1 comments about Painting Waterfowl With J.D. Sprankle.

1. Jim Sprankle is a world class master waterfowl carver and painter. He has published a number of remarkable books and video tapes to help others with their carvings. This painting book is outstanding. Jim has a unique method of painting wood carvings with thinly applied washes of acrylic paints, masterfully blended. This book shows in color how he paints several species of waterfowl, step by step. He even gives the formulas for the correct mixtures of paint. The book is an invaluable source of information for anyone wishing to paint waterfowl carvings.

3 comments about Making Kitchen Cabinets: A Foolproof System for the Home Workshop.

1. After checking out all of the kitchen cabinet making books I could find from local libraries, I found this one to give me the simplest foolproof way of making cabinets. I am planning to use this book to make my kitchen cabinets. It is based on the Euro style cabinets, ones without face frames. He also has an accompianing video which is also very good.



2. I found the book to be very outdated and full of useless information. The book does not even give you any useable plans for constructing your own cabinets. The material choices and assembly procedures are so out dated that an extreamly large amout of wood and money would be wasted. I would not recomend this book to anyone.



3. If you are new to cabinet making, this is the one book you should have to learn how to make frameless cabinets.
   Levine has a system which may not be for everyone, but it is easy to understand, and he explains things with a clarity that is hard to find in the woodworking world. Here is what I like:
   1) He explains basic dimensions and layouts for kitchen cabinets. There are no plans, but there are lots of photos and illustrations.
   2) His coverage of European hinges (Grass) and Accuride drawer slides will be invaluable if are just learning how to install this hardware.
   3) Ditto for plastic laminate.
   4) In the field of woodworking, I think Levine is just about unparalleled at taking complex information and explaining it with great clarity.
   [...]

5 comments about Chests of Drawers: Outstanding Projects from America's Best Craftsmen.

1. What's wrong with this book?

   1. Most of the projects in the book are for the very experienced craftsman. The projects seemed complicated just to be complicated. I'm not saying they should be super simple either but I think Taunton missed the mark on these.

   2. These projects are for the woodworker who has a full set of power tools in their workshop. I also purchased Tauton's "Tables" book and loved the fact that many of the projects where done with minimal power tools. In this book the concept of "hand cut dovetails" are dovetails done with a jigsaw and a router. Way too many expensive jigs, routers, biscuits and pocket joints.

   Since my next project is a chest of drawers for my son, I was really hoping to find inspiration in this book based on my other purchases of Taunton's books. Unfortunately I found none in this book. The ultimate test for me is to show my wife projects from books to see which one(s) she likes. She also found nothing in this book that we would want to build. Hopefully further book's released by Taunton can avoid these mistakes and make a book which most woodworkers can enjoy.




2. I consider myself an "advanced beginner" as a woodworker. I own Desks, Bookcases, and Beds in this series (and have completed projects from the latter two). Chests of Drawers does not live up to the high standards of these titles for two reasons:

   1. Intentional difficulty-It almost seems as though the author tried to come up with the most complex solution to any joinery problem. For example, is there not an easier way to do the joinery for the Contemporary Chest (a beautiful piece, by the way) besides making 180 loose tenons and 8 dozen mortises? The triple dresser is gorgeous but I am not sure that could be made to the same quality outside of the Thomasville factory.

   2. Lack of variety-I am sure that many of these projects can be modified but if I wanted to substantially modify them, I would just design something myself (something I don't feel comfortable doing yet on a project of this magnitude) and wouldn't need the book. The Pennsylvania Dutch chest, though nice (I mean, I am Pennsylvania Dutch) probably isn't something that needs to take up space in a book called Chests of Drawers. Something in the Arts and Crafts style would have been nice as well as a true Shaker project. Beyond that, one or two variations of a simple, but well constructed chest would have been helpful.

   I was disappointed in this book and cannot recommend it. I probably would have given it one star, but most of the projects are truly beautiful. I am sure someone can make 'em!




3. This book has its good points and bad points. I bought because I was really interested in the chest on the front cover. This chest is probably the most difficult project in the book and it has some very good points.
   
