5 comments about Setting Up Shop: The Practical Guide to Designing and Building Your Dream Shop.

1. Don't know if anyone else has addresed this. I have been building my barn shop for 7 years now. The book covers many of my thoughts and concerns. Would have wanted this sooner than later. Points raised for consideration. Noise and sound. I put in some wood walls, painted white and sealed against moisture, but I fussed with that or drywall. I considered my own sound issues and went with wood. But after reading some of the author's comments I will be spending extra time for fire protection and sound absorption when I do other parts of the shop. Not for me alone, but for my nieghbors as well. Good book to read before, during or contemplating a shop. Hey, we get to find out about how the masters of wood roughed it as well.



2. I was very disappointed in this book. I have found shop set up for effecient layout and dust collection to be the most important aspects of my woodworking. I am always looking for new and innovative ways to be as effecient and effective in these areas. I could find no difference in this book and the earlier version it replaces. Even the photos are same outdated photos that appear to be taken in the late 70's used in the 2001 release. Please, Taunton, don't insult your readers by continuing to regurgitate the same information with a shiny new label in an attempt to sell more books. Please strive to produce new and relevant photos and information. Your books and magazines are already some of the most expensive, it would be nice if the quality matched.



3. Good book for anyone who is contemplating establishing a woodworking shop. After years of dabbling in woodworking, I recently took the plunge and started buying more equipment, and am using the book to guide the sequence of purchases and setup of my basement shop. The book also covers stand-alone shops in garages or polebarns, and discusses the very basics as electrical power needs, lighting, security, heating, dust collection, layout, workstations, and a few other topics. All-in-all, pretty comprehensive treatment of the subject.



4. This book has many practical ideas, is very well illustrated and detailed.
   Effeciency, safety, and comfort are addressed well. Dust collection, electrical supply and shop layout are covered completely. I would recommend it highly.



5. This is a very clear, thorough, well-written book. It details many aspects of setting up a small wood shop, from layout to electrical work to insulation and soundproofing. The author also talks about what tools to select and suggests a priority order for people who cannot get all they want at once. It is an excellent source of information for anyone from hobbyists to beginning professionals.

2 comments about Plants: 2,400 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Flowers, Trees, Fruits and Vegetables (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This is a terrific book. I purchased it with the companion book on Animals. It is a "must have" for anyone interested in art, biology, or just a good coffee table book. It will keep youngsters quiet for hours with the facinating illustrations. Very high quality. You just can't beat the price either. I highly recommend it. You, too, can be botanically correct!



2. I love the Dover Pictorial Archives Series and this book is a fine example of the copyright-free images that Dover offers in these books. Jammed full of beautiful black and white drawings in fine detail this could be the one book in your library to cover all your botanical needs. But it won't be. Once you see this book you'll want to add more Pictorial Archives Series books to your library.

3 comments about Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Jigs & Fixtures (Complete Illustrated Guides (Taunton)).

1. Sandor Nagyszalanczy has just added another excellent book to his growing and versatile collection of woodworking guides.The organization of his Jigs and Fixtures book is first rate,logical and easy to follow.It starts out with a short section on how to use the book and then follows with sections organized in a very useable way.Safety notes are interspersed throughtout and are appropriate for novice and professional woodworkers alike.I have several other jigs and fixtures books which are generally boring to read and used only to look up a specific jig. However,this is not true for Mr.Nagyszalanczy most readable and informative works which I enjoy cover to cover. I have another of his books on built-ins which is also great, and have preordered his new shop organization book.He is a frequent visitor on DIY Network's "Tools and Techniques" hosted by Popular Woodworking's David Thiel . He is as enjoyable to watch and listen to as his books are to read.I rate this book at 5 stars and my only minor critique is that the many color photos, while excellent and instructional, tend to be a bit smaller than my 64 year old eyes like to see, but that's not a big deal.As an aside,most Taunton Press woodworking guides,of which I have many,are typically of very high quality. I look forward to more guides from this extremely knowledgeable and entertaining professional woodworker.
   M.W. O'Brien, Valley Head, Alabama



2. As usual, books in this collection are well done. The text is clear and well illustrated by hundred of color pictures.
   
   This book cover all kinds of jigs for stationary tool and portable power tool.
   Even though I already at least heard of most of the jig in this book, I still did manage to find some new ideas that are now maky my work faster and safer.
   
   Definitively worst your time and money.



3. This is the best yet. Very well illustrated, cross referenced, written extremely well and superb photos.. The hardcover is worth the extra money just for the fact that it lies flat while opened, making reading on a bench very easy. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Make Your Own Walking Sticks: How to Craft Canes and Staffs from Rustic to Fancy.

1. I would give this a six star rating if possible. Beautiful examples of what can be attained. Extensive review of woods, their appearence and workability properties, grains, etc. Wide array of styles and methods, superb sourcebook.



2. An excellent discusion and illustrations of techniques for shaping, bending, and finishing walking sticks. Also includess good text and illustrations of techniques for making handles for canes. Covers various woods that make good walking sticks. Recommended for the curious or serios stickmaker.

4 comments about Bill Hylton's Ultimate Guide to the Router Table (Popular Woodworking).

1. Excellent book. This is what a person who is going to get serious in router table working needs. Woodworking is my hobby. I build many things around the house, from dormers to desks, and cabinets. I bought a Porter Cable 3-1/2 HP router, a Bench Dog table, and a Bench Dog Lifter. I wish I had seen this book before I bought the table. Well, I bought it all at once. I would have made my own table. The book is very well written and the author (Bill) is extremely knowledgeable about his subject. He offers many options for building your own table based on your specific needs. The illustrations are great. It covers many different areas, such as making dovetails, different types of bits, how to make jigs and fixtures, etc. There are no adds about any particular brand, which is great. He focuses of process. This is a great book, built with high quality paper as well. I highly recommend it.



2. Despite what the book review states, this is not a book about building your own router table and I have yet to find any plans. If you are looking for plans, you will need to buy either "Woodworking with the Router" or "Router Magic" which are also by Hylton. As the author states, "Using a router table is what this book is about".
   
   It is an excellent book especially if you are not familiar with the router table. There are also ideas and techniques for the person who is familiar with the router table. Hylton is a great suthor and I would recommend any of his router books.



3. I was installing a hardwood floor and needed to route a groove into some pieces. This book gave me all of theinformation I need to select and buy a router and table. It also gave me all of the information that I needed to setup the table to route the groove. Well worth the price of the book to me.



4. An excellent book, with advice on simple yet effective means of accomplishing various routing objectives, while also covering advanced techniques.

5 comments about The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking.

1. I love all of Krenov's books. It's easy to find better books on tools or techniques but nowhere will you find books that breathe a love for wood and craft more than Krenov's (Nakashima's "The Soul of a Tree" comes closest.) I've read through each of his books several times and always pick up on something new. "The Fine Art of Cabinet Making" is a bit more advanced than his earlier works in that he covers coopered doors and frame-and-panel work but his philosophy is always evident. Krevnov's love for wood is infectious. After reading his books you find yourself `playing' more with wood. Wondering how things will work if you move this one way and that another. Instead of churning out furniture I instead start to think about the piece I want to make: what wood would look nice? What kind of pulls will fit? How will it sound when the door closes? Somehow all of this combines to make the journey (the making) as nice as the end product. Frankly I think most furniture makers will go broke trying to work like this unless you have a whole lot of cash behind you or can charge very expensively for your work. I really think, though, that these books should be on every woodworker's shelf.



2. James Krenov is one of woodworking's treasures - an acknowledged master craftsman who is open about both his aesthetics and his techniques. For many of us he is a role model who started out on a shoe string in Sweden and has gone on to create a whole style all his own. He is as devoted to teaching as he is to his work and has a gift for inspiration and straightforward exposition.
   
   Unlike A Cabinet Maker's Notebook, The Fine Art of Cabinet Making spends most of its time talking about technique. The first 50 pages is a vast, rambling essay on wood and how to relate to it. His point, an important on, is that the process of selecting and using wood is every bit as important and any other creative process. If you pay attention you will get a deep dive into the way Krenov's designs come to be - a whole new level beyond buying some dimensioned lumber and whipping up a cabinet.
   
   Then he introduces you to his workshop and tools. Krenov actually does use power tools, but sparingly. Many of us have been taught to value the clean, sharp edged work that a modern power woodshop can produce. Krenov is just the opposite, to him the marks of craftsmanship are part of the harmony of the work. Krenov makes his own planes, and spends a great deal of time explaining how to do the same yourself. I have to admit I'm quite happy with my Lie-Nielson's, but one has to admire the intensity of a man who wants everything 'just so.'
   
   The remainder of the book covers details of Krenov's cabinetmaking, and it is here that you discover the extent of his quality. Whether it be dovetails, delicately curved doors, or cabinet backs, Krenov never settles for less than the best he can do. I admit to a few moments of extreme jealousy when he explains that he never clamps dovetail joints, but, as his discussion demonstrates, his attention to detail is such that he shouldn't have to use clamps. I just wonder how many years of practive it will take to accomplish the same thing.
   
   For all that this is a technically focused book, it is also an inspiring one. A book that will have you eyeing potential lumber completely differently, and making yourself take the time to get things right.



3. Mr. Krenov's work speaks for itself. What is great about this book is he shares with us his feel for wood , and it's spirit. He is a wood fanatic. He is excited by its touch, look and feel. How long should I keep a piece of wood before I use it? Moisture content? Integrating the wood and the piece I am making?
   
   Each persons experience of wood and woodworking is different. I have technical books, written well, and some poorly.
   
