Product Description
A modern guide to veneering for experienced woodworkers, taking in both traditional and vacuum press methods. It covers the entire process, from an examination of how veneer is made, through the tools for cutting and joining, to three major veneering techniques. Four projects are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

fine introduction to modern veneering
David Square has written a book covering the basics of veneering as it is praticed today in the small professional or serious amateur shop.

Somewhat brief chapters describe the hammer and the mechanical methods of applying veneer. Mr. Square offers instructions for making a veneering hammer and for setting up an inexpensive mechanical press, for cutting and joining veneer, and for handling hide glue. Two small projects illustrate these techniques, while pointing out their capabilities and their limitations. This discussion should adequately prepare those unfortunate souls, whom budget constraints or fear of commitment prevent from investing in professional tools, to undertake small projects successfully.

The author spends the rest of the book discussing vacuum veneering, the least expensive practicable method for veneering the large panels needed for casework or furniture making and the only economically viable method for working with curved forms. He weighs the costs and benefits of commercial and homemade vacuum systems, offers clear instructions for basic and advanced pressing techniques, and illustrates his discussion with two not completely unappealing furniture projects. After reading this book, I was thoroughly convinced that vacuum veneering is the only profitable approach to veneer in the small shop. Following its advice, I purchased a commercial vacuum system and successfully veneered panels for casework on my first attempt, and with little effort or waste. The labor savings on this one job, compared to the cost of setting up and taking down multiple cauls with numerous clamps, was enough to recover the cost of the vacuum system.

I strongly recommend this book, and the techniques it endorses, to anyone sufficiently serious about veneering to invest moderately in it.

Too much of one topic
This book has a fairly pretentious title: "The Veneering Book." Not "A Veneering Book". Not "A Guide to Veering by one guy who wrote some articles for Fine Woodworking." No, it is called "The Veneering Book" and as such makes the pretense of being authoritative on the subject of veenering.

The problem is that this book is mostly focused on vaccuum veneering.In fact, 90 pages are dedicated to every facet of vacuum veneering, covering 6 chapters. The remaining 47 pages of text lightly cover how veneer is made, Hammer Veneering, and Mechanical Veneering. No information is provided at all about dry glue veneering, flattening veneer, patching holes in highly figured veneer, and many other important topics.

I bought this book a few years ago to learn about veneering.After all, it is published by Fine Woodworking and is called: "The Veneering Book."I was disappointed to find that it was so focused on vacuum veneering--which requires a much larger investment in equipment and storage space than does the dry glue or hammer methods. I can whole heartedly recommend a book called "Venering, Foundation Course" by Micheal Burton.It is far superior for the beginner, and has much more depth for the experienced.

This book should have been called "The Vacuum Veneering Book With a Little Bit of Other Material Thrown in at the Beginning to Fool the Unwary into Buying it."... ;) ... Read more

Product Description
Knowing how to build a framed panel is an essential skill for any woodworker, and Bill Hylton's Frame & Panel Magic finally provides the definitive guide to this important type of joinery. Popular author Hylton gives readers:

-Techniques for creating panels that draw the eye, including raised, flat, veneered, curved-edge and glazed panels

-Illustrated step-by-step directions for traditional joinery as well as the quick and easy router-cut cope-and-stick joinery

-Unintimidating instructions for using panels in cabinet doors, casework, paneling, and door construction

In addition, readers receive detailed lists of the equipment they need, making this guide the go-to resource all woodworkers must have. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Framing and Paneling made easy
Very interesting reading....and as long as the individual is handy, he or she could accomplish whatever he/she want.

You Need This If You Are Doing Cabinets
You cant go wrong with having reference books in your shop. You have people all the time comeing in and need help. This book all by itself gives you the basics on frame and panel. The standards are all there. I have never regreted for a moment purchasing this book. The pictures, captions, layout, there is nothing I dont like about this book. Information in it lays out the clear basics and provides for a strong foundation for any cabinet or door you may make in your home or shop. The average woodworker needs books like this when building desks or large book cases that require panels. The book is an easy read as well. Once you grasp all the info in this book you will be on your way to carry out your own designs and not follow plans and other peoples work. A foundation book on this subject.

