5 comments about Richard Raffan's Turning Guide: Turning Wood, Turning Boxes, and Turning Bowls (Three Books, Boxed Set).

1. "FANTASTIC" !!!!!!! Great for beginer and experienced woodworker. Covers everthing you have to know or would want to know.



2. The three volume work is well done and was written by one who knows his subject. He approaches each topic with an organized process and was easy to follow,even for a beginner, which I am. I have just finished the first two volumes with one to go. I like the way he works in his cautions about turning ,with humor and not preaching. I know I'll re read sections a second and third time as the need arises. The work is complete and much more than I expected. Happy I made the purchase.



3. These books provide a very thorough and well-written guide to turning just about anything. They include detailed examples, and wonderfully clear color photographs and illustrations. If you are looking for some help buying a lathe, choosing tools, sharpening, selecting wood blanks, making and practicing cuts - this is the boxette for you. If you are a more experienced turner looking for some advanced techniques, design elements, marketing ideas - this is the boxette for you.Here is the deal: you don't know me from Adam, and never will. Furthermore, you have no evidence of my woodturning book critic qualifications. But if you are looking for a complete guide to woodturning you should get this set of books. Enjoy!



4. This is a great set of books for the beginner or someone with experience. I have a modest amount of experience but Ive now learned optional techniques and have increased my final products beauty. These books cover everything you need to turn wonderful projects.



5. This is a nice resource that covers a broad spectrum of woodturning. I find it helpfull to browse it occasionally and get ideas to help me through projects that have me stumped.

4 comments about Constructing Architecture: Materials, Processes, Structures.

1. I purchased this book for a construction class and as an architecture student, I find it very helpful. The book is not a construction how-to and the images are not very detailed nor are any of the images in color, but it is a compilation of a variety of architectural examples that use different or innovative construction methods. A great supplement to a studio course for inspiration and incorporating interesting structure into projects.



2. The English title might be misleading--this book is not about 'construction', but rather about what the Germans call Baukunst, the art of construction, or the art of 'putting buildings together', considering the spatial order as an inseparable part of that putting things together.
   The book provides a structured approach to the basics of contemporary architectural composition, several essays introducing fundamental concepts and giving you the bibliography to go into them in detail (the key part is making them all fit into an overall framework, and pointing at the sources that normally take years to discover), and illustrate several remarkable buildings in remarkable detail, with excellent descriptions reaching a depth and quality of analysis unfortunately missing in typical architectural publications.
   Andrea Deplazes, the editor and author or co-author of many of the articles, teaches at the Zurich ETH (and I would guess the same must be true for the authors of most of the other articles), which for well over a hundred years has been one of the few true schools of architecture in the world. The book glows with the power of this accumulated knowledge developed in a true academic environment since the times of Semper. It also gives a glimpse at how the ETH consistently produces first class ordinary architecture, and for that matter first class extraordinary architecture too.
   This book will be of huge value to every architecture student, teacher, and architectural designer. I bought it by a fortunate mistake --I thought a construction book from the ETH was sure to be an excellent reference book on technology, and the mail delivered a treasure trove of architectural knowledge instead.



3. I have reviewed many attempts at a comprehensive description of the complex subject of architecture, and this is the best. This book is far better than the exhaustively recommended Francis Ching (all due respect), and even better than Unwin's Architectural Notebook, which is also excellent. This is the very first book I would recommend for any serious architecture student. It covers tectonics and construction in elegant detail but, even more importantly, this book delves into the conceptual intentions behind the tectonics, at every scale. Telling examples, well chosen, illuminate the ideas, and the case studies feature some of the finest contemporary architecture in the world today. Simply the best.



4. Excellent book, everything you wished to know about construction, it's there explained, in theory, in in technical drawings, and with images of contemporary buildings.
   The way it is organized is very straightfoward, good index, with all themes and sub-themes making sense.
   One of the buys of the year for me...

2 comments about Almost Green: How I Saved 1/6th of a Billionth of the Planet.

1. I picked this book up on a whim at a local book store (the Canadian subtitle is different, and involves alienating the in-laws, which I found amusing, as I seem to managed to do that monthly).
   
   It's well written, quite funny, and full of smart observations. See the world's problems in microcosm as James tries to build an environmentally friendly "shed" (really, a one-bedroom office in the back yard).



2. A determined, idealistic young man attempts to put his green commitment to the test as he moves his dream eco-office-shed/guest quarters from talk to reality. An amusing, self-depreciating navigation through a multitude of challenges 21st century life throws in our way as we attempt to put our ideals into practice. Mr. Glave is a talented writer who pulls the reader into his life. I got caught up in James' emotional ride as he deals with the various challenges this project doles out to him. By the time I finished reading, I found myself wanting to visit the eco-shed of Bowen Island as one might take a pilgrimge to an ancient shrine! I hope this young man will use his eco-shed writing room and grace us with more tales and experiences. I'd settle for the "good read" he offers, yet you can feel the fervor of his commitment to our planet and thus the reader will find himself also interested in what further challenge, informative guidance and inspiration James Glave will offer us to move us further along that path to a truly sustainable planet. Strongly recommended.

