Customer Reviews

Measuring, Marking & Layout: A Builder's Guide

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you're planning on building any of the hard parts of a house like footings, foundation, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, stairs, masonry or shingles, you will want this book so you can figure out how to make them plumb, square, level, and evenly distributed. (I think that covers most of the carpentry sections)
He shows a few options for arriving at each layout, typically mathematically, from charts, and from pictures, so if you have trouble with one of them you can try another.
Octagons aren't very popular in my neighborhood, but if those (or other polygons) appear in yours, you'll find he has good information on them too.
I'd recommend a read through the book for suggestions when you first get it, (I did that in a long evening) and if you're a really good student you can follow along with all the examples. (I wasn't). But keep it by your side and read the chapter you need as you build. It will pay for itself in saved time and straigher work on the first job.

I am a project manager for a commercial / industrial contractor. So many times I am changing gears, direction . . . in coordinating the project. Calls from other contractors and or the field keeps you busy and frequently having more to do immediately than you feel you can do in days. But this book is useful. While much of it relates to residential construction, simple layouts and thought processes do not change. While so many times I am challenged with laser layouts and trades that swear their layout is on the money, a few time proven methods and understanding can prove the " sure money " wrong. This book is well organized, clearly written and the compilation of formulas and calculations is helpful. This book will prove to be very useful for a do it yourselfer or anyone working within the trades or offices alike. I certainly recommend this book.

This book is well thoughtout and covers all the details a builder needs to do accurate layouts. I would recommend it for both those learning and the professionals in the building trades as a reference source. I have seen and purchased some of the authors other books and would not recommend them to building professionals.

I liked that this book is hard covered. The diagrams used to explain the concepts are accurate and concise. It is not "exotic" in the types of layouts it covers but covers the basics well. Lead carpenters and journeyman layout carpenters won't find much new here. But for apprentice and carpenters and builders still learning there trade it has merit.

I read this book thinking I might find something interesting. I was not disappointed. The book has historical commentary and personal experiences that are interesting. Old timer's secrets of layout, very cool. Geometrical calculations are easier to understand when you can see how they are to be applied. The formulas used in the book are reasonably simple. Most importantly, when there is a shortcut, it's shown in this book. From the ground to the roof, and all in between, there's detailed(but basic, no really fancy decorative work) explanation and excellent illustration. Handrails, masonry units, roofing, the book shows where to start and what to do next. He shows how to build many of the jigs and measuring/marking secrets that I use regularly. I don't do everything exactly as he does, but everybody has their own way of doing things. If this guy writes any more books, I and many of my competitors may not be needed any more. MANY secrets of the trade.

HEY! DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!! SOMEBODY STOP THIS GUY!!! I GOT KIDS TO FEED!! YA' CAN'T JUST GO AROUND INSPIRING CONFIDENCE IN THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? (gasp!) You might even make my competitors more competitive! Horrible book! I'm keeping mine, but I'm a professional!! Don't try this stuff at home!

_Call a PRO!!_

Seriously, Thank You Mr. Carroll. I enjoyed your book.

This book shows great insight as to the information the master and novice need before beginning any project.And he not only made it usable but easy to understand.The shop teacher at the high school where I work plans to order several for his students.Great work, MR. Carroll!

Bought this book hoping to use it to teach my son geometry through practical application, but the author has little if any understanding. Also, for a book that is promoted as "shows that one needn't be a master mathematician to assure accuracy in projects, nor use space-age, high-tech equipment to achieve near-perfect results", it spends a lot of time on the use of transits and even mentions lasers. This book would have benefited from a stand alone chapter listing basic layout tools and how to use them along with a chapter on the construction of jigs, fixtures, templates, and storyboards. If and when these basic tools and tricks are mentioned it is often buried and mentioned in passing. Examples of this are the use of the sliding T-Bevel for transferring angles or finding complementary angles and the simple marking gauge.

This statement in the Amazon review should have sent up a red flag, "This is the book to tell you everything you need to know before you get started." While there is some very good information in this book it does not leave the reader with the knowledge and tricks that carpenters and masons have been passing down for generations.

What we had hoped to buy was what was described in the Product Description, "Provides simple techniques for accurate measuring using a number of basic tools." This is only partially true; this promise is a halfhearted incomplete attempt, missing many simple techniques. Examples of which are the use storyboards for transferring multiple measurements, the use of jigs and fixtures, or even a mention of transfer punches. The information on page 29 for dividing a circle is especially wrong and a very good example of how the author has little understanding of simple techniques or geometry.

This is a book I have enjoyed reading and learning from. The book is well worth the money. I have purchased a copy for my son and he found it to be very helpful to him in his work...

This book is a must have! Great information and laid out well. I wish I had known about this book earlier.

This is a well written book, in plain language. It will help any amateur considering building, or constructing brick, or wooden structures, or extensions. John Carroll makes the reader think about accuracy when approaching any building project. He provides many simple easy-to-understand methods on how and what, to measure.

He shows many examples of how simple miscalculations can result in costly errors. Unlike other American DIY books, that pretend the metric system does not exist, Carroll covers imperial for the home market and metric conversions for the rest of the world. This factor, and his humble writing style and experience as a craftsman, will make this book an international best seller for anybody who will pick up a saw, rafter gauge,or masonary hammer. The book is a must for anyone who needs important tips on construction methods. In conclusion this excellent book makes you think and visualize what you want to achieve before you start the job.

author goes into a lot of detail...i learned a lot from this book