Woodwork: A Step-by-Step Photographic Guide Hardcover – 1 Mar. 2010

I purchased this book for my husband who has recently taken to building furniture. He started with a few basic things, bookshelves, small cabinets, but when he got to doing drawers he started talking about his desire to have more knowledge about dovetail joints and about adding brackets to items, various router cuts etc. Being the complete novice I am, I went looking in a book store for a book for him. I came across this book and was impressed by the volume the book had. Amazon as usual was significantly cheaper than the £25 they wanted in a book store (i got it for £10) It starts at the beginning and by beginning I mean the bare bones basics of wood work - like what a saw is, and what a drill is! It starts fairly basic about building and finishing and by the end of the book it is going through the complicated joints, recessing brackets etc. There is a lot of detail and a lot of photos along with step by step guides on how to complete tasks along with the best tools to use. I had no idea there were so many different saws in existence! I found the book really interesting having a look at it. There were a lot of techniques they showed that really do add to the look of the particular item of furniture. My husband has found it incredibly useful and has been referencing it for a bed build he is currently planning. I feel this book is ideal for someone looking to further themselves in wood work, and is ideal as you can have next to no knowledge about it to benefit from this book. I would highly recommend to someone looking for a book about building furniture or woodwork in general. This book is an excellent guide through techniques and I may have even learned a thing or two having gone through it!

This is a beautifully crafted and inspiring book for anyone who wants to get into humble hobby that is woodworking. Each page is wonderfully laid out, photographed and presented. There's a fantastic introduction to the majority of tools any new woodworker is going to need at the start of the book. It gives enough detail about the tools to be clear about what they are and what they're used for but concise enough to not be boring and aid you in wanting to and go away and do your own research.There is also a wonderful section about all the different types of soft and hardwoods one would typically come across. All again consistently and beautifully photographed. Concise but useful information is given about the types of woods, what sort of projects you'd typically use them for, difficulty to work with etc.You're then lead into the step by step tutorial sections which start off with more simple projects and work their way up to projects which quite a level of involvement and detail to them. Each project directs you to the type of wood most suitable to complete the project as well the quantities/lengths required and your also guided as to the tools required to complete the job.All in all I really enjoy flicking through this book, its very inspiring I find. I'd recommend it for anyone who's interested in taking up woodworking or someone who just appreciates a well crafted book on a subject matter they enjoy being involved with.

An absolutely brilliant, beautifully (may I say "stunningly") illustrated book that takes you on a tour-de-force across virtually every aspect of woodworking with manual tools. It starts with the tools, takes you on to materials such as many different types of wood, and leads you to a vast range of projects, from simple to extremely advanced. Each technique is explained in depth, with a step by step approach and many detailed and high quality full color illustrations. I am amazed how much detail some authors and publishers pay to their craft, and this is a towering achievement of the craft of bookmaking, celebrating the traditional art of woodworking. Highly recommended for anyone just starting out with wood working or wishing to advance their expertise.

Its an intresting read if you want to get into woodworking.

A great book that is well laid out and with decent pictures. The book is set up to teach the use of hand tools rather than modern day power tools (they are covered but not in depth or up to date) so if you're looking to learn more traditional aspects of woodworking then this is ideal. I got this book to further my knowledge and maybe have a go at some of the peices that are included at the end of the book, again these are well laid out and described but are to mainly practice the earlier techniques using mostly hand tools and some machinery. No mention of things like track saws or domino cutters but as a pure form of carpentry this is a very good learning/refrence book.

Great book for beginner's but I dare say it can be used as a reference guide by those with more knowledge.It describes each individual aspect of the tools you might use and what they would be used for (although I may be showing my ignorance when I say I didn't really need to know about Japanese saws). There's plenty of info about different types of wood joints, screws, nails, techniques etc... and a good number of projects in which you can utilise them, ranging from a simple chopping board all the way up to a chair, a dresser or a folding table.

What can I say? Quite a lot! 5*****. Excellent book. Very easy to follow, with well considered photos at the right angle. So you are able to follow each project and advice easily step by step. Plenty of images,pages full of ideas, tool and timber choices. Advice on safety, tips and suggestions on looking after your tools. So good, I even bought another copy for my Carpentry Tutor to use with his students. You won't be disappointed or buy better. A must. Thank you.

I bought this as a gift for my husband who is just starting out in the world of wood work. He loves it!! There is a great section on different wood and what to use for what kind of job and a similar section for tools as well. The projects in it are things you probably would have a go at with clear instructions, pictures and diagrams throughout. Great for a beginner/amateur wood worker.