The Anarchist's Design Book Expanded Edition

Easy to read filled with essential information about how quality projects were completed by hand

Before picking up this book from the library, I wouldn't have considered myself a devotee of the cult of Schwarz. Yes, I frequent his blog. Yes, I have purchased other books from Lost Art Press. But I had also checked out The Anarchist's Tool Chest from the local library, and wasn't able to get through it in 4 weeks. Having picked up this book yesterday and reading at least half of it, I don't foresee this as a problem this time around. I'll likely even to purchase a copy, which I only do with books I intend to refer to many times over years.I came to this book with a strong desire to build a chair. I've been putting this off for years-- chairs are a very different animal than the casework I have always done in the past, or at least that's what I've been telling myself. Chris Schwarz, through this book, does an excellent job of flattening that thought. By chapter 3 I had all the confidence I needed to give it a go. I'm actually very excited to get going on some of these projects, and I also have the confidence to alter some of the plans and make them my own. This isn't simply a book full of plans; Mr. Schwarz teaches you how to design furniture yourself.Chris Schwarz is a fantastic wordsmith and craftsman alike. I fully appreciate his design aesthetic and his sense of humor. (Morbid, maybe? see chapter 21). This book has as many subtle tips and tricks as I have seen collected in many woodworking books. It is well worth the purchase, but do yourself a favor and buy it new. At the time I wrote this you could purchase three new ones for the price of one pre-owned copy here.

Buy this directly from Lost Art Press (co-founded by Schwarz) for $49 instead of 3x as much here.