Thorough, Detailed and Inspirational
I found this book to be a terrific resource. My wife and I are in the process of buying a house, and this book with its simple explanations, detailed examples and step-by-step instructions has shown me how to use more complex techniques to create the kitchen we want, and given me the confidence to have a go.
I am excited about using the techniques Mr Hylton demonstrates in this book and can't wait to start building. I have already started picking up other books by Mr Hylton as I am now confident that these books will get me on the path to creating quality furniture.

Great book
Great book for the novice like me who wants to build cabinet doors. Many methods are given to choose from. I followed his directions and had success.

Good book
This book is very informative. It gives you a good overall view of what building frame and panel cabinets is all about. I gleaned several good ideas from this book. If you have never built cabinets or made cabinet doors, I would recommend getting this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This work explains the 32mm system of cabinetry which features frameless, smooth cabinets with details such as hidden adjustable hinges and recessed drawer fronts. Illustrations accompany instructions for measuring, constructing, sanding, oiling, lacquering and assembling these modern pieces. ... Read more

Product Description
&8 pages of 12 color photos & 118 drawings & 8 x 11.Furniture and accessories designed by an expert.Detailed, step-by-step plansThe Projects:& Desk Box & Room Divider& CD Holder & Revolving Bookrack& Coatrack & Coffee Table& Valet Stand & Sofa Table& Cheval Mirror & Bunk Bed& Morris Chair and FootstoolThere is a current renewal of interest in Arts and Crafts furniture, particularly the Mission Oak style of Gustav Stickley. The eleven projects in this book are not replicas, but new pieces designed in the manner of Stickley and his Arts and Crafts contemporaries. Step-by-step plans and instructions, as well as sections on techniques and finishing, make construction easy.Robert E. Belke is a furniture maker and author. He lives in Liverpool, New York. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Dont be too critical!
For all you critics out there who have not written books but have instead just commented on them without really thinking about why they were written the way they are here is a second thought. Books are all different and some are good and bad, this book does not show to be any less quality and actually has some really nice drawings which are very helpful compared to those who have none at all. These peices of furnature range from a cd rack which is very useful around our house to a near-by coffee table that lies in our living room now.This book instructs those who want to learn some fairly easy projects that progress in difficulty even if you have the right tools. Why not have the something decorative and useful such as the cd-rack in this book?

Arts & Crafts Woodworking Projects
I do not recommend this book for the advanced woodworker.The projects are not refined and of little interest to the serious woodworker.

Very Weak Book
This is a weak Arts & Crafts furniture book.Many of the plans aresimple and pseudo "Arts & Crafts" pieces (a CD holder?). There are a couple of nice plans, but that's it.

The drawings look likethey are from a budget CAD program, but that aside are quite detailed andinformative.

I would recommend looking at another book, such as"Classic Arts & Crafts Furniture You Can Build" by AndySchultz or "The Furniture of Gustav Stickley : History, Techniques,Projects".Those are two really nice books, with excellent plans.

Weak plans
I have three Stickley furniture plans books and this is the weakest of them.Several of the plans are not truely "Stickley" furniture, but more "sort of like arts & crafts style".

I'd recommendlooking at another book."The Furniture of Gustav Stickley", is_much_ better.

Good, but not for the beginner
The furniture in here is absolutely beautiful, butdon't bother unless you have some serious equipment like a table saw w/dado set, and a drill press.(Or a lot of patience and accuracy with hand tools.) ... Read more

Product Description
This book helps woodworkers, hobbyists and home improvement enthusiasts convert the unused areas in their homes into useful storage spaces--for example, by turning a cluttered closet into a built-in bookcase. There are 10 creative projects in all, each one made with basic woodworking techniques and a minimal number of tools. Step-by-step photos and instructions accompany every project, including a built-in display case, a three-sided curio hutch, a built-in bookcase, a grandfather clock, a three-piece sectional entertainment center and more! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Practical designs for wooden furniture, with 18 step-by-step projects and 365 photos and diagrams ... Read more

Product Description
No nails. No fuss. No kidding! Both beginning and experienced woodworkers everywhere will have fun learning how to build beautiful, contemporary furniture with this unique, easy process of gluing together strips of lumber.Even the novice can immediately produce wonderful pieces of work.Longtime woodworkers will be drawn to the contemporary good looks and clean lines of each project, as well as the many ways they can be modified to achieve distinctive results.

