
   The photos are all in black-and-white, but there are some beautiful homes on display showing you what you can do with shoji screens. Certainly not everyone has the time and money for that kind of home transfiguration, but it is nice to dream.



2. The book arrived speedily and in great condition. What more can I ask?



3. the book was easy to understand. easy to read. a great book , if you want to build a shoji screen this is the book for you. tells you about other uses and other stronger materials to use



4. Can not say enough about this book, it gives you a good start if you know a little about wood, but does not stop there.
   
   If you get this book you'll enjoy that it does not insult your interest by just showing pictures of work only a master could do. It gives the information needed to do your first design plus what you'll need once you understand the methods.
   
   Thanks Jay, you have given me a great new experience.



5. This is an excellent guide to making japanese screens.if you are a beginer or a pro i think youll find this the ideal choice to start off with.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Home Carpentry : Carpentry Skills & Projects for Homeowners (Black & Decker Home Improvement Library).

1. This book doesn't include any text about stairs. I guess most complete homes don't need stairs. I find this book more of a coffee table book than a book I can count on for howto information.



2. Had to give 1 star to off set the other reviews. My problem with most of these carpentry books is their lack of conviction to a topic. I have been a carpenter for way longer than 4 years (the accepted journeyman level). In truth it takes a lifetime to keep up with new practices and master traditional techniques. If you need to read 93 PAGES OF 277 on what a particular tool is or how to set up a saw then you really are not ready for complete carpentry. You need to develop your understanding of the tools.
   
   Taunton Press is my recommendation for high quality information. Most of their publications assume you know how to use your tools. I would like to see quality books on specific skills. The complete all in one would have to be text book size and come in volumes. One good example is Lewis Vogt Carpentry 3rd edition. Used in construction management courses.
   
   This book is just fluff. A weekend warrior might find some good info to improve his garage or better use his tools.



3. I bought this book for a garage project of mine and the decent reviews it had. I must say the reviews are well deserved. This book offers plenty of photos and well explained "how-to" guide lines. Detailed explanation with photos of all the tools you'll need for your project. I can now do my projects with confidence considering I am a novice at carpentry. Excellent choice for the novist.



4. received book in a timely manner and in excellent condition



5. The Complete Guide to Home Carpentry : Carpentry Skills & Projects for Homeowners (Black & Decker Home Improvement Library) Item appears to be very thorough; great illustrations!

5 comments about The Bat House Builder's Handbook, Completely Revised and Updated.

1. Maybe I'm too sold on what's marketed as variety.
   
   I agree with what other reviewers have said, that these are good bathouses and the instructions are easy to follow. I just wish there were a little more variety in terms of design.
   
   The book, by the way, over and above the houses does have some reference information on bats including where to put the houses. That was helpful.
   
   If you're into bats, and would like to make your own houses, this is the book I would recommend.



2. Lots of good information in here. This book went into detail that I'd never even thought about. Definitely worth a buy if you want a good house that will attract bats.



3. I was a bit annoyed to open the package from Amazon and see this glorified pamphlet inside. "There goes ten bucks!" I thought. Don't let the size fool you, though. When I opened the booklet and started flipping through, I saw that it really is an excellent guide. It is far superior to anything else I have seen on the subject. I have seen bat houses for sale in my area that do not come close to meeting the well researched guidelines described in this book. Worth buying, definitely. I just wanted to combat the mosquitos in my neighborhood -- now I will likely join the Bat Conservancy and build houses for any friends who ask.



4. My grand daughter's are anxious to get started building! I bought this and the Stokes Guide to Bats. They love the books. Easy to use and with a little help 8 & 10 years-old understand the blueprints.



5. For a small, pamphlet like publication this handbook packs a surprising amount of information about bats and bat houses. It has several very detailed plans for bat houses and accompanying materials list that simplify the purchasing process. Very happy with this purchase.

5 comments about The Big Book of Weekend Woodworking: 150 Easy Projects (Big Book of ... Series).

1. I just got started in serious woodworking, and was looking for a good book to get me started with small projects to cut my teeth on. This was it. I've already completed a couple of the items and have more on my to-do list. The drawings are excellent, the instructions are, for the most part, helpful and accurate, and the materials lists are simple and low cost. The bulk of my Christmas gifts this year are going to come from making projects found in this book.
   
   If you or someone you know is just getting started, this is the book to give them for a bunch of great project ideas that will build skills without incurring a bunch of costs.



2. This book has so many projects in it that some are bound to interest you. The problem with books that feature, say 25 projects, is that if you find 10% of them interesting you get 2-3 projects out of the book. This has 150 projects. If you find 10% of them interesting then you walk away with clear instructions and pretty detailed plans for 15 projects. This book is well written and includes sections on finishing and material selection. I own many "project" books. This book outshines them all by a wide margin. Joinery is pretty basic and the projects run from beginner to intermediate, with most of them being the former. One point that I feel compelled to mention, however, is that most projects in this book require a machine (or hand tool) that will cut curves. Just buy it!



