3 comments about Reupholstering at Home: A Do-It-Yourself Manual for Turning Old Furniture into New Showpieces.

1. This book is well written, concise, and easy to follow. It is especially good for first-timers as the authors take you through many steps most beginners do not consider.



2. Although a book could never substitute seeing first hand, how upholstery is done, this book provides very detailed information. The photos are dated, but the process of the work is not and very clearly explained. Definitely a good reference book to have for anyone learning upholstery who might need additional information.



3. This book is excellent! The author shows you step by step what you need to do to reupholster your piece of furniture. I used this book and was able to quickly learn what I needed to do to reupholster an old chair I own and looked like I bought a new chair from the store when I was finished. Since then, I have had family and friends asking me where I bought the "new chair!" I recommend this book to anyone wishing to do the same.

5 comments about Greene & Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop.

1. A very good book on how the many design elements used in the manufacture of Greene & Greene furniture come together. The color illustrations and accompaning text are easy to understand and easily guide any interested woodworker or patron of this arts & crafts furniture builder. The only small comment would be - when's the next add on edition coming?



2. An outstanding book which combines history with practical techniques for creating your own G&G style furniture. Peart is truly an outstanding craftsman and now an author/historian. Excellent photos and ideas...and some plans.



3. Before I bought this book, I owned another book call In Craftman's Style. It was such a great book that I thought this book was just going to be another great book. However, soon I realized that my expectation was unrealistic. First of all, this book did not offer me with any new information. Most of what it talked about in the book was already covered in the other book. The other book also offered many useful project plans. This one offered no such thing. It may seem unfair to judge one book base on another one. However, this book came out several year after In Craftman's Style repeated half of the materials. So even if I don't consider being cheated by buying this book, I was truly very disappointed at best.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to doing a piece in the Greene & Greene style. Peart makes gorgeous furniture, and his treatment of design and construction of G&G stuff is clear, intelligent, and sensitive.
   The first section, on the history of Greene and Greene, is perhaps less compelling. I read it with interest, because it's the first book I've read on G&G, but Peart's strengths as a writer are more in the direction of design and technique than in biography. Readers most interested in biography and history might want to look elsewhere.
   This is not a serious drawback: the book delivers what the title promises--design elements for the workshop. It does this so well that I ask, with another reviewer, when volume two is coming out.



5. I have built Arts and Crafts style furniture for many years and have always loved the Greene and Greene style. This book gives some history and background on the style but it's real value is in the very detailed explanations of how to execute the details Greene and Greene. It's practical and well written. Where jigs are necessary they are described and photographed in detail. I have now purchased the plans for the author's bedside table and plan on making that when I get the half dozen pieces I am working on now finished. A fun book even if you never build anything.

5 comments about Shop Drawings for Greene & Greene Furniture: 23 American Arts and Crafts Masterpieces.

1. Having purchased two other books of this nature by Mr. Lang, I placed myself on the waiting list at Amazon and waited months the get the book in my hands. I did not hesitate to break it out of the packaging and dove right into it. The first forty-five pages were dedicated to the history and other background information necessary to get a good understanding of the Greenes' design concepts and the practical methods used by the Hall brothers to construct the pieces. I was very disappointed with the scant number of details that one might expect from such a technical manual. There are a few photographs that show some of the processes (most of us know how to use a shoulder plane) but what was lacking were drawings to reinforce or to make clear some of the principles Lang was trying to describe. The book read like a series of essays rather than a substantive, technical manual with supporting details.
   
   The actual measured drawings are just that as they lack certain pertinent construction details. I am a fairly skilled woodworker, having started the craft at the age of fourteen and have continued until today, even after a successful career in architecture; and what I have concluded is that this book was hurriedly put together to meet some preset deadline. It is my opinion that if more time and thought was given by the author to the details it would have resulted in a much better book.
   
   So I am sorely disappointed with the contents and the lack of detailing and would not recommend this book to anyone but very experienced woodworkers. Mr. Lang has missed the mark this time and what a pity.



2. The two previous reviews by "experienced" craftsmen are laughable at the very least.
   
   A book of shop drawings is that. And this one is one of the best. It is not a tome for beginners or for those who do not have the ability to infer and who do not have spatial orientation necessary to derive results from DRAWINGS.
   
   The two previous reviewers must be very unhappy individuals to have to be led by the nose so much.
   
   As to this book. If you truly are a woodworker, this is a fine reference work. Not only that but it also deals somewhat with the philosophy of woodworking. That is always a good touch.



3. "Shop Drawings" is little more than it says it is. It would have been nice if it were more but it doesn't claim to be. If you have a background similar to Mr. Lang's as I do with drafting, then there is all you need to reproduce the Greene and Greene designs, at least from a dimensional stand point. You will however need to figure out the details on your own or reference some of the magazine articles on reproducing the Greene and Greene furnature. As Mr. Lang states in his book, it's not a how to guide. It's still a very good and informative book however and one you will want if you have visions of building some of this unique furnature.



4. This book is a welcome add to the many showing the arts & crafts furniture designs. The text and drawings are first rate and guide you through the design process. The author certainly has done a complete investigation to put together this fine review of the many arts & crafts furniture era.



5. This has to be the most beautiful book in the series of Arts & Crafts style shop drawings from Robert Lang, and I have them all. I have to say, almost every piece in this book is one where you have to decide that you are going to devote between 6 months and a year of your life to making. I have not yet made this committment, but I already see how reading this book has influenced some of the details on my other work. Gorgeous color plates of these masterpieces are included and everything is printed on archival quality glossy paper. Drawings are clear and descriptive text is concise and well written. Overall I recommend this to any student of Greene and Green (and Peter and John Hall, the craftsmen who actually built most of these pieces for them!)

1 comments about Popular Woodworking's Arts & Crafts Furniture: 25 Projects For Every Room In Your Home (Popular Woodworking).

1. I was very challanged to expand my skills after I read this book. The projects were interesting and worthy of handing down to my family as heirlooms.

5 comments about Making Japanese-Style Lamps and Lanterns.

1. haven't make anything yet but the book was fun to read was in mint condition. will make a couple for gifts very soon. easy instructions. every one should have one. great projects to involve those teens that are making you pull out your hair. they will want to make more.try this book you won't be sorry



2. This book is an excellent resource and presents many beautiful shoji lamp styles and accommpanying plans to make them. Reading it has resulted in our having now completed 8 lamps, 6 for our own home and 2 for friends. We recommend the book!



3. This is a beautiful looking book describing some wonderfully nice looking and creatively constructed lamps. The photographs of the lamps are high quality, and the book is like the works illustrated, clean and simple in presentation. I was going to give it 4 stars based on a gut feeling, but felt I was stretching to find something negative, thus I've given it the benefit of the doubt. I can see that others note where some measurements are off in places, but the presentation and style and beauty of the final product made me go for the higher rating in the end. Just be wary during construction, you will be fine.
   
   The 18 designs are amply distributed around various types and themes. You will need a reasonably well equipped workshop to complete many of them or a willingness to work the wood in various ways otherwise (including the optional use of Japanese hand tools). I bought the book mostly for inspiration as to ideas for my own lamps, and as to that, the book fit the bill fine. One could extrapolate the designs in this book and enlarge them to make some really wild house/room lighting. So if you lean toward this kind of style, you will probably find this book to your liking. You must follow the guidelines for lamp distance and temperatures if using the paper approach here. I'd consider substituting an approppriate plastic or glass where possible, and when it wouldn't impact the artistic presentation of the lamp.
   
   All in all, when considering the content and potential for reward even if building only one, you will find that this book is likely going to represent money well spent. I look forward to any sequel.



4. This book is full of beautiful projects, but beware. It is also full of errors and inconsistencies. Be sure to read the instructions fully to make sure everything makes sense and that instructions at different points agree. Example: on one project it tells you to use half inch wood, but the assembly instructions call for 3/4 inch wood. In another place a drawing shows a part to be 8 inches, but when you extrapolate it makes the project 7 feet wide.
   I expect to build several projects, but I now know to proceed with caution.



5. As a source of ideas on building Japanese lanterns, this book is fantastic. I had to take some points off on the instructions, though. I built the Morning Glory table lantern, and the instructions didn't quite match the picture of the finished piece, although I spotted it right off and was able to correct for it to match it to the picture.
   
   If you're a novice woodworker, you WILL be able to build these pieces if you have the tools. However, you'll need to be careful with the measurements and read the instructions thoroughly beforehand to figure out where they're wrong.
   
   Also, a suggestion based on my experiences: although you can get shoji paper with a higher percentage of synthetic materials to make it stronger, that paper may have less shrinkage when you spray it to get the "tight" look that is associated with shoji screens. You can still use the partly synthetic shoji paper, just make sure you fit it well when you glue it to the framework of the lamp as it won't shrink as much as you may think.

5 comments about Mid-Century Modern: Interiors, Furniture, Design Details (Conran Octopus Interiors).

1. Great overview of MCM style, but not as complete of descriptive as I expected.



2. this book is very good if you are interested in retro, modern design. I highly recommend this book.



3. An absolutely stunning book & a must for any mid ce
   ntury enthusiast. Fabulous photographs & narration.
   Very inspiring.