* Each of these clever projects is made from affordable and easy-to-use laminated strips of wood
* Assembly requires minimal tools--a ruler, clamps, wood glue and a saw
* A unique book for anyone who wants to build quick, easy and good-looking furniture ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Collection of Wonderful ideas
This book presents a quick and easy way to assemble great looking furniture.I've never had any trouble with any of the projects I've tried and I hadn't done any wood working before I got this book.I strongly recomend this book for beginning and experienced wood workers looking to make some nice contemporary furniture without spending an arm and a leg on wood. ... Read more

Product Description
Finishing Magic is both a technique and a project book that motivates and challenges readers to create beautiful wood graining and vinegar paint finishes that duplicate exotic woods or antique finishes. Each project is presented with full-color photos, timesaving tips and step-by-step instructions that ensure success from the start.

Part one covers all of the refinishing and wood graining techniques that readers need to know in order to create any finish they wish to apply. Part two offers 21 step-by-step projects--from mirror frames and jewelry boxes to chairs, tables and cupboards.

* Shows readers how to create beautiful wood graining effects with little experience or effort
* Teaches how to save hundreds of dollars by creating antique reproduction finishes
* No fancy tools needed ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

After reading fromLibrary, I decided to purchase a copy.
Woodworking ismy passionate hobby.After a tour of Montecello, I asked the docent if the doors were new or restored-since the finish was relatively fresh compared to the rest of the 200 year old building.He informed me that the finish was a faux woodgrain.I have since been looking for a pictorial refence to learn how it was done.There are many resources for assorted faux finishes. "Finishing Magic" is dedicated to woodgraining exclusively, and just what I needed.While some of the techniques are overly decorative, others will be indespensible.It is easy reading, and the photos are excellent. ... Read more

Product Description
Geared towards casual woodworkers and enthusiastic DIYers, this book opens the door to stylish, affordable furniture that anyone can build! The step-by-step instructions cover 20 projects including high-use household items such as futons, armoires, lamps, dressers and nightstands. All of the designs:

-Are easy to build and take only one to three hours to complete

-Use inexpensive, readily available materials

-Produce sturdy furniture designed for the long haul

It's perfect for those on a budget or just testing their woodworking skills -- or both! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not in my house!
This is rediculous.There is no way someone would put these projects inside of a home!C'mon....exposed plywood?!?Not in my house!

Great for college students or others on a budget
Are you a cash-strapped college student, a single person or couple just starting out, or just a minimalist?Do you need furniture?Do you have some basic tools, or access to them, and at least average intelligence?

If you meet the above qualifications you will find this book helpful.It shows how to build simple, very sturdy, somewhat funky looking bed stands, dressers, etc.

These aren't my kind of pieces, but I enjoyed the author's laid back attitude, environmental sensitivity and willingness to stand out in the crowd.

Especially helpful if you are into the looks of the 1960s, this book will teach you the basics of woodworking, including the skills which you can use to build "nicer" pieces when you've got the cash.

Or you can just stick with the designs in this book, and someday end up on one of those "weird home" shows on the Discovery Channel.Either way, it's all good!

NOT furniture in the sense of something you'd be proud to have made...
The cover of this book is a bit misleading. The detailed plans call for really unsatisfactory approaches. These include plywood with bare edges on many projects, pegboard screwed on the front of a box for a clothes hamper, and end-screwed supports on a bookcase.

There is nothing WRONG with furniture like this - if you want weak, visually unappealing furniture that will give you splinters in a year or two. But you don't need this book to help you build such pieces. This is all furniture anyone who can hold a saw or start a drill can easily figure out with a sketchpad. For the cost of materials you can get a better solution at IKEA.

The book's one redeeming feature: the pictures inside are true to the projects - rough cuts, bare edges and ungainly proportions all show clearly in the illustrations. You will get what you see, and you won't struggle much to achieve it.

There are far better books available with good starter projects that will teach you the RIGHT way to make joints, finish edges, and use attractive proportions: Danny Proulx' books are almost all good, with both plans and plentiful illustrations - such as "Build your Own Home Office Furnuiture", and "Fast and Easy Techniques for building modern cabinetry"
both use inexpensive materials and good techniques to build pieces of which you can be proud.