   But other things are lacking. For example, the author doesn't explain how to make the "stiles" of the frame (which are curved in the front plane) flush with the "rails". This is an important aspect that is simply overlooked.
   
   But the most glaring omission is how to finish the piece. The author writes "Apply a finish of your choice." I almost returned the book! The beauty of the chest is that there are two shades of mahogany. The author completely ignores this. Uggh!! (I plan to use potassium dichromate to darken the wood where appropriate--I hope it works.)
   
   Also, I think the author should have given alternative methods for accomplishing the curve on the front. You can make the drawer fronts from thick stock that is curved on the front and flat in back using a bandsaw to make the curve. This eliminates the need for angled dovetails. This method would *greatly* simplify the construction and make it appropriate for intermediate woodworkers.
   
   I certainly would tell a beginning woodworker to stay away from this book. I'd give it a lukewarm recommendation for the intermedate woodworker.



4. I liked this book! I have purchased a number of books lately looking to "notch up" my furniture building skills. There are plenty of books showing general, basic construction technique but most stop short of showing how to make many of the more difficult designs. I really liked the Tall chest and the Queen Anne chest (I am not a fan of contempory styles). This is not a beginners book (unless you want to see what to aim for) but I personnally found it instructive and will add it to my other favorites.



5. This is a good source of creating unique storage furniture for your home. A good source for your library.

3 comments about Landscapes in Relief: Carving Techniques and Patterns.

1. While I am a great fan of L.S. Irish as an artist, her newest book falls far short of being of the same caliber as her art. If it is intended for novices, it lack sufficient detail. If it is for intermediate or advanced carvers, it wastes far too many pages on the basics. It has 32 nice patterns which are mostly variations on the theme of old barns in the woods. One of the projects in the book can be downloaded from her website FREE. Last of all, many of the photos are in color. However, it looks as if the photographer used daylight film under incandescent lights because all of the photos are yellow-red. This makes it impossible to appreciate the sections on painting the carvings. All in all, I cannot recommend this book.



2. I initially chose this book because of it's very nice illustrations. My mistake was in buying this as my first relief book. I assumed that the step-by-step instructions for the sample project, Mountain View Farm, would be geared towards beginners since it was, after all, broken into steps with corresponding photos. Not quite.

   Now, in her defense, Lora Irish does cover the basics of relief carving, however, I found it to be too general for a beginner. Also, I often found myself tripping over slight contradictions between what the author instructs you to do and what she actually does. This is especially a problem if you use the picture on the back cover for reference, which is a slightly different version of this project. Carvers more familiar with the process might not have a problem here, but for a beginner who hangs on every detail of the example, like myself, he or she might become frustrated.

   Lastly, I would have preferred that the entire lesson's scene been included in the process (the waterwheel, water, and reflection elements are left out) so as to have an opportunity to get familiar with creating the water's illusion of depth and the use of reflections. The good news is, the picture on the back cover is the full scene, you'll just have to figure out how to do the waterwheel yourself.

   In conclusion, if you have a bit of carving experience and are looking for a refresher course or beautifully illustrated patterns this book is worth looking into; if you are looking for a beginner's guide to relief carving, you might want to look elsewhere.




3. If you are into carving landscapes then you will learn a good deal about carving techniques. Learn how to carve various materials used in structures you are trying to represent. Lora Irish is one of my favorite designers and I feel this book is worth its cost. I cannot over emphasize the need for quality carving tools and proper procedures for keeping them sharp.

1 comments about Make Your Own Model Dinosaurs: 7 Prehistoric Patterns for the Scroll Saw.

