Customer Reviews

Tauntons Complete Illustrated Guide To Woodworking

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been trying to find the perfect book for a novice woodworker and this is not it. The word "complete" in the title implies that it is for beginners -- as an experienced woodworker would most likely buy more specialized books -- such as a book just on dovetail joints.

For example, it has a chapter on all the different kinds of joints you can make -- which is good for a beginner. But then they have a how-to on using a hollow-chisel mortiser - a machine that no novice has in their shop.

They will often show how to do things on upper-end machinery that is out of the price-range or has too large a footprint for a beginner. Some of these things can't be done as well (if at all) with entry-level tools (like cutting down the width of a board with a band saw).

So it is good if you want to understand the big-picture world of wood working, but it is equally silly to give quick lessons on how to use upper-end tools that a beginner just wouldn't have.

If anyone from Taunton is reading this, it would be great to have a book geared toward the beginner who mostly has bench-top tools and doesn't have tools like jointers and shapers.

I've justed considering doing something about my interest in woodworking. After watching scores of decorating shows where they build fairly simple pieces of furniture, I felt I needed a more detailed guide. I was especially interested in the tools, their uses and general kind of construction. This book has it all and explains it in an easy-to-understand manner. My husband has almost all the tools, but I don't know how to use them.

I really like the Case Joinery section where they explain various ways to join pieces of wood and the Construction secion where they show you how to construct different projects, including doors, drawers and shelves. They not only explain it, but include color photographs that are easy to follow.

There is so much covered in this book and was well worth the money. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I have several Taunton books and this one rates up there with the best of them.

The collaborative effort by wordworking experts Lonnie Bird, Jeff Jewitt, Thomas Lie-Nielsen, Andy Rae, and Gary Rogowski, Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide To Woodworking is a straightforward guide for practitioners of all levels of expertise. Chapters cover everything from setting up and outfitting one's workshop, to basic wood skills such as sanding, smoothing, or using cutting lines, to more advanced means of dimensioning and shaping wood, to joinery, sharpening, construction and finishing techniques. Each of the step-by-step instructions is illustrated with black-and-white sketches or full color photographs demonstrating every individual step. Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide To Woodworking does not spare the camera or the description, taking painstaking effort to be as clear as possible both visually and verbally. The text is straightforward, in reasonably large print and easy-to-read, and an index allows for quick and easy reference. Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide To Woodworking is a "must-have" for amateur woodworkers and an excellent basic reference review of the fundamentals suitable for advanced woodcrafters as well.

I'm new to woodworking, and I didn't want to spend a ton of money. The Taunton Series of Woodworking books looked like a good bet, but then I discovered this newly released book, which takes the most important info from the Taunton series of books. Pretty much anything you want to do is described in this book. Everything from setting up shop to shaping wood to finishing it. It's well written and and a must have wookworking guide for the shop. I especially like the tips on how to handle pieces safely. When I need more detail, I'm sure I'll pick up the other Taunton books. For 20 bucks on Amazon, its a no-brainer for those of us starting out.

This book is excellant for those people starting out in wood working as it shows what can be done wihtout overwealming the reader. Althrough there is not enougth detail to pick up all the tricks, it does give you enougth basic ideas to be able to get a more advanced book and actually know what it is talking about. On the strength of this book, i will be buying most, if not all, of the Taunton's Illustrated Guides.

I have been a woodbutcher for many years. I did this as an advocation. Wanted to dedicate serious time to fine furniture, and cabinets. As reviewers who rate this text positively note. "It is a great book for getting started." I have had discussions with woodworkers who have different levels of expertise. They have shared similar information to what I can find in this excellent text. It is criticized for being "pedestrian" and this is actually a good quality. Habits and skills come from practice, making mistakes, and doing what works for me. I have other similar books, They are more cutting edge, but this is seriously a great book for people who want to reduce personal mistakes in building mental skills toward planning and preperation. It is not a simple "how to book" but a mentoring manual.

This book teaches you all the fundamentals you need to know to begin woodworking. With great pictures and lots of tidbits that feel more like advice and wisdom rather than lecture, the book is a great read and makes you want to get your hands dirty as soon as possible. Highly recommended!

Taunton's has a long history of publishing extremely thorough woodworking books, and this is no exception. For an all-in-one book, this covers a great deal under one cover! Will remain on my workbench for a long time!

Taunton does an excellent job of producing attractive, well written wide market appeal products. The content of Complete Illustrated Guide is a convenient collection of the same articles you will find in their "Fine Woodworking" magazine. The authors are knowledgable, and very successful in thier space. Unfortunately, in building the mass appeal formula, Taunton had to give up anything edgy, its all vanilla and no "rocky road". A recent copy of Fine Woodworking for example rated central dust vacuums. They rated 3 "best" each was from the product line of one of the top three manufacturers each of whom advertise heavily in thier publications. As I recall there is usually one "best" and then others follow. This straddling is what I mean by no edgyness, they are trying to appeal to everyone and offend no one. In the end this approach results in what I believe is the best vanilla product out there and I love to consume what they produce, just have to take it for what it is, mass production. If you have progressed in woodworking to the point where you are becomming an artist or want to learn something new, look here for foundation and elsewhere for creativity. Most folks will benefit from both.

Book came in time indicated and was in the shape we expected. We would order from this supplier again if the occasion presented itself.