What woodworking book to buy first?

[tibi]

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/

Thank you marcros, I am already on page 110 ( I have been reading it for two weeks already)

 

[Sgian Dubh]

...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.

All Lost Art Press books are available from their UK retailer here, Classic Hand Tools (Lost Art Press). This would save you ordering directly from the USA, and might save some postage too. If it's PDF only versions of their books you want, I think you do have to go directly to the Lost Art Press website. Slainte.

 

[Ollie78]

Furniture making by Joyce, Tage Frid teaches woodworking (3 Books) , The complete Japanese joinery by Hideo Sato, James Krenov has a few books, George Nakashima`s the soul of a tree.

That should keep you going for a bit

I don`t personally see the attraction of Chris Schwartz`s nostalgic romanticising of extra backache for no reason..

Ollie

 

[grumpycorn]

I don`t personally see the attraction of Chris Schwartz`s nostalgic romanticising of extra backache for no reason..

To be fair I think the book is saying you don’t need a lot of power tools to make furniture (but recommends some) rather than saying you shouldn’t use them (been a while since I’ve read it mind). Either way he’s got a 16” planer in his basement!

I like both books, but they’re different. Wearing is a text book on building furniture for the beginner and will be useful for years. Schwarz’s book is interesting and useful for hand tools, but I don’t refer to that nearly as often.

 

[Ollie78]

To be fair I think the book is saying you don’t need a lot of power tools to make furniture (but recommends some) rather than saying you shouldn’t use them (been a while since I’ve read it mind). Either way he’s got a 16” planer in his basement!

You are probably right, I am not against lost art press really, I looked through a few of their offerings but was not tempted to buy any for myself. I have seen him on a few youtube videos and stuff as well. To me he is like a hipster version of Roy Underhill.

Just saying I think there are better value for money books out there if you want to learn make stuff.

Another good book is Bespoke by Betty Norberry its a book to remind you how rubbish you are when you see the quality that can be produced by real masters. Good coffee table style book.

Ollie

 

[Droogs]

Our very own Sgian Dubh would never promote his own book. But if you want to be a hand tool wood worker then the first thing you really really need to know and understand is your chosen medium. As a hand tool worker it is even more paramount that you understand how the material you will work behaves and how it reacts to the tools you use.
Richards book is the first book I would have any student or apprentise read before picking up anyhting other than the workshop broom. It is one of the most outstanding books on the subject of our favourite plaything, I can not recommend it enough for those who want to truly understand our vocation/hobby

https://www.classichandtools.com/acatalog/Cut-and-Dried-LAP-CAD.html#SID=1604

 

[thetyreman]

When I was starting I found that paul sellers 'working wood 1 & 2' very good by artisan media, it has some useful exercises that seem very basic but it's a good idea to make everything in the book so that you progress in a logical way, and there's nothing in it that's mega complicated or too advanced.

I like wearing's essential woodworker as well, it's a good reference book.

 

[Saint Simon]

Can I stretch things a bit and put in a word, for The Beginner's Guide to Cabinetmaking by C Hayward. A wonderfully illustrated old book available very cheaply from secondhand sources. Anything by Hayward is very worth having.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Our very own Sgian Dubh would never promote his own book.

I truly appreciate your ringing endorsement, Droogs, but I actually somewhat disagree with your assertion that my book should be the first book on any aspiring woodworker's list. Not all aspiring woodworker's develop a real passion or long lasting interest in the knowledge, skills and proficiency required to be good or successful, so the subject of timber technology could rather pass them by.

But outside the casual (disinterested?) wood hacker, or short-term woodworker that soon gives up, there are those who really want to know how to properly handle wood to avoid failures and disappointment in their constructions, and I'd like to think there's a role for my book for those people, with the subject matter having equal relevance to machine woodworkers, hand tool woodworker's, and mixed machine/hand tool woodworkers.

Every sale of my book results in income for me, of which I heartily approve of course, so from a selfish point of view the more sales the better. But I do think it's important that the book is purchased for the right reasons, e.g., the buyer needs it to genuinely develop their woodworking knowledge and skills, and has a genuine interest or need to improve their understanding of wood science. Slainte.

 

[mark w]

A Cabinet Makers Notebook, just because it's a lovely book, all three of David Charlesworth's books, the first two for tool preparation and methods and the third for a list of essential, quality tools.

 

[Benchwayze]

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

I called 'BW' 'Jigs' Waring. He loved his jigs. You will too.

John

 

[CaptainBarnacles]

I think I learned more from Bob Wearing's "The Essential Woodworker" than from any other book. I rarely refer back to it, I assume because a great deal of what I learned from it has stuck with me. In my opinion that's the highest accolade for any non-fiction book.

For inspiration there are so many to choose from but I do keep going back to "A Cabinetmaker's Notebook" by Krenov.

 

[xraymtb]

I truly appreciate your ringing endorsement, Droogs, but I actually somewhat disagree with your assertion that my book should be the first book on any aspiring woodworker's list. Not all aspiring woodworker's develop a real passion or long lasting interest in the knowledge, skills and proficiency required to be good or successful, so the subject of timber technology could rather pass them by.

But outside the casual (disinterested?) wood hacker, or short-term woodworker that soon gives up, there are those who really want to know how to properly handle wood to avoid failures and disappointment in their constructions, and I'd like to think there's a role for my book for those people, with the subject matter having equal relevance to machine woodworkers, hand tool woodworker's, and mixed machine/hand tool woodworkers.

Every sale of my book results in income for me, of which I heartily approve of course, so from a selfish point of view the more sales the better. But I do think it's important that the book is purchased for the right reasons, e.g., the buyer needs it to genuinely develop their woodworking knowledge and skills, and has a genuine interest or need to improve their understanding of wood science. Slainte.

Hats off to you for this response - it's refreshing to see someone these days not pursuing sales at any cost. I'll be buying a copy for myself to go under the tree as soon as it goes up!

 

[xraymtb]

Tibi - I have both books you mention and would recommend them both but as others have said I would go with Wearing first out of the two. Schwarz is an informative and thought provoking read, but you can find similar lists of tools to buy elsewhere as a starting point, whilst Wearing goes further into the making of furniture than Schwarz does in this book.

I think both are valuable reads, and whether you plan to dimension stock by hand or not, it is a good skill to learn and understand.

 

[Mcdemon]

For a beginner Minimalist Woodworker by Vic Tesolin is a good starting point. Discusses a minimal tool list and some projects teaching the basics.

 

[Doodahdebs]

Wearing every time

 

[Tim Nott]

Not very practical to start with, but wonderfully inspirational, Alan Peters - Cabinet Making - the Professional Approach.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I'll be buying a copy for myself to go under the tree as soon as it goes up!

Many thanks for the response, and thanks also for deciding to buy. I do hope you find the book useful to your woodworking endeavours. Generally, I'd say the book is one most people dip into as information is needed, although I have heard of some people that started at the beginning and read through until they got to the end - with breaks I imagine. Slainte.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Guess what I had this morning for my birthday?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Guess what I had this morning for my birthday?

Bacon, eggs, grilled mushrooms, white bread toasted, jam, and a large G&T pick-me-up ... or three? Slainte.