1. I got this book to make a dinosaur for my boys for their birthday. I do not own a scroll saw. I do not have any experience with one. I do own a scrolling jigsaw. One of the few criticisms I have of the book is that it was tough to figure out how big the finished dinosaur was. I was sure I wanted a bigger one (for kids at a party to put together) and thought I'd just go do the best I could.
   My husband copied the pages at 200% and I used them as the patterns on the plywood as outlined by the authors. I made the velociraptor. My jigsaw was actually able to handle everything but the slots, which I partially cut with the saw then sort of cleaned up with the file. (I almost forgot to scale down the width of the slots, which copying the design had enlarged to 1/2". You want them the same width as your plywood.)
   The pattern was a very good pattern-- my velociraptor turned out really well. I stress again I'd never attempted anything like this before. I started to assemble it as I was fitting and trimming the slots and the animal really started to emerge in front of me-- I brought the skull up out of the basement one night to show my husband and I was as excited as the kids. I think it's a good design if a novice like me can produce a finished dinosaur that almost stands up alone (I think it would be better balanced if I had scaled up the thickness of the plywood a little-- I used 1/4"). My finished dinosaur is a little larger that my three-year old. My three year old likes him very much. So do my five year olds, for whom it was made, and my eight year old, who helped make it. My older sons don't seem to mind at all propping it on the coffee table. I'm glad I got the book and tried the project.

1 comments about Designing Furniture: From Concept to Shop Drawing : A Practical Guide.

1. If you have read my other reviews on woodworking you know I am practical as well as into the spirit of wood. Marc Adams of Marc Adams Woodworking School "The Largest in the US" held a seminar here in Minnesota for the MN woodworkers Guild. I found Marc to be and excellent teacher and he shared some of his sources. This is one of them! It helped me to get hold of the process as well as the steps in designing furniture. I found I have made similar mistakes, but I won't be making the same ones the author has made.
   
   For me I want more than skill training, it is important to know why I should do this. An "ah ha!" experience is the reality of fine woodworking takes a lot of time. Wood prices keep rising, and I know I am always going to make a mistake.
   
   This is truely a "practical guide" and the author shares his frustrations and the why and how to get through them.
   
   This book is on the top of my reading pile!

1 comments about Popular Woodworking Pocket Shop Reference (Popular Woodworking).

1. This is an excellent reference to have on hand in the shop. It's packed with dozens of very clear, short explanations of lumber grades, miter angles for polygons, standard furniture dimensions, wood screw shank and pilot hole drill sizes, glue guidelines, band saw pulley formulas, tool sharpening angles, nail gauges, top coat dry times, and on and on.
   
   Just leafing through the book is an entertaining and educational experience. It is very clearly organized, and most of the information is presented in the form of very easy to understand charts and diagrams.
   
   The book is spiral bound, so it will lie flat on the workbench, and it's printed on heavy, glossy paper that will resist dust and staining.
   
   In my view, this book is worth every penny you'll spend on it. I'm very glad I bought it, and I'd do it again.

2 comments about Workshop Math.

1. I purchased the book on the recommendation of a friend who told me that the book would walk me through the math that I needed to update my home for some renovations and heating projects.

   Those projects were a wood burning stove, and solar heating. I found the author to supply the necessary understanding to make some serious decisions that provided me with financial returns.

   This book is provides tables and references for further study and is an excellant book for your library. This is one of the few times I will put my name on a book as a must have.




2. The tittle does not tell you what it is inside. This is an excelent summary of tips to build and meassure different things. It is like a handbook of whatever you may need and you don't know where to find the answers. There is very little information about woodworking math, but extensive information about several other subjects.

No comments about Airbrushing Techniques for Waterfowl Carving.

1 comments about Cutting-Edge Router Tips & Tricks (Popular Woodworking).

1. I have been working wood for a few years, and have followed a good many plans. However, I have had nothing but problems with this book. The table inside that is laid out in plans requires about [...]in materials, and thousands in headaches. It seems as if the plans were measured by a 5 year old high on kool-aid, then written down the next morning after he's forgotten most of the measurements. The carriage doesn't fit right, the plan causes the router to become locked into the table, unless you wish to remove the upper piece that holds the rod to raise the router, and the rod. By the way, that piece isn't included in the plans, either. It just assumes you figure to build it. It doesn't detail assembly, and includes grossly incorrect measurements for some pieces. After purchasing this book, it has become a great method of collecting sawdust. As a matter of fact, so has the table that is outlined within. I strongly do not recommend this book unless you are just looking for a few common sense jigs.