More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture: 30 Stickley Designs for Every Room in the Home (Shop Drawings series) [Paperback]

Robert W Lang (Author), Robert W Lang (Author)

Book Description

Series: Shop Drawings series | Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Here are working shop drawings for 30 pieces of household furniture by Gustav Stickley and his contemporaries the Craftsman movement. Every type of furniture is represented here: chairs, chests of drawers, wall shelves, book cases, sideboards, dining tables, occasional tables, beds, and rockers. These construction drawings present all the information a woodworker needs to reproduce each piece in his own workshop. Each project includes a perspective view along with elevations, sections and details, plus a complete bill of materials. The introductory chapters give basic technical information about choosing wood, layout and construction techniques, and assembly methods, with a special section on finishing.Craftsman, Mission, Arts and Crafts: these names all conjure the sturdy, straightforward and immensely popular furniture designed by Gustav Stickley and his associates early in the 20th Century. Despite its popularity, until now there has not been a comprehensive book of shop drawings to guide today's builder. These shop drawings have been taken directly from original Craftsman catalogs, with measurements and details carefully checked against authentic Craftsman antique furniture. This book gives the woodworker the heart of the Craftsman aesthetic in an attractive, practical, and durable format.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert W Lang is a cabinetmaker and draftsman and author. He is a contributor to 'Fine Woodworking' and 'Popular Woodworking'. He lives in Heath, Ohio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892836149
• ISBN-13: 978-1892836144
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #936,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book of PLans, But Beware of Errors!, February 7, 2004

By 

M. Loftus - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture: 30 Stickley Designs for Every Room in the Home (Shop Drawings series) (Paperback)

I have both of Robert Lang's books on Craftsman Furniture. They are perhaps the best books of their type that I have seen. I am on my third project from his books and look forward to completing many more. The plans in the books are not for the novice as there is no project-by-project advice or guidance. You must figure-out the cuts and details for yourself. There are 16 pages of general information that is quite helpful to those who know how to apply such information to specific situations.

Unfortunately, there are some dimension errors that lead to cutting lumber too short, wasting both time and money. For example, on page 130 there are two errors that cost me dearly. Apparently the book was not reviewed closely enough. Still, I would like to thank Mr. Lang for his books and look forward to his future contributions!

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Plans Without Frills, July 5, 2004

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture: 30 Stickley Designs for Every Room in the Home (Shop Drawings series) (Paperback)

By happenstance I came across this volume before encountering the first volume. While it provides the minimum basic information to build some 30 pieces of furniture based on Arts & Crafts designs it failed to inspire me to purchase the first volume. The primary reason is that while the information provided is good, there is nothing to inspire me to build or adapt any particular piece. Why? Because Robert Lang relies a bit too much on my imagination.

I'm a bit of a free spirit in the wood shop. I like combining features I like, adding a few twists of my own, and taking a few, judicious risks. Lang seems to have unerringly chosen the simplest, and often the dullest work of a carpentry movement that was anything but simple and dull. Perhaps this should have been titled 'Craftsman Furniture for Beginners.' It would have captured the approach more accurately.

This is a book that would have been improved immensely by the inclusion of a handful of glossy pages with photographs of the completed designs. Something to fire the imagination and make a few of the mysteries a bit clearer. A few pieces (all china cabinets oddly enough) exhibit some of the grace of Stickley's best work. But other than some details of construction, there are other sources that capture the essence and style better.

That being said, it is a good start for a beginner who wants to get some straightforward work underway before tackling the complexities of which Arts & Crafts work is capable. But I would still recommend spending the time perusing a few coffee table books of the movement. Arts & Crafts wasn't just a style, it was an aesthetic movement that continues to have an influence on modern furniture making.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have, May 13, 2007

By 

TBP/Man/Va - See all my reviews

This review is from: More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture: 30 Stickley Designs for Every Room in the Home (Shop Drawings series) (Paperback)

This book is a great addition to furniture maker's library. The designes are classic and a delight to peruse and use. It requires a user to have some skill, but that is OK.

The introduction or "how to" accomplish certain tasks in the beginning is very useful.