What woodworking book to buy first?

[tibi]

Hello,

I would like to buy myself a woodworking book to read during the winter time and I am deciding between The Anarchist's Toolchest by Chris Schwarz and The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing. Which one should I buy first? I am asking, because I do not know if Robert Wearing has also some sections about tools in his book (what to buy, how to use them properly, etc.)

Thank you.

 

[SammyQ]

Wearing. No competition. Swartz is trading on nostalgia and gives newcomers a false image that the masochism of total hand preparation is a good thing. It IS - for his pocket!!

Sam

P.S. I have both of Wearings excellent books and can send you chapter headings etc without infringing copywright.

 

[tibi]

Wearing. No competition. Swartz is trading on nostalgia and gives newcomers a false image that the masochism of total hand preparation is a good thing. It IS - for his pocket!!

Sam

P.S. I have both of Wearings excellent books and can send you chapter headings etc without infringing copywright.

I will be working with hand tools only, so I would like to ask if Wearing's book contains useful information for hand tool woodworkers or does he mostly describe work with machines? I am going to buy the Wearing's book from Schwarz' website, so money will go to the same pocket anyway . I want the PDF version as it is 50% price of the printed version + I will save on shipment costs.

 

[SammyQ]

O.K. tibi, will sort that out for you later this afternoon. From.memory, Bob's emphasis is on hand tools.

 

[sneggysteve]

I will be working with hand tools only, so I would like to ask if Wearing's book contains useful information for hand tool woodworkers or does he mostly describe work with machines? I am going to buy the Wearing's book from Schwarz' website, so money will go to the same pocket anyway . I want the PDF version as it is 50% price of the printed version + I will save on shipment costs.

See my post For Sale - Any Robert Wearing fans out there?

Steve

 

[tibi]

See my post For Sale - Any Robert Wearing fans out there?

Steve

I have sent you a PM, I am interested in all those books.

 

[Doug B]

Wearing for me too

 

[Blister]

You could start with a DIY first aid book just in case

 

[SammyQ]

tibi, please find attached, one contents page. I can confirm it is indeed all hand emphasis, with some power tool.mentions..

 

[SammyQ]

P.S. the other Wearing, "The Resourceful Woodworker" is simply, the most inspirational book in this field that I have ever read, save perhaps, Joyce. I treasure my copy and I would grasp sneggysteve's copy absolutely pronto!!

Sam

 

[tibi]

P.S. the other Wearing, "The Resourceful Woodworker" is simply, the most inspirational book in this field that I have ever read, save perhaps, Joyce. I treasure my copy and I would grasp sneggysteve's copy absolutely pronto!!

Sam

Thank you very much Sammy, we are discussing the purchase of the books.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

May I respectfully suggest that both 'The Anarchist's Toolchest' and 'The Essential Woodworker' should be high on the priority list of any aspiring hand tool woodworker.

'The Anarchist's Toolchest' is the only book I know that gives a list of necessary tools to do a fair range of furniture-type woodwork by hand methods (rather than just 'nice-to-have blingy' tools), why those tools are necessary, and what to look for and avoid when sourcing each tool. It's written from bitter experience of making a lot of tool buying mistakes. (Most other 'tool' books give a long list and description of lots of tools and their function, but not which are essential and which not - and some are definitely not!) There's also a section on making a tool chest to keep them in, which may or may not appeal - there are plenty of other ways to store tools!

Wearing is arguably still the finest written teacher of the basics, and 'The Essential Woodworker' covers a lot beyond just the basics - for example, such tasks as fitting butt hinges to cabinet doors. He has the rare ability to distil complex tasks into simple, straightforward prose, supplementing this with clear sketches and diagrams.

Buy both. Neither are cheap (though a hunt on the second-hand book market may turn up a copy of the original Wearing edition at reasonable price), but they are complimentary, and their contents priceless.

 

[johnnyb]

I loved the collins complete woodworker. Nice illustrations a bit dated(it uses a triton mk3 as an example) but its really nice and enthralling

 

[Sideways]

Bob Wearing is well worth the read but for a book that may inspire and have you look at woodworking differently : James Krenov or Toshio Odate's fine book on Japanese tools and their use.

 

[marcros]

whilst you are awaiting delivery, this may be worth a read. I haven't read this one, but have read the anarchists design book and another of his bench books. if you dont like it, nothing lost.

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2020/07/06/now-available-for-free-the-anarchists-workbench/

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Jim Kingshott is worth a look as well.

 

[Bm101]

Chris Tribe wrote a book. Ok Wearing is a classic, no argument there, but you won't go wrong as you (may) discover, perhaps, you don't want to do quite all your woodworking/stock preperation by hand. Who can tell?
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Complete...p-1782215719/dp/1782215719/ref=dp_ob_image_bkHe's a member on here also.

 

[SammyQ]

The Anarchist's Toolchest' is the only book I know that gives a list of necessary tools to do a fair range of furniture-type woodwork by hand methods (rather than just 'nice-to-have blingy' tools), why those tools are necessary, and what to look for and avoid when sourcing each tool.

I gracefully (or as gracefully as my corpulence will allow) cede to your point C.C., if hand work exclusively is your bag, go for it. I have arthritis in my thumbs and I therefore must forego the endorphin rush from thicknessing 2" rough waney-edged down to 1.5" PAR.

"Plus one" for Chris Tribe's books. They are an excellent modern extension of Wearing's method of explaining, with very well posed pictures, some even including Chris!
Without wishing to start a thread diversion into favourite books (already done) I am surprised Joyce has not yet been mentioned.
Sam

 

[Peter Sefton]

I think this is a good all rounder

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woodwork-S...by+step&qid=1607021988&sr=8-4&tag=googhydr-21

 

[tibi]

May I respectfully suggest that both 'The Anarchist's Toolchest' and 'The Essential Woodworker' should be high on the priority list of any aspiring hand tool woodworker.

'The Anarchist's Toolchest' is the only book I know that gives a list of necessary tools to do a fair range of furniture-type woodwork by hand methods (rather than just 'nice-to-have blingy' tools), why those tools are necessary, and what to look for and avoid when sourcing each tool. It's written from bitter experience of making a lot of tool buying mistakes. (Most other 'tool' books give a long list and description of lots of tools and their function, but not which are essential and which not - and some are definitely not!) There's also a section on making a tool chest to keep them in, which may or may not appeal - there are plenty of other ways to store tools!

Wearing is arguably still the finest written teacher of the basics, and 'The Essential Woodworker' covers a lot beyond just the basics - for example, such tasks as fitting butt hinges to cabinet doors. He has the rare ability to distil complex tasks into simple, straightforward prose, supplementing this with clear sketches and diagrams.

Buy both. Neither are cheap (though a hunt on the second-hand book market may turn up a copy of the original Wearing edition at reasonable price), but they are complimentary, and their contents priceless.

Yes, I am going to buy both eventually, but I wanted to start somewhere, so I wanted to pick the book that will be more useful in the beginning. Thank you very much for your opinion.