Customer Reviews

Making Wooden Mechanical Models

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

 

 

This book is great. I am looking at it from a teachers point of view. With our highly mechanized world, I find that students sometimes do not understand the priciples behind some of our most simple machines. Examples might be a lever, inclined plane, pully, or gears and cams. This book not only teaches about the make-up of machines, it teaches them a lesson in woodworking craftsmanship. In order for these projects to work superbly, great care and pride must be taken in the making and assembling of each project. When the projects in this book are completed, they can serve as a model for someone to actually hold and use to grasp concepts of the mechanical nature. They are also great conversation pieces. I would highly recommend this book not only for it's projects, but it's easy to read and understand format.

This book has a series of interesting projects that can be explored in different ways by teachers and educators. Besides the obvious applications in woodworking practical classes, the projects illustrate in a very simple way concepts and basic ideas in motion and mechanics. These are undoubtedly exciting ways to "tease" students in his discovering of physics and mechanics.

I bought both books (the first and the 'More') and I have to admit comparing the models in the first and second, the second book 'Building More Mechanical Wooden Models' has far more interesting and 'tactile' machines to build.

Be wary, there are a few omissions, mistakes and mis-prints; probably enough to feel like you're being steered by a forgetful but friendly master carpenter, but if you are an astute reader and do some careful comparisons you can get past these fairly easily. Good Luck!

I bought this book based on previous reviews. I had high expectations of it and made the decision to purchase it.

This book is way overpriced for its contents. There are very little woodworking techniques described for these mechanisms. The author expects you have a solid woodworking background to make his projects.

The biggest disappointment is that the plans lack dimensions. Each plan comes with 2 sheets. The first is a very confusing and hard to understand hand sketch describing the movement. The second is also a 2D sketch on a 1"x1" squared sheet. The lack of dimensions makes more work for you since you have to translate the dimensions from the sketch to make a template or any other method you decide to follow to build them. I've purchased woodworking plans before and ALL come with dimensions, this is a first for me. These sketches remind me of sewing patterns my grandmother used to have.

The mechanisms are good looking but not easy at all to make.

I feel disappointed. I do not recommend you pay the high price for this book. If you still feel the need for one, try to buy the cheapest you can around.

Basically, the contents weren't what I expected. The title led me to expect mechanisms for making wooden automata. This book doesn't give general ideas but the design of 15 particular mechanisms such as a wooden pump, or clock. I'll probably use it one day but only as a breather from wooden automata.

I agree with the previous reviews, even the negative one. You should be aware that these projects are not for the novice woodworker---they are an excellent way, however, to stretch your woodworking skills for those who want to go beyond the basics. Two things to be aware of: virtually all the projects require the use of a lathe, and the projects are bigger than they appear. If you're thinking that these are a couple of inches high, wrong. Most are a foot or more high or wide. You will also need to blow up the patterns on a copier, they are not full sized. All of that said, the book is worthwhile, though expensive. Check ABEbooks for price comparisons. The MORE book is cheaper on Amazon, this book cheaper on ABE.

Purchased book for $77 new with high expectations. However, the list price on back cover is $21! The information within the book is worth only $21.

One can do alot better with "507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices (Dover Science Books)" for $8 and figure out their own woodworking design from that book.