Customer Reviews

The Furniture Doctor

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a 'bible' for the average amateur and full of good tips for both the experienced and fussy wood worker. I've used it for more than 30 years. Whenever I have a problem I start my research with this book, and I usually come back to it again after looking at a number of other sources. There are suggestions that you'll not find anywhere else. The humor is a delight. However Grotz wrote most of this before the development of many current ideas about how to preserve antiques. I imagine that employing some of his suggestions might lead to a reduction in the market value of an item. However, I don't think it will ever lead to a reduction in your personal enjoyment of the piece.

I found the book to be a reasonably interesting read, if not a little too cynical at times. The tips and tricks could be useful but I would be reluctant to let the author anywhere near a half decent piece of furniture. His apparent disdain for the use of hand tools devalued the whole book in my eyes, and made me shudder to think what people might do to fine tools if they followed his advice on sharpening and tuning. If you are in the market for useful, cheap pointers and are not overly concerned about potentially messing something up, then its not a bad book.

This book is *very* practical for anyone interested in refinishing their own furniture or just shopping for antiques. It covers everything from acquisition to restoration to how to recognize fakes to identifying period styles. It is full of practical advice and technical "how-tos" , recommended waxes, where to find suppliers for special tools, and so on. I flipped through several books at the bookstore before buying this one. It stands out as an encyclopedia of information on refinishing antiques and it is very readable. I was glad to have it to refer to when I redid some of my family heirlooms. It is well organized and *full* of good information.

I have the original version of this book and use it whenever I need to restore a finish on antique furniture. Easy to read and full of humor.

I've used this book for 30 years - to learn about furniture, to learn about tools and, most of all, to learn how to finish, re-finish and repair furniture. It's an invaluable reference and guide with no pretentions. The drawings are excellent - you're not buying a lot of glossy photos of unaffordable furniture. Grotz's style is folks-y and sometimes coy, but it doesn't get in the way of the wealth of information he shares.

I first came across this book many years ago when it was first published. I have used it many times. It's full of good information. If you are looking for steps 1,2,3 and specific directions, there are others out there but this is book is packed with many facts and debunks a lot of myths regarding refinishing and care of furniture. I've loaned this book out a multitude of times upon request. I didn't get it back the last time so now I've had to re-purchase a copy for my own use.

Im so glad to have a copy of this book again-I used to borrow it from the library-havent seen it in years, and have missed it BADLY!
It is just a fun read, besides having alot of great information presented in a really delightful manner.
Mr Grotz has a very low-to-the-ground type of style that is refreshing-he demistifies the entire subject of antique furniture and its care.
If you are dealing with MAJOR museum quality antiques-this aint the book for you, but if, like most of us, you are just collecting a houseful of affordable, cool 'old stuff'-this is THE book to have!

I've used this book for 30 years - to learn about furniture, to learn about tools and, most of all, to learn how to finish, re-finish and repair furniture. It's an invaluable reference and guide with no pretentions. The drawings are excellent - you're not buying a lot of glossy photos of unaffordable furniture. Grotz's style is folks-y and sometimes coy, but it doesn't get in the way of the wealth of information he shares.

The anecdotes are sort of funny, in a lame kind of way. The change in technology since this was first written in the '60s has made any practical value trivial. The 1983 version doesn't seem to have been a significant update. It's mostly an interesting artifact of where woodworking/refinishing was before the explosion of new tools, techniques, and materials changed much. I bought a very cheap used copy, I wouldn't invest much more than that.

So what if it's old? This is my go-to book for anything other than a major re-build. It has nothing fancy; no color pictures; just down home common sense methods to dealing with repairs. You can still find most of the materials he refers to and it's easy to find modern day equivalents for those you can't.

Some of the most frequently used books in my shop library were written 20-100 years ago. The methods are usually simpler and work better; plus there's little fluff.