   This could be called "Zen and the art of woodworking."
   
   When I need inspiration I look to the masters. Mr. Kenov connects me to the wood.



4. Some people just call it furniture - author and craftsman James Krenov, however, believes it be an art form. "The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking" is a guide to turn what's nothing more than storage space to some into a work of art that can be appreciated for something far more than just a place to put things. Going over everything readers need to make a masterpiece of a cabinet, such as wood quality, good hinges, and more, "The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking" leaves nothing to guesswork, making it highly recommended to any woodworking enthusiast and community library woodworking shelves.



5. A must read for all new woodworkers before accumulating all the power tools they think they need.
   More than a great instructional book; it is also a philosophy.

5 comments about Identifying Wood: Accurate Results with Simple Tools.

1. This noteworthy book addresses its narrow topic with accuracy and effectiveness. Wood's growth, structure, and properties are treated in full. The book explains, in great detail, the techniques for taking wood samples and preparing them for examination. Precise keys for identifying most woods used in furniture and construction are provided. The vivid photography, as well as diagrams and tables, are perfectly integrated.



2. This book is nicely formatted and illustrated. The information has been very helpful, but lacking in coverage of many trees. Contacted author for information and never received reply or acknowledgement. The quality of the books construction is very poor. After only a few weeks of normal use, pages began to seperate from the binding.



3. My whole life I've been asking myself the same questions. What is my bed made out of? What are those things in the forest? What fuels fire?
   
   This book answers ALL of those questions and more! The answer....WOOD! THOSE THINGS ARE MADE OF WOOD! Life finally makes sense thanks to this book. It will take you to a new level of enlightenment.



4. This book is great for helping you find out what your desk is made of, or whether or not termites are a threat to your house! Find out with this handy pocket guide to figuring out if what you're looking at is authentic wood!



5. A must have book for any forestry student that is taking a wood science or wood tech class. Without this book as a supplement to the regular textbook for the class, I don't know if I would have passed! The opening chapters are an easy to understand read and the pictures/descriptions of the different types of wood are excellent.

3 comments about The DOMINO DF 500 Joining System: With Ct Dust Extraction System (Festool Essentials).

1. The title says it all really. High production values and negligable content. Less than HALF of this book has anything directly related to the Domino, the main part of the book is about how to assemble the Festo CT series vacuum & accessories.
   
   Only Festo's own woefully inadequate instructions give this book ANY relevancy, and even then everything in this book is fully covered in the manufacturer's tiny pamphlet - this book just takes a dozen crisp photos and as many lines of text to cover one photo in the manufacturer's instructions.
   
   Several beta-testers of the Domino offered Festo illustrated how-to documents for the Domino - this does not seem to be one. There are a number of Domino how-to sites on the 'Net and all I have found to be better than this waste of paper.



2. I'm a constant reader. Mostly things that are supposed to teach me something I don't know. I believe in something called 'the slight edge', basically I'm Ok with reading a book even if I learn one or two small things. They add up, hopefully. I have low standards.
   
   The Festool Essentail books showed up this week. Decided to read the Domino book first. It took about an hour to read every word. Large pictures of very fundamental applications. Unbelievably, I don't think there was anything covered that isn't in the users manual that comes with the tool.
   
   I have cut maybe 100 dominos. Not exactly your seasoned user. Didn't come close to learning a single thing. There's way more info in Rick Christophersons supplemental manual.
   
   The second half is essentially a catalog of dust extractors. Not one word specific to using them with the Domino. There are several pages just like the catalog, where it shows which accessories go with each model. There are 4 or 5 pages showing you how to install the handle. The handle actually comes with instructions comprehensive enough for you to install it.
   
   The capper of them all; the last 20 pages of the book show you how to install the boom arm, another product that ships with adequate instructions.
   
   I haven't looked at the TS55/75 book yet. It also 'features' info on the dust extractors. Would be surprised if it isn't a reprint of the info in the Domino book.
   
   I've ordered a lot of books from Amazon over the years. I've kissed a few frogs along the way, but have never even considered sending a book back. This product is a shameless commercial that could only serve to expose someone to this product in the hope that they would buy one. It really shouldn't be sold as book.
   I know this is more than a bit harsh, but I feel it's 100% fair. Don't waste your money.
   Jim



3. Slightly better than the corresponding book on Festool's circular saws, but only very slightly. It seems very unlikely that anyone will learn anything from this book, but if you have never used the Domino or a biscuit jointer, or dowels or loose tenons (etc.), it is possible that you might get one or two simple tips. It's really just an overblown sales brochure, as the other reviewers have noted. Very surprising and disappointing from a company that produces such outstanding tools.

No comments about Relief Carving Wood Spirits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Releasing Faces in Wood (Woodcarving Illustrated Books).

No comments about Singer Upholstery Basics Plus: Complete Step-by-Step Photo Guide.