Woodworking - Suggested Reading?

[GregGleason]

I need a book or books on general woodworking. My goal is to be competent.

I figure that there are a few out there in forum-space who are experts on the subject (like Gordy, aka sandman) who might be able to make suggestions.

Greg

 

[JordanT]

I have The complete manual of woodworking (Jackson, I think: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679766111/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) and it is a nice overview with some useful diagrams of how things go together. I haven't looked recently, but there may be some books by the Taunton Press (Fine Woodworking magazine folks) may be useful. I have a couple of the fine homebuilding books (also by Taunton) on framing and finish carpentry, and they are a reasonably good resource.

As with rocketry, there is a dangerously fine line between just wanting to be competent and being carried off in a backwards jacket by large men in white suits.

 

[GregGleason]

... As with rocketry, there is a dangerously fine line between just wanting to be competent and being carried off in a backwards jacket by large men in white suits.

As someone who is randomly OCD, that is so true! Hey, who are those guys behind m..

 

[Zeus-cat]

Like rocketry, there are a lot of specialities in woodworking. What are your areas of interest? Do you have access to power tools or are you planning on buying some? Just starting out in woodworking can be even more expensive than starting out in rocketry. There are LOTS of neat tools and you need them all.

 

[sandman]

Keep in mind there are as many or more different types of woodworking as there are different types of rocketry.

Like Micro Maxx to HPR or wood carving to cabinet making to boat building.

Are you more interested in basic "handyman" type of wood work? Like rough carpentry or something a bit more refined like shelves and cabinets.

Hand tools or power tools?

Most people do not realize that wood working is the second largest hobby in this country. Gardening had all others beat. I guess if you mow your awn lawn you're a gardener.

My advise is go here

https://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/

And watch all the videos.

 

[pick1e]

I grew up watching Norm Abram on the New Yankee Workshop, also on PBS. They replay an episode per week at newyankee.com. You will never have all the power tools he has but he's relaxing to watch, and often explains how and why to use certain tools, materials, and joinery techniques.

Just remember to wear safety glasses.

A little anecdote- I was in the local woodworking store once and they had a vendor's video playing in a loop on a TV near that vendor's display. The host was clearly missing a finger. I had to laugh. I don't take any woodworking advice from anyone missing any digits.

 

[BlueCollar Rocketeer]

My advise is go here

https://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/

And watch all the videos.

+1 for Roy Underhill at the Woodwrights Shop. Very entertaining and very knowledgable. I do think his approach to carpentry is a little out of reach for the average person.

Your question really depends on your interests. Do you want to learn how to make tables, bookcases and shelves? Or maybe you want to swap out your doors and learn how to mortise hinge pockets. Or maybe you want to frame in a back porch for a 4 season room with finished sheetrock, electric and everything else this would entail.

I think one of the best resources for the homeowner is the Home Depot or Readers Digest 'Home Improvement' book. If you know everything in that book you will have a decent understanding of the workings of a home from framing to mechanicals to tile showers.

If your looking for shop skills then Norm is the man. It's all about joinery when it comes to building pieces. Learn, practice and understand the basic joints....butt, mitre, splice and lap for starters.

:gavel::gavel::gavel:

 

[mdoering]

If using TV as your guide steer clear of Scott Phillips on "American Woodshop" Can't STAND that guy.... In fact, I started a rant about him in 2009 that still gets comments! lol (It's actually the 4th result in a google search for the show title)

https://lumberjocks.com/topics/9026

I would check out "The Wood Whisperer" Marc Spagnuolo is a great craftsman, always keeps safety at the forefront of everything he does (he even started an international woodworkers safety week which almost all of the woodworking media takes part in now) Great info on basics in a lot of the early episodes... A healthy dose of light comedy (without being too cheesy)... Great tshirt collection! lol And to top it off, he's very intelligent... He worked in bio-tech before following his passion for woodworking...

Tommy MacDonald of the "Rough Cut" show is a good woodworker (though he seems like kind of an ass/idiot in some of his videos) And I think he even ended up with a show on PBS for a while...

 

[sandman]

If using TV as your guide steer clear of Scott Phillips on "American Woodshop" Can't STAND that guy.... In fact, I started a rant about him in 2009 that still gets comments! lol (It's actually the 4th result in a google search for the show title)

https://lumberjocks.com/topics/9026

I would check out "The Wood Whisperer" Marc Spagnuolo is a great craftsman, always keeps safety at the forefront of everything he does (he even started an international woodworkers safety week which almost all of the woodworking media takes part in now) Great info on basics in a lot of the early episodes... A healthy dose of light comedy (without being too cheesy)... Great tshirt collection! lol And to top it off, he's very intelligent... He worked in bio-tech before following his passion for woodworking...

