Customer Reviews

Homebuilding Basics: Carpentry

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

 

 

I would recommend this book to beginning framers, apprentices, and homeowners who want to learn to do there own work. Professional carpenters and journeyman should pass it by. The book itself is very well layed out and complete. It is rather low tech and somewhat dated in the new world of 'hurricane and earthquake' code requirements. But, I like it. it does not promise more than it delivers and what it delivers in content is well presented.

"Homebuilding Basics: Carpentry" may just be one of the best
carpentry tools you could buy. Larry Haun, a production framer
and carpentry teacher for over 45 years, wanted to "share with
others what I have learned from my teachers." He has certainly
succeeded.

He begins by covering both hand and power tools and explaining
how to choose one version over another depending on the task.
Safety tips and tricks for more effective use are presented in
sidebars.

The jobsite section explains the frame structure of a typical
home in detail: nomenclature, whys and wherefors, and sequence
of tasks.

Next, Haun moves through the actual frame construction from the
foundation sill through the completion of the structure and basic
finishing in sections on framing floors, walls and ceilings, roofs,
stairs and finish details.

This large, well-organized handbook will prove invaluable to anyone
planning to build a home, remodel one, or simply wanting to be able

to recognize proper framing methods and high quality work. It
provides an introduction, list of sources for tools, supplies and
books and an index as well as a slew of excellent illustrations.

Larry Haun currently teaches carpentry in Coos Bay, Oregon and is
the author of "The Very Effectient Carpenter" and a long-time
contributor to "Fine Homebuilding Magazine".

This book is the best I've ever seen as a teaching tool on this subject. It assumes no prior knowledge, everything is very clearly written, and the illustrations make it simple to understand. (In fact, if you scanned through the book and only studied the pictures and read their captions, you would learn a great deal without reading the book's text.)

If you choose to buy this book, it's money well spent.

this is an excellent primer on stick framing, covering everything from tools to layouts of floors, walls, ceilings and roofs. nothing about shingling, drywalling, plastering, etc. - just framing. that's the strength of this book, in the depth of its treatment of the subject. nicely illustrated, there are at least two or three photos or useful diagrams per page. the book's a big step up from your usual how-to, as the author ties in his own personal building experiences, in ways that illustrate the logic of methods and practices.