Customer Reviews

The Woodwright's Apprentice: Twenty Favorite Projects From The Woodwright's Shop

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

 

 

This is a great book with many project ideas. It is not a book of measured drawings. If you've viewed "The Woodwright's Shop," you wouldn't expect to see them anyway. Each project highlights different techniques with hand tools. I've personally recreated the bellows from this book with much success (If I do say so myself!)

I still re-read the section on hand-cutting dovetails each time I attempt them.

All-in-all, it's a great book that demonstrates woodworking techniques while forcing you to improvise your projects around the basic themes presented in its pages.

When you read Underhill you begin to understand the tradition of woodworking--the heritage of anyone whose ancestors had to hew out a shelter and live off the land (in other words, every one of us). The former master housewright for Colonial Williamsburg includes projects with instructions specific enough to get you started but vague enough to challenge you to inject individuality into your work. As a still-green intermediate woodworker and a history student, I loved it.

This is my favorite of the series in overall content. There are no trips to the forest or barn raisings here, just projects that can be built in any workshop. Unlike the others, this is not really a sit down and read through it book. Instead it's a true how-to book.

This is a recap of some of the less than useful items Mr. Underhill has built on his TV program. I regret having bought it. I guess if you had never seen his show it might be considered interesting. Sorry, Roy...

I now own most of Woodwright's Shop books but not all. For woodworkers that enjoy learning a lot of the basics or just checking out the many projects they all make good reading and a great reference in the shop. This editions swivel Windsor Chair is a classic.

Roy Underhill has always fascinated me with the objects he can make using antique handtools. This book features more actual projects than his other books. As usual it is well written and the overall feel of the layout and projects is remeniscent of a book one would find pre-industrial revolution.

Well worth adding to a library.