3. With 150 projects in the book, you are bound to find at least a couple that you find interesting enough to build. Such is the case with this book. Most of the projects are so-so and are worth a glance or two. I have a list of about 5 projects that I will actually try.
   The designs are clear and the instructions mostly thorough. The one error I did find was easily recovered from (a flip-flop in order of steps in the fanning candleholder).
   I was hoping for about 20-30 projects that would actually be attempted so for that reason I drop the rating to 4 stars. Overall this is a good book that should give the weekend handyman several ideas.



4. i have yet to receive 2 products that i ordered over 2 months ago. i will NEVER use amazon again!!! it deserves 0 stars.



5. I have leafed through a number of project books only to be disappointed with the types of projects that would be offered. Many would be cheesey and not anything you really would find useful or feel comfortable making for another. This book is quite different.
   
   If you have friends and family members that enjoy items of a "Michaels" craft variety, you will definitely find something worth making and giving to them for holidays and other special occasions. If you are a father/grandfather/mother/grandmother who would like to see a young child experience a toy or piece of furniture that is not molded in an asian factory, this book would also be for you.
   
   Joinery for the projects is somewhat varied. Unlike other project books I have looked through, these are not all butt-joints and overly simple (though there are some projects that are very simple for those getting started). The book will not teach you how to paint, cut, or join. It is what it says it is, a book of projects that has ideas, plans, and diagrams. If you are very new to woodworking, I would suggest buying this with another book that teaches the basic woodworking skills necessary to build the projects listed safely.

5 comments about Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings.

1. I don't gush over books very often but this is one of the best investments I have ever made. The illustrations are startling and the writing is clear and unadorned.
   
   What Watson does very well is assume nothing with regard to his reader. He neither panders to the "old pro" nor is condescending to the "rank amateur." He just talks about how to use hand tools, how to think about hand tools and how to appreciate hand tools. I don't think there is a person doing wood working today who would not find something in here that makes them say "Oh, yeah..., that's a good idea."
   
   I have spent quite a lot of money on the Taunton woodworking library and I value them highly. They are good books. But this one is the first one I pick up when I am just spending a few minutes sitting down or before drifting off to sleep.
   
   One caution - this book is about "hand tools" and does include chapters on tools like "hand augurs" which very few of us use, however I have to admit I am tempted to buy one just because of the obvious pleasure this guy has in them. One of my quirks I suppose.



2. Watson has written a clear and concise user's manual for woodworking hand tools. He includes many of the basic hand tools that are overlooked (such as the brace and drawknife) in other hand tool books. I got more information out of Watson's clear drawings than I did from the beautiful photographs in Garrett Hack's "Classic Hand Tools" book. This book is meant to be kept in your workshop instead of on the coffeetable.



3. Just beginning my adventure in woodworking, this book has done exactly as it claims in the back cover. It feels like I have a readily available experience woodworker in my pocket whenever I have a question about a tool. The explanation is clear like a craftsman would teach his apprentice, and because of this, the obvious question of what tool should I get first and what tool should be my next purchase is easily answered, without actually saying. The drawings make the book almost timeless, not dated by photos, and the diagrams are reminiscent of the technical sketch you may see on a drafting table. I purchased other books along with this, but keep referencing back to this book to answer my questions about what tool do I need for the next part of the job. The writing is easily explanatory and conversational at once, and is quite enjoyable to read. You can either read it in a linear fashion, from front to back, or you can choose the tool you have questions about (from the Table of Contents) and move directly to it to have your question answered.
   
   Free bench plans if you've never built a workbench, are included. This is a book that could sell itself if you had a chance to open it up.



4. This is a beautiful book, the moment I read the first chapter I was wishing I'd bought the hard copy so I could put it in pride of place on my bookshelf.
   I loved the illustrations, which are on almost every page and give exactly the right amount of detail in a way that photos can't. But the best part is the author's wonderful writing style, which really conveyed a sense of the timeliness and pleasure of woodworking. Even when describing such mundane things as taking measurements, the author has a great knack of focussing on the human aspect of the process, the decisions that need to be made and the emotions that the wrong and the right decision evoke. This, to me, is the reason working with handtools it is such a satisfying pastime, and this book wraps up all of those experiences in a really beautiful way. Top marks.



5. I love this book. I have read some of the chapters two-three times now and get something more each time. As an amateur woodworker, I don't fully understand what each tool can do yet dream of outcomes that the masters create. This book explains in simple terms the what, how and what should be for each tool, be it a hand plane, chisel, hammer, etc. Most of my other woodworking books that speak of tools only touch on how to sharpen and maybe adjust but not the how it does it and how it should perform. This book heads to the top of my stack to reach for when I need some tutoring on a particular hand tool.