4. This book is filled with spectacular color photos of mid-century modern home interiors. Lots of ideas here for color schemes, furniture layout and incorporating mid-century aspects into any room of your home.



5. A beautiful book, I see something new each time I flip through it. It may not be the perfect encyclopedia for specialists, but for people like me who just love beautiful things, it is great fun to have and contains a lot of interesting facts about mid-century design.

5 comments about Furniture Repair & Refinishing (Ultimate Guide).

1. If you only wish to buy one book on repair of old furniture, this is the book. The author is a true specialist within the field and everything is explained and illustrated excellently. In addition it's a very pretty book with many fine photos. The only little flaw is that the info on refinishing is a little scattered. Anyway, the info is there. Go buy the book!



2. Perhaps the best book of its kind currently on the market. Positively dripping in excellence, this book is your one stop resource for all of your furniture restoration questions. Warped tabletops, veneer repair and replacement, broken chair leg, worn chest of drawer's runner, dents, scratches, staining and finishing, no subject is given short shrift, and all of the examples are accompanied by a plentiful supply of colour photographs, and clear instructions. It even makes a great read for those who lack the time and resources to undertake such repairs. A thoroughly satisfying book.



3. Along with the other book I purchased I should now be able to restore some old pieces that I find or already have. I will be quite busy doing these repair.



4. After my grandmother went into a nursing home 3 years ago, I aquired the old kitchen furniture she had. Consisting of a square table (complete with a green Formica top!), 4 matching chairs and a hutch. Dating back to the late 1950's or early 60's, every piece needed some refinishing. And 2 of the 4 chairs were rather wobbly. This book addressed all of the issues I was concerned with, including clean-up, stripping the old finish, applying the new finish and repairs. When you balance the value, monetary or sentimental, of your furniture against the price of this book, it's as much of a good investment as the furniture itself.
   
   My only gripe, and it's a minor one: A lot of items like aniline stains and upholstery items for chairs are things you're not going to find at your local Home Depot or corner hardware store. It would have been nice if the author had provided a list of reliable internet and mail order suppliers.



5. Another fantastic book on how to repair wood furniture. I was able to correctly, and easily repair several old furniture items. Highly recommend this book for those who are involved in furniture repair, as I am.

5 comments about Chairmaking & Design.

1. I looked all over the Internet for this book a while back and couldn't find it. Used sellers are charging way too much (over $100), so I finally just checked it out of the library (very available and no cost).
   
   This is a good book, and is the only one I know of with general chairmaking info that covers different chair types. The other chairmaking books I've seen seem to be specific to Windsor chairs. I would like to see more books like this ... until then get this one from the library.



2. Excellent and clear book with very good detail on the techniques for the more unusual shapes and angles. A good series of projects starting with basic disigns and progressing onwards.
   Chairmaking & Design



3. An excellent overview of different types of chair designs and production of each. Not over the top for anyone that would like a guide to building chairs.
   
   Chad



4. Jeff Miller starts you out with the most basic chair ever and then leads you along to more and more complicated designs step by step. By the end of the book, you feel confident in starting to build an arm chair. Great book.



5. This is a well written book. It does an excellent job of starting off with basic chair designs and moving on to more advanced designs. A lot of good photographs show the process of chairmaking. The gallery of chairs from other woodworkers is great - inspiring.

5 comments about Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s.

1. Not that it ever really went away, but it appears that the GEN-X crowd is interesting in filling their lofts, condos, etc. with a touch of class and history. Those in the design know have always favored the elements of design that existed in the 50's and 60's, like they say good design is truly timeless. It would have been nice to see more coverage on DUNBAR and Edward Wormley.

   This is a great book - buy it!




2. My sister has just bought a 1950's ranch home with some original features. I was hoping this book would help celebrate the house and give some ideas as to decor. Instead, it is a good overview of the furniture designers who influenced the furniture of the time. It's nice, but not what I was looking for, which was the physical living space/furnishings of the middle class of the 50's.



3. This is a wonderful coffee table book, a joy to browse through. It is profusely illustrated and contains a wealth of information.
   If you like modern design I also suggest to visit the wonderful online archive about George Nelson at WWW.GEORGENELSON.ORG and also the museum archive from Verner Panton at WWW.VERNERPANTON.COM



4. Excellent text as well as photos. It has been a collector's reference for me for years now.
   Highly recommended.



5. Widely covered mid-century master pieces by famous designers. If you are interested in vintage furnitures, this would be your great guide.

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

1. It is well known that woodworkers have different styles. I think Andy Ray's style will work for majority people trying to learn woodworking. His writing is clear, and he also presents thoughts in logical way. Thus, the book precisely explain why he does this way but not another.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.