Tommy MacDonald of the "Rough Cut" show is a good woodworker (though he seems like kind of an ass/idiot in some of his videos) And I think he even ended up with a show on PBS for a while...

I heartily agree!

I do miss Norm Abrams.

 

[qquake2k]

The one I can't stand is Bob Vila. What a wood hacker. I saw him with Norm Abrams on a show one time, and Bob was helping Norm rip some material on a table saw. Bob wasn't guiding the material correctly, and kept pinching the blade with it.

 

[JordanT]

By the way - I realized the other day the difference between a do-it-yourselfer and a woodworker. The DIY tries to get as many "factory" edges as possible to remain when building a project, the woodworker makes sure he always re-cuts every factory edge.

 

[mdoering]

By the way - I realized the other day the difference between a do-it-yourselfer and a woodworker. The DIY tries to get as many "factory" edges as possible to remain when building a project, the woodworker makes sure he always re-cuts every factory edge.

You speak the truth! You'd be amazed how horrible factory edges are!

 

[sandman]

See, I always assume factory edges are wrong.

 

[gdiscenza]

When I first got into woodworking, my first lessons were about taking rough-cut wood, and truing up one side and one edge, then working from there. I never worked from a "factory edge" because there were no "factories" involved with the stock I bought, just timbermen and sawmills.
Seek out the smaller dealers, they can often get much better stock than a big-box store. The guys who run the smaller places need to know wood in order to keep their customers, and can steer you to the nicer pieces. Wood is a living thing, and can often be temperamental, so hands-on guidance when you're learning to recognize "good" stock is invaluable.

G.D.

 

[mkadams001]

Try this site for some good information. https://www.finewoodworking.com

I cannot point to one book for woodworking because I have gotten information from so many different books, magazines, and other craftsmen. For me, it is about just building stuff and learning from those experiences. Several years ago I bought plans and built a kayak; primarily to have some fun but also to learn some new building techniques. I played with it for a few months and gave it away. Now, I have set a goal to build a power boat. The challenge is not the building but where to build because, I live in a high rise and I can't take up the real estate at work to build something that will take a few months.

 

[JordanT]

You speak the truth! You'd be amazed how horrible factory edges are!

Actually, if your workshop tools consist of a $39 circular saw, a cordless drill, a hammer, and a socket set, a factory edge is pretty darned good. I used to lay out my stuff to take advantage of those "perfect" 90 degree cuts. I came to my epiphany just a couple months ago while making a shelf for my closet, and immediately cut that factory end off before measuring so I'd have a clean edge to start from. Realizing I'd been doing that out of habit for a decade now is what hit me as kind of funny. Especially when compared to building a shelf in my first apartment, and using the balcony railing as one of my sawhorses.

 

[BEAR]

Back to one of the early questions, Greg. What kind of woodworking? 35 years ago I framed houses in Katy, that was woodworking, but it was framing. Do you want that or trim carpentry, or cabinet making, or furniture making, or toy making for crafts. There are magazines and books for all and any of these topics. Tools can be the same, similar, or completley different. If you are working plywood, some of your techniques will be different than if you are working in hardwood or softwood. I used to make chess boards, up to 36" per side, with brass inlay, I used to build museum quality wood sailing ships that I sold for a fortune, and then I built RC models for people from kits. Still woodworking but different. If you could elaborate on your ideas, I am certain you will get more answers than you want.

 

[GregGleason]

Back to one of the early questions, Greg. What kind of woodworking? 35 years ago I framed houses in Katy, that was woodworking, but it was framing. Do you want that or trim carpentry, or cabinet making, or furniture making, or toy making for crafts. There are magazines and books for all and any of these topics. Tools can be the same, similar, or completley different. If you are working plywood, some of your techniques will be different than if you are working in hardwood or softwood. I used to make chess boards, up to 36" per side, with brass inlay, I used to build museum quality wood sailing ships that I sold for a fortune, and then I built RC models for people from kits. Still woodworking but different. If you could elaborate on your ideas, I am certain you will get more answers than you want.

I guess I am interested in understanding the process to make something square. Another thing is how to make a proper 90 degree join. Then finishing, like when to stain, when to paint, what kind of paint.

This grew out of one of my son's Eagle Scout project. He basically made two custom pieces of furniture for a church, and it needs to be completed and finished. I learned that while I know some things, I don't know as much as I should. The furniture was made from 2x4's, plywood, and MDF. So it is rather industrial in nature. But they need to be painted or stained, and I have almost no idea on how to proceed with finishing them.

So that is the "back story" on the question.

Greg

 

[gdiscenza]

Creating a proper 90 degree joint has a lot to do with both the material you are using and the "look" you are trying to achieve. It also is important whether the joint is end to end, edge to edge, end to edge, or somewhere in the middle of the stock. I build craftsman style furniture from hardwood, so I tend to favor the mortise and tenon joint.