For good PLANS (but less instruction) you might want ot try : Quick and easy weekend woodworking Projects, and Build YourOwn Contemporary Furniture (both also published by Popular woodworking mag and available on Amazon).

Your project might not come out looking quite as nice as the picture, but you have a fighting chance of building something above dorm-room rejects.

If its worth doing, its worth doing right.

Save your money!
This book went into the garbage can 10 minutes after perusal. The projects are very simple but fit into no decor of any home I have ever been in. The coffee table in particular, looks like something found in the 1950's, without the "retro" appeal. In fact IMHO even the pictures of the projects found in this book would have very limited appeal to anyone.

Easy
These really are quick projects anyone can start and finish in a day. The pictures are informative, the plans easy to follow. Best of all, you might find yourself planning more complicated jobs based on these simpler projects. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Doug Stowe elevates building table to a fine art as he guides readers through the process of crafting beautiful custom tables. Nine different projects are explored, in magnificent full-color photographs and 3-D illustrations, showing all the key techniques necessary to make practical yet exquisite tables.

Woodworker, writer and photographer Doug Stowe brings a true artist's touch to Making Elegant Custom Tables.This excellent how-to book is a must for all woodworkers, from beginners through master craftsmen, interested in building something a little more elaborate and a lot more elegant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An OK Book
This book is good but not great. The author simply builds 9 different tables. There is no discussion regarding how to manage wracking forces, no discussion on appropriate sizes (how big should a dining table be to seat eight?) or heights (how tall should a dining table be, how much clearance under the top should be allowed for legs?).There is no discussion of coffee tables or side tables.

The tables are fairly straight forward and most intermediate woodworkers would feel confident attempting any of these. So, consequently, the style of all of the tables is rather mainstream--none of the tables are remarkable or exceptionally beautiful. The designs are generally angular/orthoganal, some of them very much so.

There are a lot of photos of the construction process, about 30 for each table. In addition to the 9 pieces shown in detail, there are photos of six other tables.

I suggest that you be more careful than the author. There are several operations that are much too risky. For example, before inlaying stringing on the glass-topped conference table, the author cuts a small bevel on the router table on a piece that is 3/8" square.His fingers are a quarter inch from the router bit! Definitely not OSHA approved. I suggest you build a sled to hold the workpiece.

Also, his tenoning jig has no way to attach the workpiece to it. All of the commercial tenoning jigs have a way to attach the workpiece, which is much safer.Holding a 40" tall table apron against a sliding jig is a recipe for kickback. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Method
This author's floating tennon method is wonderful.You can think of it as a super biscuit.Basically he recommends creating 2 motises in adjoining frame members and using an undersize tennon, length, between the two.He supplies a jig plan to accomplish the mortises.(A bisuit template plan for the router is also included.)

He also writes in detail about his method for builiding the cabinet cases. This detail in method is something that a master craftsman would have to show you or you could figure it out for yourself in a few years and many cabinet builds.He also discusses wood types.

The book is dated in its graphics.I would like to see an updated version with more pictures.

The method uses a table saw, plunge router, and a belt sander or orbital sander to accomplish the builds.Nice and simple.

Even 10 years later, it's my bible
This book is outstanding.The author takes you through pragmatic advice to making cases, raised panel doors, etc.There are clearly 100's of books out there on the topic.However, the author gives advice like how to deal with the fact that all plywood sheets have some warpage or variations in width.He talks about how to ensure that your cabinets are identical without measuring down to the 1/16 of an inch.

I've recommended this book a number of times, and my friends always come back with thanks.

Cabinet making made easy
This book on cabinetry was published by Rodale Books in 1994, before that company veered away from practical how-to literature toward its current interest in spirituality and alternative medicine.
It is truly an outstanding example in its field, describing step by step how to build cabinets using just two power tools: a table saw and a router.I'm an occasional cabinet maker, so I go back to it and review critical chapters whenever the time rolls around to build a new project.The text is clear and concise but not over-simplified, the illustrations are helpful.The minimally experienced home carpenter can make very nice cabinets using the information in this book alone. ... Read more