The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores and Garden Centers [Hardcover]

Steve Ettlinger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

How many types of screwdrivers are there? What's the most useful pair of pliers to own? Here's a comprehensive, portable reference containing virtually every tool and product sold in hardware and garden supply stores (except plants!). It's an essential manual and guidebook for any aspiring do-it-yourselfer undertaking a home repair or garden project. The straightforward design makes it easy to find information quickly. Detailed line drawings and diagrams help identify the tool or material, and show how it's used. Includes practical tips on usage, cost, and other considerations. An incomparable resource for the homeowner!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Ettlinger is a book producer and president of Ettlinger Editorial Projects. He is the author of six books, and as an amateur, he has helped renovate and maintain six very old houses.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1097 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762414936
• ISBN-13: 978-0762414932
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.7 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Hand Tools

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two books in 1 cover, December 28, 2003

By 

K. Barnes (Austin,TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores and Garden Centers (Hardcover)

The _"Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores and Garden Centers"_ (published by Running Press/Courage Books imprint, 2002) has two parts: 1: "Complete Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores" (729 pages, originally published by Macmillan in 1998) and 2: "Complete Guide to Everything Sold in Garden Centers" (368 pages, originally published by Macmillan in 1990). Because they were originally published as separate books, the two sections of this book each have their own introductions, tables-of-contents, indexes, and pagination. If you see this 2002 title/edition listed as only 368 pages, do not despair - it actually has 1,097 pages. So far, all the reviews I've seen have only reviewed the _Hardware Stores_ section.

1:
I would like to add a couple of comments to colobbfan's May 22, 2003, nice review of that section. In the introduction, the author specifies that this buying guide is meant to assist your average/traditional do-it-yourself, renovation or restoration projects. He states that in this book "[y]ou will not find heavy construction materials, or professional tools, or esoteric cabinetmaking tools, or hobby materials." He also says he purposely did not include automotive, boating, electronics, home security or house-wares even though those items may appear in some hardware stores. Appendix A, "Metals and Finishes", is a glossary of 20 terms related to describing metals from "blued" to "zinc-plated". Appendix B, "Basic Tools and Materials Every Homeowner Should Have", is divided into three parts: Hand Tools, Power Tools, and Materials. Stars (*) next to some items on the list denote absolute basics one should have. The starred items would make an excellent gift to college students moving to their first apartment or home. (Don't forget that us ladies need to be self-sufficient, also! Often then index (or lack thereof) makes or breaks a reference book. This one has an excellent, easy-to-read, well-organized index with numerous cross-references. Part of the _Hardware_ section's 37-page index is included in Amazon's "Browse Sample Pages" area, so go take a look at it. The typeface of the hardware section is easy to read and the format is suitable for quick browsing.

2:
I venture to say that despite the difference in page length, the _Garden Center_ section has just as much information as the _Hardware_ section - the difference lies in smaller type with less space between lines, and fewer illustrations (they aren't needed when you are talking about different types of fertilizers, pesticides, and mulches). The Table-of-Contents is separated into three areas (Supplies; Tools Equipment & Accessories; Appendixes) with detailed headings, subheadings, and sub-subheadings (see Amazon's sample pages - since that is available I won't talk much about the different types of garden center items included). The introduction of the _Garden Center_ section states you will not find "pet supplies or farming equipment or landscaping materials [in this section]... Regular home gardening, with a slight nod to decoration is the limit." While the title states that plants are not included in this guide, Appendix A is a 7-page "General Buying Guide for Bulbs, Seeds, Plants, Shrubs and Trees." The main area of the book is chock-full of general buying tips in broad categories as well as for specific products, use tips, and descriptions of specific products. Sometimes popular brand names are listed (not as endorsement but as an aid) and where applicable other terms that may be used to describe a specific item are included. The _Garden Center_ index has much smaller type than the Hardware Store index, so you may want a magnifying glass for it. Overall, I would say that that the format of the _Garden Center_ section is less suited to browsing and more suitable for reading full sections because it includes more discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of particular products.

The arrangement of both the _Hardware Stores_ section and the _Garden Centers_ section is to group the contents as they are usually grouped in those respective stores, which makes the guide very user-friendly. My one complaint is that thumb-tabs or coloration on the page edges would have been useful to distinguish the two indexes from the rest of the book (especially since the index to the _Hardware_ section is in the middle of the book). This book is one of the best gifts I have ever received, though I wish I had discovered it 10 years ago when I first moved out on my own. I expect it to be useful in all my new home repair and gardening projects and it has already earned a prime spot on my closest bookshelf.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing is COMPLETE, May 22, 2003

By 

H. Row "in1ear" (Arvada, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores and Garden Centers (Hardcover)

Steve Ettlinger writes books that are basic lists of explanations on various subjects. Such as:
*Beer For Dummies®
*The Hardware Cyclopedia (not published yet)
*The Kitchenware Book
*The Restaurant Lover's Companion:
*A Handbook for Deciphering the
Mysteries of Ethnic Menus
*The Complete Illustrated Guide to
Everything Sold in Marine Supply Stores

Like his previous books, there is just enough detail of all the gadgets, tools, and other "stuff" that you find in (duh) Hardware and Garden Centers. He doesn't spend pages on a particular item, just a simple explanation and description of it's use. Like walking through a large home center's departments, the book is broken down into ELEVEN Parts:
Part I: Common Hand Tools
Part II: Power Tools
Part III: General Hardware
Part IV: General Materials
Part V: Paints, Stains, Finishes, Wall Coverings, and Related Products and Tools
Part VI: Wood and Wood Products
Part VII: Wall, Floor, and Ceiling Materials and Tools; Doors
Part VIII: Plumbing Hardware, Materials and Tools
Part IX: Electrical Products and Tools
Part X: Masonry Materials, Products and tools
Part XI: Safety Equipment

This format with the line drawings of the items remind me of the home medical books all American homes had during the 1950's & 1960's. This is a fun book to peruse through when you can't get to your home center and I can't compare it to any other book out to inform you on tools. It isn't COMPLETE though (and never could be with as quickly as items appear in home remodeling, etc.)
...Overall a fun purchase with lots of information in a familiar format.
John Row

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, there is a way to fix almost anything if you have the right tool!, March 17, 2006

By 

S. A. Kellogg (Mesa, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores and Garden Centers (Hardcover)

This is a great reference book. Before I had it a week, I had solved some mysteries about pieces and parts of stuff...and where to buy them, and what they looked like! Of course, sometimes it's fun to just graze through the book and find all sorts of items you didn't know existed. If you're into home repair, or home improvement, this gem is a great addition to your how-to collection.