G.D.

 

[BEAR]

I am thinking that if you have built low and mid-power rockets with balsa wood nose cones and fins, then you already know a lot of what you need to know. In most cases, you are not going to stain 2 X 4s or MDF. Depending on the grade of plywood you are not going to stain it either. Most plywood you purchase is paint grade unless you are spending more than 50 or $60 a sheet for 3/4" (23/64"). So you are going to paint it. Then you have to ask, what kind of finish; gloss, satin, or flat; showing lots of grain or very little. Very little grain showing is going to use primers or sealers with sanding between coats. Then you put on the final color. You can brush it on and thin the paint with the correct solvent, (so if it is water base (acrylic), you thin with water.) You do this on the final coats so that brush strokes do not show up. Lite sanding between coats. Not any real difference from finishing a rocket except for size.

For doing 90 degree joints and cuts, it will depend on the tools that you are using, what you are making, how good the finished product needs to be, the size of the joint, etc. Whether you want mortise and tenons or dovetails or something other. Are you using plywood, pine, or hardwoods? Lot of variables here. For fine woodworking, one of my favorite magazines is one called "Fine Woodworking" It comes out every other month with "Fine Homebuilding" by the same publisher coming out in the off months. You can normally find it in the magazine rack at the grocery store. It will show you different projects that other people have done and go into detail in how they built their project. There will also be advertisements for books and classes. In regards to fine woodworking classes, there is a school up by Waco that teaches people how to do fine woodworking and furniture making, that will probably be advertised in the magazine also. Also, since you are in the Houston area, I am certain that there are stores that sell fine hardwoods and veneeers, and fine woodworking tools in your area. (I go to one up here in Fort Collins to buy the West System Epoxies. These stores frequently have classes on Saturday mornings that will teach you the answers to your questions. They are normally happy to do this so that you will come in and buy tools, wood, and supplies for your project.

Does this help? I will be watching as are others to answer any other questions you might have.

 

[qquake2k]

Creating a proper 90 degree joint has a lot to do with both the material you are using and the "look" you are trying to achieve. It also is important whether the joint is end to end, edge to edge, end to edge, or somewhere in the middle of the stock. I build craftsman style furniture from hardwood, so I tend to favor the mortise and tenon joint.

G.D.

Beautiful sofa!

 

[gdiscenza]

Thank you!

I have a house full of the stuff, I was toying with the idea of doing it for a living, but mild OCD prevents me from selling anything with visible flaws, and I can see every flaw in any piece I make...
I went back to IT to make a living...
G.D.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[qquake2k]

Thank you!

I have a house full of the stuff, I was toying with the idea of doing it for a living, but mild OCD prevents me from selling anything with visible flaws, and I can see every flaw in any piece I make...
I went back to IT to make a living...
G.D.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Personally, I like to see some flaws. It tells me someone's hands made it.

 

[Ring Leader]

"Working Wood" by Jim Tolpin will give the extreme basics on all aspects of working wood. After that a subscription to fine woodworking (or a few trips to the library) and lots of practice. After that Taunton press has lots of topic specific books when you figure out you need more comprehensive detail.

Hope this helps.

 

[pick1e]

I need a book or books on general woodworking. My goal is to be competent.

I figure that there are a few out there in forum-space who are experts on the subject (like Gordy, aka sandman) who might be able to make suggestions.

Greg

An important and often overlooked part of woodworking is finishing. I HIGHLY recommend the book "Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish" by Bob Flexner. Worth well more than it costs at $25. Definitely one to buy and keep around for reference.

 

[Zeus-cat]

I was toying with the idea of doing it for a living, but mild OCD prevents me from selling anything with visible flaws, and I can see every flaw in any piece I make...

Part of being an artist is knowing when to put the paintbrush, woodworking tools or stained glass down and say that's good enough. You can always make it better, but is the incremental improvement worth your time and effort? This is a difficult concept to grasp if you have never had to do it. Working at a job is selling your time for money. It is different when you sell something you have made, even though you aere still selling your time. I have sold a few pieces of my art work, but the commercialization of my hobbies left a bad taste in my mouth and I no longer do it. I prefer to make really nice stuff for myself or give it away to friends.

 

[T-Rex]

I consider myself to be a "woodhacker" as apposed to a "woodworker". I couldn't cut a straight line with a laser. Nothing I've made so far is square, including my sailboat. I occasionally pick up a "Wood" magazine now and then, seems to be my speed for now. My brother was a master carpenter and a furniture maker, my dad built his house. I make lots of scrap, but I have fun making it. Dog doesn't seem to mind her house isn't perfect either.