Customer Reviews

Nick engler's woodworking wisdom

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a beginner to woodworking, I have tried to find a book that has the necessary information to take me to that "next level" of woodworking. I have failed many times, until I bought Nick Engler's Woodworking Wisdom. I would lie to you if I told you I read the whole book, because there is way to much information to do so. I rated it a 9 for one reason, it didn't tell me the thickness of boards after they have been kiln-dryed. Thats all the minuses of this book. It gave me every bit of info all other books offer and more in one book. If I didn't pay for those "other" woodworking books, I would throw them away. If you are new to woodworking, buy this book before you make another project. All you more advanced really could benifit from it too. I could go on for days about this book, but I would rather be trying all this knowlage I have gained on a new project. BUY IT. You need it.

Like all books of an encyclopedic nature this one has it's limitations. It sometimes leaves you wishing for more on a subject. With that in mind I must say this is a very good book. For a beginner it covers an enormous amount of material and for a more advanced woodworker there are pearls all thru it. I have an extensive library of woodworking books with many specialized books and yet I learned something from Mr. Engler's book. I would recommend it for beginners but intermediate woodworker will also benefit from it.

Whether for the beginning woodworker or the advanced Master Carpenter, this book is a must have. It is a wealth of knowledge in one place, from types of wood to types of finishes for your project. In between, the book is jam-packed with helpful tips and general woodworking knowledge. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about getting into woodworking and to the advanced woodworker as a reference.

I recently received Woodworking Wisdon and found the book very informative. The author has tried to cover all aspects of woodworking and for the most part has done an excellent job. The section entitled 'Making Wood Joints' is direct and easy to understand. With no woodworking experience, I am about to begin my first project and will keep the book in my shop for quick reference. The only drawback that I found was with the diagrams for the various jigs. They are quite hard to understand and the pictures don't properly explain the fundamental setup. Other than that I thought the book was great.

The prior reviewers are correct in their criticisms about the vagueness of Engler's diagrams for jigs. The jigs also tend to be overcomplicated sometimes. I also found the sections on finishes and glue and adhesives to be incomplete and not as helpful as other sources ("Understanding Wood Finishing" by Bob Flexner and "The Glue Book" by William Tandy Young).

Otherwise, this is the first source I consult when beginning a project. This book is a primer on most aspects of woodworking and worth having on your shelf.

Overall this is an incredible resource for any level of woodworker. Mine will definitely be a dog-eared twisted mess in no time. The only thing that makes me crazy is the detail left off of the jig diagrams. For example, the cross-cut sled is a beauty. If you are patient enough to find little details spread across four different areas of the book, you will still be left without a few details you need to build the jig. It pains me to nitpick this great collection of info, but this is a cardinal sin when presenting plans.

This is a very complete reference. It should be in the library of every woodworker. It is a great first choice for a beginning woodworker.

I've been working wood and reading about it for 25+ years. Overall, I would say this is the best book on general woodworking that I've ever had. It's the one I keep. I was working wood for 20 years when I got this book and I still learned a lot from it. I found myself saying "why didn't I already know that?" every few pages. This guy knows his stuff.

I own and have read most all of them and this is one of the best; possibly THE best. A most excellent resource for high end wood working. Includes a very useful chapter on many of the most popular species of wood with high quality photos of the color and grain and how they look with various clear finishes. Includes info on hardness and other properties of the wood.

A highly informative chapter on the history of furniture styles. Specifics on design details; dimension parameters to fit specific functions. For example shows why tables are the hight and width that they are.

Does a nice job introducing the reader to all aspects of wood working.

I highly recommend this book.

This book is essential in any home workshop. There is a jig for virtually every kind of job, and detailed instructions on how to make and use them.

The depth of knowledge covers the woodworking spectrum; history, design, tools, techniques and finishing, and LOTS of practical material. It has a design for the best router table I've come across, and the description of dove-tailing is perfect for a home woodworker.

The material on tool maintenance and understanding, and the extensive cross-referencing makes this a must-have book. You will not be sorry.