5 comments about 2009 National Construction Estimator.

1. This book helped not only me but my clients.



2. The book is nothing fancy but easy to use. The software was an added bonus.
   
   I found its pricing to be consistant with pricing in my area.
   
   At the price, it is hard to go wrong.



3. This book is fairly inclusive but lacks costs for some specific tasks that can end up being fairly substantial for more specialized projects. Overall its a decent book, but it often leaves me looking for more.



4. Bought this to help plan an owner-builder house. Great reference, but not as comprehensive as I would have hoped. Missing residential SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) and other green building material costs. This publisher does print the best reference materials for the building industry.



5. I purchased this book for a very good reason: I was starting at a new workplace and needed to figure some estimates quickly for materials and labor take-off. Wonder of wonders: This book delivered as promised!
   
   Additionally, the more experienced co-workers there checked out the book and started borrowing it regularly. So regularly, in fact, that my senior is using it for a major project we're handling nearby!
   
   You want something that works? Get this!

5 comments about Steel-Frame House Construction.

1. While it was not the book I expected, it does cover the topic of framing your house in steel very well. It even answers the question of "How do I hang a picture?" :-) This book is for the DIY with a small house or for professionals who want to switch to working with steel. From start to finish, it is framing in steel.



2. Simple but with all the stuff one needs to start building steel framed houses. Pity there isn't a version with metric measurements.



3. Book was very informative and easy to understand. In plain english, I recommand this book to any one who is interseted in Steel Frame Constrction.



4. I found the book of very little value. Most of steel structures these days gets calculated and drawn up by computer. The assembly of the computer generated panels are dead easy and far cheaper than doing it by hand. More time should have been spent discussing the various options regarding cladding, insulation, utilities etc.



5. Im a jouneryman commerical carpenter of 20 yrs.(metal stud framer),but never done residential framing, so i want to build a home using metal studs,but didnt understand roof systems.This is fact! steel studs Are cheaper ,dont warp ,rot ,deteriorate, fire proof,termite free,150 mph wind resistiance,recyable,and it helps in our quest to go green one house at a time,and this book is fabulous.Me and my wife intend to build our first house really soon with these principles illustrated in this wonderful book . also look up steel alliance .com for a metal stud instructional school near you. GO GREEN

2 comments about Pipe Fitter's Math Guide.

1. Very boring book. Only very basic pipefitting formulas and math. Good for first timers.



2. I stumbled across this book about 10 years ago in a trade publication. At that time craft training was imperiled by the decline of the trade unions in our area and I was searching for a tool to help bolster training for young and inexperienced employees. I strongly disagree with the previous review that states this book is very boring. Over the last ten years I have bought about 30 copies of the book. Basic math principles as they apply to the pipefitting trade are laid out very well and easy to understand. Also, the author does a really good job of laying out step by step, the proper way to use a scientific calculator when working trade math formulas.

4 comments about Low Voltage Wiring: Security/Fire Alarm Systems.

1. Well this is my first EBook and I must say the EBook Reader program interface is horrible. I would much rather read the book with the standard Acrobat reader which has thumbprints and other ways to jump from location to location rather than the limited EBook navigational tools. I am very dissapointed with this purchase.



2. I thought it`s a good book. But unfortunatly useless. Dont` spend money and time for this book!



3. I bought this book hoping to at least learn how to connect wires for an alarm system. I was highly disappointed. Do not waste your money.



4. This book provides the needed information to allow a person to get some of the needed knowledge to install and/or understand the low voltage alarms

3 comments about Minimum Design Loads for Buildings And Other Structures: SEI/ASCE 7-05 (ASCE Standard No. 7-05) (ASCE Standard).

1. Excellent for what we needed on our project. Well organized to find what you need.



2. It is very good book and in very good physical condition. Paper quality is a kind of okay.



3. Good book, easy to find what you're looking for. Unfortunately this book is kind of useless is some respects since the building code in the US follows the IBC.

No comments about Foundations and Concrete Work (Best of Fine Homebuilding).

3 comments about Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction (8th Edition).

1. This book was necessary for the WV general contractors exam. It still remains a good resource to hold on to in the future.



2. The book gives narrative descriptions of the different possiblities for building componets used in commercial construction. It basically says " here are the choices." But, it does not provide the constructability, cost, and site management information necessary to evaluate which of these choices would be best for a particular project. Nor does it provide the information to best approach the execution of the project once a collection of project components is selected.
   
   Although this is intended primarily as a technical book, a little managerial information would have been helpful to evaluate these techical components.
   
   Choosing Project Success - A Guide for Building Professionals



3. I bought this book for the General Contractor exam. It is also an excellent reference book for people working in the construction business.