The New Yankee Workshop [Paperback]

Norm Abram (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 1989

The companion volume to the PBS series scheduled to launch in February hosted by Norm Abram, the master carpenter known to millions of viewers as the how-to guru of "This Old House." Thirteen projects of graduated difficulty are presented. 148 photos and 84 drawings. Advertising in builders' magazines.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book and the PBS series of the same name are spin-offs of the very popular This Old House TV series. Emphasizing traditional methods of joinery adapted to the use of power tools, this handsome volume covers a dozen furniture projects of classic Shaker and Colonial design. An abundance of high-quality photos and drawings nicely augment the detailed instructions. This seems to be for the more experienced woodworker having access to an especially well-equipped workshop. An introductory chapter, intended to present the basics of tools, joinery techniques, and wood selection, likewise appears far too sketchy for the novice furniture builder. Whatever its audience, public libraries will probably find this in demand.
- Bill Demo, Tompkins Cortland Community Coll., Dryden, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 181 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (February 28, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316004545
• ISBN-13: 978-0316004541
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Expert Advice > Norm Abram

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an informative, creative book, March 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Yankee Workshop (Paperback)

This book is not for the beginner. It is a fantastic step by step guide to building classic furniture, but, many of the projects require specialized tools and knowledge. I have built 4 of the projects in his book and all have turned out beautiful due to Norm's instructions. I recommend this book to any woodworker that has mid to above average skill and is comfortable and knowledgeable with the use of many power tools.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book, but with a few problems, October 14, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: The New Yankee Workshop (Paperback)

I think others have gone over this before. A few of the projects have some errors in the lay out. Kind of bad IMO, but is made up for in the very pleasing aesthetic of these items. I have made a few of them and all I can say is they look very nice when done. They have a clean Shaker style that works well in most homes and IMO is fun to make. Most items are not difficult to build and while they have some fun design elements that can make you work a bit, are not hard for the average woodworker to finish. As others have noted, Norm like the power tools. That is not a big deal, in that just because he uses them does not mean that you have to. I approached this book is like most "how to books". You look at the pictures, take what you like and discard the rest. How you put it together depends on the type of tools you have and what techniques you like to use in the shop. I do not think the average woodworker will have much problem with these projects and the beginner will have lots of fun building very respectable things that will look nice in the house.

41 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for Abrams fans, otherwise there are better choices., March 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Yankee Workshop (Paperback)

"The New Yankee Workshop" embodies the same philosophy and techniques espoused by Norm Abrams in the television show by the same name. If you love the show, you will love the book. It is full of projects inspired by the clean lines and straight-forward elegance found in classic Shaker designs. The step-by-step instructions are generally well-written, with lots of illustrations and photography.

Unfortunately, Mr. Abram's techniques depend entirely too much on machine methods of joinery for my taste, and completely disregard the relationship that a Shaker craftsperson developed with the wood and his Maker as the furniture was being constructed. (Only two hand tools are in evidence in the book: a chisel and a screwdriver.) I believe this dependence on machinery puts his construction methods out of reach for most amateur craftspeople, and the quality of the resulting product is certainly not what I would want from a professional.

Furthermore, the book is marred by senseless violations of good woodworking practice. His construction methods are heavily dependent on drywall screws, which are even used to fastened table-tops to their bases. This he does without making any provision for wood movement, so the furniture made in this way is at risk for cracking and warping. Where he uses pegged mortise and tenon joinery, he simply drills holes into the assembled parts, rather than taking the opportunity to offset the holes and draw the joint tightly together. A few of the photographs seem to show safety violations: operating power tools while wearing rings; no guards, pushsticks or featherboards in evidence; no hearing protection; fingers in precarious positions; the use of a dado blade on a radial arm saw; and making a plunge cut on a table saw without the use of a stop block.

So, if you understand good woodworking practice, and you want to knock together some Shaker-like furniture quickly, you might get some useful inspiration from this book. However, if you are this far along as a woodworker, you'll find more inspiration, more sound woodworking practice, and more authentically Shaker projects in "How to Build Shaker Furniture" by Thomas Moser. And if you are looking for something that is more of a project book, suitable for serious woodworkers of any level, try "Making Elegant Gifts from Wood" by Kerry Pierce, which has many lovely pieces, some of which are Shaker-inspired.

If you do buy The New Yankee Workshop, I would completely disregard his recommendations on finishing. Again, he over-emphasizes the use of machines in the finishing process (even a random-orbit sander, which he doesn't mention, will leave surface marks that will be highlighted by stain and finish), and he never discusses the use of shellac or oil finishes. For good finishing advice, see Bob Flexner's book, "Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish".