Product Description
From roughing out an initial concept to creating an accurate cutting list of materials, this book guides readers through the process of designing a piece of furniture, start-to-finish. They'll learn how to:

Create a one-of-a-kind, wholly original project;Design a piece of furniture that meets a very specific or unique need;Replicate a project working from a single photo;Scale a piece of furniture so that it fits exactly where desired

Jim Stack includes all the instructions, photos and detailed drawings woodworkers need to master design techniques with style, ease and confidence! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

disappointed
I expected information about design, but this is just a self serving "I am good at what I do" book. I am sure he is good but there is little or no information about how to actually desigh furniture. No proportions, no instruction except make your mistakes on paper by sketching first. A waste of good money.

I was mega-disappointed.
After reading the two reviews, I thought this would be a great introduction to furniture design.I was expecting information such as generally accepted proportions of furniture elements, possibly a discussion of the application of the golden rectangle, and other non-obvious thoughts.The information is very high-level and broad. This book is so light on real information that I consider it useless.

Beautiful and inspiring book.
This is a beautiful book, nicely laid out, with inspiring photography. The book has 12 chapters, the first 6 cover general design and construction topics, and the remaining 6 each look at a particular type of furniture.

The main reason I bought the book was to gain some insight into the design process. Chapter 2 is titled "creating a drawing", andcovers this by looking at how the author drew/designed and eventually built a table. The chapter is helpful, but a bit short. I would have liked another example. Design seems to be an iterative process, where you draw something and see what works and doesn't, fix and draw again. I would have liked some examples of drawings that show this iterative process, and what criteria are used to determine what works and what doesn't. But maybe that's where the skill of the designer comes in and this can't really be taught in a book.

The last 6 chapters showcase some nice pieces, and have some comments on them. Again, it would have been nice to have examples of the iterative design process used to get to the final result. And to correct another reviewer, some of the pieces are pieces by the editors of Popular Woodworking.

My guess is that the book would have been much more expensive if each type of furniture had an exmple of the design process. Studythe second chapter carefully, and apply it.

I highly recommend this book to people that are interested in going beyond building after plans. I have begun work on a custom bookcase for specific books, and have found the experience very rewarding.

I almost under rated this book, what a mistake that would be
When I first opened this book, I honestly misjudged it. Lots and lots of pictures of furniture is not what I was looking for. Then I realized they are pictures of pieces he had built. This book is a must have. Read on to see why. On second impression I was also disappointed when I saw that it was only 128 pages. It is a large book in every other dimension. High quality color photographs run throughout. The topics covered in the sections, which only run about 4 pages at times, seemed like we were covering basics. Beginning chapters are: Design elements, Creating a drawing, creating a materials list, sizing from a photograph, and small shop considerations.
When I read the name of the book, I jumped at purchasing it. I wanted to learn how to design furniture, and build it on a step by step basis. You know the specifics of joinery and the like. I was thinking about it and the intracacies of doing so. This book does not cover that. If you need to decide whether to use dowels, biscuits, or mortise and tenon joinery to join the apron to the legs on your table, this book will not help with that. It will show you how to imagine the flow of the pieces when you make up your drawings. The aesthetics are really what the very best pieces are all about, and that is what this book gives you a feel for. How to create the most beautiful pieces. That is what I feel about the pieces the author has created. Many of them are far more attractive than the furniture that we see today. The blend of the proper woods, in proportion to size, and function.
He makes you spend a lot of time with pencil and paper, thinking out your piece. How will each and every aspect of it go together, and in what shape, angle and size. Isn't this what we all need. Instead of being fixed in the plans delivered from those who are building standard appearance works.
The later chapters cover: Putting it all together, Beds, dressers, sideboards, and hutches, bookcases, tables, chairs, wall and base cabinets, desks, and entertainment centers.
It is important to say that as an enthusiast, I have been recording the New Yankee Workshop for some time now, thinking I would be able to pull out a tape, and review it when I build a similar piece. What I have learned from all of that is that their is really a limited amount of joints and procedures that we need to learn, to tackle most any project. Notice I said, Most any, carving and highly ornate work, as well as some sophisticated veneers and or inlays are a few exceptions. Nevertheless, armed with this understanding, this book "Design your own furniture" fills a niche that I have not seen anywhere else. How to conceive your own project. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and this book will take you by the hand, and lead you into the creation of pieces of furniture that will be uniquely yours, both in style and function. When you see the pieces that were made in the book, you will realize that the author has transended the standards.
I really hate to boast about a book, knowing that with such high expectations, anything that arrives, will seem like a disappointment. BUT when you take the third impression, and really start to read it as I have, you will realize, that this, more than others, is the key to your real attainment as a woodworking artist. Not an extremist, but rather a sense of freedom from the standard, while still maintaining the standard format and function of the designs that we have all come to know. I know this book will be helpful, and I hope this review is also. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents a simple method of frameless cabinetry for building cabinets easily and inexpensively. Sam Allen's versatile, modular system and easy-to-grasp techniques aim to enable even inexperienced woodworkers to build professional-looking pieces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cabenitry basics.
This is a good beginners book on basic cabinetry making. Good step by step photos. Really like it.

Good and Basic
I wanted to convert my garage into a small workshop and thought that this would be a good time to learn to make cabinets. Having never made cabinets before I thought a 'Basics' book would be a good introduction. I could have bought a much more expensive book that gave me an A to Z detailed analysis of cabinet making over the last 400 years but, all I needed was a start. This book shows you one joint; the dowel joint. This book shows you one style of cabinetry; the frameless cabinet. Although this seems limited, this book did a very good job of describing how to make a freestanding cabinet, bookshelf, hanging cabinet, and builtins using these techniques. If you are looking for a large, inclusive book on every style of cabinetry this is not the book for you. However, if you are like me and just need to know how to get started this is perfect.

Great Basic Book
I thought that this book gave a great view of the basics.Although I makemy living selling lumber, I knew nothing about making cabinets.I was verypleased with the book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn todowel, cut a straight line with a power saw, etc..

This is a great book for aspiring cabinet builders
This is a great book. I received the book from my brother, who also had a good experience with it. I have never built a cabinet before and my carpentry experience was nill. By following this book, I was able to built a great nightstand and am already looking forward to my next project. The book contains concise step by step examples accompanied by illustrations and photos that guide you through the process. The author also clearly details the supplies that are necessary which was a big help. I highly recommend this book.

Chris Geen San Francisco, CA ... Read more

Product Description
A workbench is a tool that every woodworker needs. This book provides an exciting variety of workbench projects that can make their time in the shop safer, more efficient and fun.

Inside readers will find workbench designs for every need: benches for woodcarving, for assembly, for tearing apart engine blocks, for potting plants and more. There are 10 projects in all, including a special design that's tricked-out to be the most flexible bench possible-a super bench for the woodworker who has everything! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

wish I'd listened to the other reviewers and skipped this book
It's a waste of the 84 cents that I paid for it, plus shipping.......

Custom workbenches?Not in this book.But, if you want to read 2, yes 2 different chapters on how to build a saw horse, then this is your book.

Incredibly, this book was published by Popular Woodworking's book division.I can't believe that they let this dog out of the kennel....

Workbench Lite
Did I really buy this? If you are interested in building a workbench, then get these: Workbench Book by Scott Landis; Workbench by Lon Schleining. `Nuf said.

Very Promising but ......
This book is just a series of badly explained home projects and nothing more.
I found only one useful.My overall score is 3 stars just because the book is cheap.
The author keeps reminding you that he is the most skilled woodworker in the world using phrases like "It only took me 4 hours to complete", when one clearly can see that is only possible if you own every gadget the market has to offer.
No real teaching, no approach to workbenches, just a bunch of specialized items that you can create for a single purpose (therefore not very useful).
Not recommended ... Read more

Product Description
Woodworkers will add charm to their homes with these classic pieces in the traditional American Country style. Each of the twenty-three projects will be attractive to beginners and experts due to their easy-to-read plans and the popularity of Country-style furniture. These are proven projects compiled from classic issues of Popular Woodworking magazine--the #1 woodworking project magazine today!

This book simplifies the building process and makes every project more accessible by first showing how to build three amazing jigs woodworkers can use to make every piece in the book. They'll learn to build everything from a pipe to a step-back cupboard, plus a Shaker blanket chest, a farmer's flip-top desk, Queen Anne side tables, a country spice cabinet, a Shaker tailor's table and a tiger maple medicine cabinet.

* Country style is a very popular furniture style, ranking #1 on the Popular Woodworking woodworker survey
* Contains a wide range of 23 projects in all! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Building Traditional Country Furniture
This book is not for the novice wookworker. Details of design are skipped with the assumption you either know the cut or the implementation of the step. i.e. the traditional secretary furniture- the builder wait almost 10 years to develop the skills to build this piece of furniture. ... Read more

Product Description
Using time-tested woodworking techniques like mortise-and-tenon joinery and solid-wood cabinet construction, woodworkers can build furniture pieces that will last a lifetime.

Fine Furniture for a Lifetime teaches them the skills they need to construct and finish traditional Shaker and country furniture.All 10 projects are fun to build and will add elegance to any home.

Glen Huey provides step-by-step instructions and photos for every project including a Philadelphia tall chest, a Shaker sewing desk, a John Seymour sideboard, a Queen Anne dropleaf dining table, a Townsend height chest and more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Tree books are the exact same
Illustrated Guide to Building Period Furniture and Building 18th Century American Furniture and Fine Furniture for a Lifetime (Popular Woodworking) are the same book.I bought the tree at the same time not knowing that.
This is a racket.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!
This is one of the best woodworking books out there.You not only learn how to build several projects but you learn the art of case construction!

Excellent book
Now this is how a book of this type should be done.Nice easy to read detail/plan layouts/etc.Nicely done color photos.This book is a excellent choice.

Excellent Guide to Building Fine Furniture
I own this book and "Building Fine Furniture" (also by Glen Huey).They are both very detailed, providing complete cut lists, exploded diagrams of each piece, and thorough instructions with plenty of pictures.

I haven't built any of the pieces in the book, but I've use several of the techniques described in other pieces.

Every design is an elegant and beautiful classic piece.
This book is a standout because every piece in it is an elegant classic worthy of the effort required to build it. I don't know of any other book for which I'd make that assertion. More often books have just a few designs that meet the requirements of truly elegant proportions, classic design and practical utility for a modern home, while the majority of plans given are historically interesting but often display awkward proportions and have little practical value for the way we live now, and the spaces we live in. Not all old designs are good designs! The title of this book, "Fine Furniture for a Lifetime," is appropriate because the designs are so excellent that you'll never in your lifetime come to the realization that you've outgrown them, which can happen with lesser designs. Instead, I think you'll appreciate them more as your design sense matures.

The author's constructed examples are beautifully done, from what is often magnificent wood. The process photographs are clear and informative. The construction steps are well organized and presented. Suggested techniques are professional.

I do have one criticism, and that's regarding the drawings. All of them are done as an exploded view, and in perspective. Only a few dimensions are given on the drawings. You're required to refer to a separate cutting list to get the actual measurements. There are no straight on elevation or plan drawings. These drawings are well done, and together with the cutting lists the information's all there. But you have to labor intellectually a bit more than otherwise necessary to make sense of it. This is in contrast to the furniture drawings of Carlyle Lynch or Franklin Gottshall, for example, who do give you fully dimensioned plan and elevation drawings, and also perspective exploded views where needed. But in my opinion the designs in this book justify the additional effort required. ... Read more

Product Description
Using basic materials and tools, the reader learns the techniques necessary to construct custom cabinets, desks, a linen wardrobe, bookcases and kitchen cabinets. This guide to cabinetry includes instructions and detailed plans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Never Never Again
This is written in hopes the con artist of a so called writer reads it.
I have bought your books before so I spent $23 and got this one also.
I got two new plans for my money. The rest of the book was the exact same plans pics everything as the last book. If you have nothing new retire.
You may as well have stolen money from my house, sleep well Danny.

Very Limited Scope - No Real Help Here
This book is long on glitz, short on information. In all honesty, I'd say it was more designed to sell books that to be helpful. There are much better books available, don't waste your money

Worthwhile reading
I don't know that I'd use the cabinets described in this book in some settings.That doesn't mean that the methods Proulx describes are not worth examing.He stesses cost-conscious methods and materials that I wish I had learned earlier. Proulx gives you a method for doing custom work on a tight budget and schedule. This would have been wonderful when I used to work on rental properties.

I'll use this book for reference quite often.There are times when this type of cabinet is exactly what you need.

From Library Journal
Proulx is a Canadian woodworker with more than 30 years experience, the last 11 in his own custom cabinet shop. He is the author of several other books on the craft of cabinetmaking and storage solutions, a contributing editor of CabinetMaker magazine, and the author of many articles for a variety of other woodworking magazines. The current volume presents 15 projects, aimed at the homemaker or hobbyist, which can be undertaken with basic knowledge and tools. Some of the individual projects can be combined in a variety of ways. In a bright, profusely illustrated volume, with some color on virtually every page, Proulx begins with a discussion of tools, techniques, and hardware that is insightful, honest, and encouraging. He then offers an "exploded" view of each project, followed by a materials list, and any details that might be confusing, or of interest to the builder. Proulx includes a metric conversion table, a wood color guide, a concise glossary of woodworking terms, and common defects, and an index. Well written and beautifully produced, this is a strong book with which to start, or to strengthen, one's woodworking skill. Recommended for those collections with strong hobbyist focus or with woodworkers.--Alex Hartmann, INFOPHILE, Skokie, IL Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information

Don't buy
I've never seen cabinets as ugly as the ones in this book.I guess this book was written for the begining woodworker with no taste.This book is lacking in tecnique as much as it is in style. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn to build comfortable, long-lasting chairs. Chairs are ubiquitous, found in every home, office and building. Almost all are commercially made since many woodworkers shy away from making chairs, or even stools. Granted, there are not too many square parts to most chairs, and compound angles are somewhat intimidating. But the articles in this book, reprinted from "Fine Woodworking" magazine, should help dispel any questions or fears you may have about chair building. Not only can you build them, you can make them better than the average commercially made models. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good, could be better
This book was a bit of a disappointment for me.The articles are generally quite good, but a lot of the book is devoted to things other than chair woodworking.There are only seven chairs covered and three of those are built with round components, meaning, that out of 150 pages there are only four chairs where woodworking joinery is really explored.There are articles that are useful on caning seats, carving seats, making a slip seat, making stools and settees that are all good in their own right, but the questions of good chair design are largely left unanswered.If you are looking for a book on chair design then this comes up short.How high should a seat be?What is the typical relationship between the arms and the seat of a captain's chair?The book doesn't tackle these kinds of questions.On the other hand there are two articles that are almost worth the price alone; one called "Chair Making Simplified" and another called "Compound Angle Joinery".

GOOD READING
THIS HAS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FOR CAHIR REPAIR.A GOOD BUY. ... Read more

Product Description
Nothing conveys the comfort and warmth of hearth and home quite like handmade, solid wood furniture. We've assembled a collection of "comfort" furniture for your home in Building Furniture for Country Living. By following the detailed step-by-step instructions and photos, you too can bring the comfort of country living into your home, no matter what your skill level.

• Eleven projects offer options for every room in your house.
• Each project includes fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions.
• Learn from expert woodworkers how to build and finish heirloom projects.

Product Description
An examination of furniture-making classics, first published in the form of separate articles. A wide range of tables and chairs is covered, providing woodworkers with a choice of projects and many practical techniques. The book includes working drawings and enlarged views for guidance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice Book, Good Price
A Good Book, Nice Price and delivered as advertised - expected no less and could ask for no more. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Amazing stuff
Inspiring...Intimidating..beauty and technical skills.And we get it in well done pictures.

When I look at what other woodworkers have done, I wonder, "why isn't the list of great woodworkers longer?"

Great coffee table book. Creat visual stimulus for new ideas.

Helps me to look at what I do with a considered eye. I want to do better to be in the company of great craftsmen/persons!

Fine woodworking does this over and over. The older and newer books all have excellence to contribute.

Worth sitting on any book shelf!

All meat, no fat
Like everything associated with Fine Woodworking, this book was neither inexpensive nor cheap. (I think I paid more than $20 for it ... Amazon currently has it listed for $15-ish, and it's a no-brainer at that price!) There's no fluff or fat here, no projects nobody in their right mind somebody would want in his or her home ... just photos and drawings of good-looking pieces.

The other thing you won't find here is step-by-step instruction. Experienced woodworkers will find what they need to recreate these pieces, but the book does not hold your hand.

Great may be overblown.
Am a professional woodworker. I buy books like these to expand my knowledge base. There's always something new to add to what you already know, and books like these should do just that. but the material in this book on each project is so sparse as to barely hint on what's needed to do the project. True, I could go back into my voluminous back issues of Fine Woodworking collection and get the whole article, or consult the New Taunton cd rom that would do the same, but then the book is merely a project index. And I'm sure the Cd rom has that as an option. For someone with little experience at building ,it's not enough, and "old hats" at this won't get much for their buck. And as I said, most old hats have these pieces/articles in their magazine collections already. Ho Hum...

Excellent Value at $17
I really like this book. I've built several pieces following articles from Fine Woodworking magazine and have always been very pleased with their how-to articles.

Unfortunately, each piece of furniture in this book is short on how-to information.Each piece has a complete measured drawing but the construction details are pretty much left for the reader to determine. Several pieces would benefit from more detailed construction advice. But a solid intermediate-level woodworker will be able to build everything shown in here.

I was surprised to see the Newport secretary included here. Anyone that intends to build a piece of furniture that will require at least 1000 hours to complete will probably want the complete article (and not the abridged version found here) and will probably do extensive research before undertaking such a monumental project.

furniture books
As with all the Fine Woodworking books, this has lots of detail and good picturesif you like fine woodworking magazine, you'll
like this book, although you may already have some of the articles ... Read more

Product Description
Stock preparation and joinery are the most fundamental processes necessary to build furniture, while shaping operations give furniture its varied forms. This volume covers both basic and advanced techniques from milling lumber straight, flat, and square to creating curved shapes and complex components. Similarly the joinery chapters cover basic joints - dovetails and mortise-and-tenon joints as well as modern joinery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Simply Outstanding
I fully concur in the comments of the previous evaluator. As I near retirement, I am looking forward to using the great collection of woodworking tools I have amassed.This book has better explanations on the use of a jointer than the material that came with my recently purchased 6" Jet.The pictures, virtually all in color,are very illustrative and the text was just right - not too technical or boring but well written and to the point.The books treatment of straightening less-than-perfect material is outstanding.

A Must for Every Woodworker's Library
A must for every wookworker's library, this book is a well ordered collection of articles written by master craftsmen.Packed with pictures, it begins with how to straighten warped woods then details how to curve straight woods.Full of information on every type of wood joint and jigs to make them work right the first time using one's hand or power tools.I have found the secrets revealed in this book to be most helpful in my understanding how to get the most out of my nice tools.I particularly like the section on how to choose router bits and detect whether or not they are defective.I had an expensive one shatter on first use; no more.I'll use this as a reference many times.It is well worth the buck. ... Read more

Product Description
Simple and beautiful, Arts & Crafts furniture designs offer an excellent learning medium for furniture building. The Arts & Crafts style allows the craftsman to build a quality piece of furniture in a reasonable amount of time while providing a very successful and satisfying experience.

This book offers a collection of twenty-five Arts & Crafts furniture projects for every room in your home. Some of the projects are accurate reproductions of the original furniture pieces, while others are loving adaptations of the style. In addition to the projects in the book, we've included a Bonus CD-ROM with ten furniture projects and ten technique articles to provide even more information on construction and finishing.

This book represents a collection ofprojects that the Popular Woodworking staff considers to be some of most visually appealing pieces of furniture ever created. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good selection
In general this book is a good selection of articles of Popular Woodworking Magazine, but there are many chapters about seats, almost 50% of the articles are about chair, armchair, etc.

A good book, but a caveat ...
This book has considerable overlap with Popular Woodworking's Authentic Arts and Crafts Furniture (2000 ISBN 1558705686). The Limbert Bookcase featured on the cover, the Limbert Inlaid Rocker, Morris Chair, Greene and Greene Entry Bench, Prairie Spindle Chair, and Mantle Clock were all in the earlier volume, as were the introductory articles on the History of Arts and Crafts Furniture and Construction Techniques. With about one-third of the content is duplicated, the publisher should make the relationship to the earlier work clear. Not doing so detracts from an otherwise excellent compilation of high-quality articles.

Worthwhile projects and crystal-clear direction
This book has 3 sections: a brief, but good introduction to the major Arts & Crafts furniture makers, with comments on their relative qualities and places in the movement; construction techniques; and projects.All are well illustrated and all pictures are in color (except, obviously, repros of original black and white photos).Alternative techniques are given for a number of joinery types.Helpful advice and tips are given throughout both the techniques and projects sections.The projects range from quite simple (Morris Chair footstool) to middling complex (various chairs).Some unusual items are also included, such as the Limbert Tabouret, which is a table with four interlocking legs, and the "Lost Stickley Side Table", a Stickley prototype with straight legs in back and splayed in front.Only two really modern pieces are included: a Prairie Style coffee table and an outdoor version of the Morris Chair.The included CD has additional plans.Considering the excellent content, the quality of the book itself, and the bonus CD, this book is quite a bargain.

Great Introduction to making Arts and Crafts furniture
I was very challanged to expand my skills after I read this book.The projects were interesting and worthy of handing down to my family as heirlooms. ... Read more

Product Description

The holy grail of all home woodworkers is the carefully crafted, expertly finished cabinet. No other shop project calls upon and displays a woodworker`s skills so decisively. With Classic Cabinetry, Woodsmith sets out eleven major projects in exquisite detail, including a hanging wallcase, charming apothecary cabinet, and the tour de force cherry wardrobe. Whatever your choice, this book has all the inspiration and information you need to create heirloom quality woodworking projects.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great projects, great drawings, great discussion on methods
This book has great drawings on methods of construction for cabinet work.Many drawings for each project showing router and saw use methods along with materials lists and stock cutting diagrams.

There are 11 projects with many drawer and door variations for each.From small display cases to large wardrobes.Very good looking designs.Each project has detailed construction sequences and shop tips.

Nice spiral binding hard cover makes for a book that lays open perfectly for shop use. ... Read more

Product Description
This text helps you to design and make furniture in the modern style. Top-notch contemporary woodworkers describe how to build bookcases, credenzas, coffee tables, futon beds, computer furniture, outdoor loungers, music stands and pool tables. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good for some!!!
This book has some interesting projects and i like how it is organize. WHat i don't get are some of the projects it has, i mean it is suppose to be about modern furniture and i really don't care about wheels and some oold fashion pieces.

I didn't think this book is what it says it is.
I had a number of problems with this book, which basically come down to that I wanted a book on "modern" furniture - a style developed in the 20's and 30's - but that's not what the book means by "modern", they mean "of today". Few of the projects in the book are in the "modern" style I was looking for. Many are rustic or distinctly pre-modern in style.

The book is a collection of articles from Fine Woodworking magazine. Some of them are indeed "projects" as the title implies, but many of them read more like "a brief discussion of things you could do" instead. The ones I would call "projects" go on with the assumption that they will present a piece of furniture, show plans, and describe how it is made. The others basically show a few photos of furniture and discuss their features and a few details of their construction, without actually showing anything about what to do. I found this particularly frustrating as most of the few pieces in the book that I really liked were merely shown without much discussion.

If you just want a book of articles about making furniture, it's a well printed book and I suppose the articles could be interesting in that context. However, if you're looking for a book about making furniture in the 20's/30's "modern" style, I don't think this is it. ... Read more

Product Description
Built-In Furniture for the Home provides readers with detailed how-to instructions for making built-in cabinets and furniture. Included are cutting lists, hardware lists and step-by-step photos showing woodworkers how to build and easily install built-in cabinets and furniture. Author Chris Gleason has provided seven case-study projects for the home office, living room, library, den, kitchen and bathroom plus valuable tips and tricks for installing built-in cabinets that will make the job go effortlessly. Specifics on installations separate from the projects shown in the book will help with additional built-in furniture making this a great reference guide for any woodworker. ... Read more

Product Description
No matter how big or small the job, The Complete Cabinetmaker's Reference is an indispensable resource for cabinetmakers. This handy, comprehensive guide does the homework for the reader, with:

-Complete cutting lists for all standard-sized cabinets for the kitchen, bathroom, den and bedroom, along with a list of types and quantities of materials needed

-Step-by-step instructions illustrated with clear, informative photographs

-Tips and suggestions on building cabinets that will last a lifetime

-Convenient spiral binding that allows readers to easily photocopy the pages

In addition to standard-sized cabinets, readers are also shown how to adapt the projects to build custom-sized pieces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Cabinet Maker's Reference
The book is for my husband. We had to replace the one he already had because we gave it to our son for a project and he likes it so much he wanted to keep it. Great reference.

Definitely for first time woodworker's only
The book is well manufacturing and will last for quite a while so you won't lose out on quality. It is glossy and well illustrated however it lacks content for anyone who has built a cabinet or two. It does contain some good points on basic cabinet construction that will be beneficial to someone just starting woodworking however if you are looking for construction details on lots of different styles this is not the book for you. The book contains a lot of the same thing with many construction sheets repeated with only minor changes to a single dimension. For example pages 20 to 27, which contain 28 separate construction sheets (one per page), have exactly the same cabinet illustration and cutting list with one minor change in width on each sheet. This pattern appears to be repeated throughout the book (e.g. pages 32-39, 44-59). However like I said it is well made and would be a good first reference but is definitely not for anyone above beginner level.

Great REFERENCE book
Read the title people. It's called a REFERENCE book for a reason...it's not a "how to" or instructional book...it's a reference manual for standard assembly and measurements. This book is a great reference for any kitchen or bath project. That binding makes it easy to copy and bring to an estimate. True, the basic construction is frameless...but American style cabinets are moving to either a frameless 32mm style completely or are a frameless carcass with a face frame slapped on the front of them.

Very useful.
I used this book and a couple of others to build some garage cabinets. I found it very useful. This made the project much easier. I modified the designs a bit, but having a starting point with cutlists was invaluable.

This book fills an important NICHE...
...namely for all the people that flunked out of elementary algebra and can't figure out how to size cabinet parts for themselves. Do yourself a favor, save your money and buy either udo schmidt's, jim tolpin's or danny proulx's books on cabinetmaking as they provide much more useful information beyond cutlist and assembly instructions. Keeping in mind that a standard wall cabinet is 12" deep and that a standard base cabinet is 24" deep and that both are often 30" high (excluding toe kick), you can EASILY fill in the rest of the dimensions by downloading a PDF file on cabinet dimensions from any of the major cabinet companies like merillat or mill's pride but in general most of the widths are in 3" increments beginning with 12" and up to 48". You can easily replace this entire book with the innovative FREE ecabinets program from thermwood. ... Read more

Product Description
The secret of building boxes and drawers that can stand up to everyday use is good, strong corner joints. This is the art of carcass joinery. In this text, craftsmen explain how to choose, make and use every kind of carcass joint in both solid wood and plywood, using hand tools and machine methods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The key word here is"Fine"
If you want to truely refine or up grade your woodworking skills,buy this book! The editors of Fine Woodworking are among,if not "the", leading comtributers to the art of woodworking today.

not bad
This isn't a bad book but it,s clearly a load of dated articles stuck together in an attempt to teach those who wish to make drawers & boxes a little something that in my opinion takes a long time to truely master. It's suggested in the book how easy it is to make dovetails, I've been making kitchens for years and it takes a long time to learn what you really NEED to know about these things. Take it from me it's easy to talk the talk.
There are better books out there that cover this subject in a more informative and enjoyable manner, try any of Jim Tolpin's woodworking books and you,ll see what I mean.

Classic Treatises
Some of the very best from the early years of Fine Woodworking Magazine by some of the Titans of the Seventies.These techniques are as fresh and informative today as they were when they were written.

One of FWW's Best of the "Best Of" Series
40+ reprinted articles from Fine Woodworking magazine by such masters as Tage Frid, Ian Kirby, Mark Duginske, Jim Cummins and many others.

General subject matter includes:

Joinery -- box joint jig, blind finger joints, plate joinery, tapered sliding dovetails, hand dovetails.

Boxes --bandsawn, box design, bookmatching boards for.

Carcases -- European stylecabinets, blanket chests, open, stereo cabinets.

Drawers -- generalhow-to, bottoms, making your own hardware, miters/tape/glue, panels forlids.

Miscellany -- drawer stop ideas, hanging doors, panel cutting,french fitting.

All in all, this is a well rounded, authoritative andtremendously helpful volume for the advanced amateur cabinetmaker. I havepersonally used many of the techniques described herein on my own projectswith much success and am all the better craftsman for it.

Highlyrecommended. ... Read more

Product Description
In 25 articles from the pages of "Fine Woodworking" magazine, the world's foremost woodworkers share their knowledge of design, proportion, and technique. Each classic project has complete drawings and detailed construction techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

WoodWork
I bought this book to make some furniture.I has very good pictures, instructions and diagrams.
I recommend this book to advance WoodWorkers.

Interesting, but not a book of plans
Not what I thought it was.Just a compilation of articles from "Fine Woodworking."Not project plans like I was expecting.You could build from this, but quite a challenge for an average woodworker.

Not for the Novice
This book provides a list and description of 24 projects, compiled from various authors and craftsmen taken from the pages of Fine Woodworking over a period of several years.The "plans" lack any uniformity.Some have dimensions of projects listed, while others don't.Some have a parts list, while others list nothing.Do not expect exploded views and measurements, tool requirements, parts lists, assembly sequence, or anything that I would consider as actual "plans."This book is more a few photos and drawings with a narrative of how they constructed their items.The reader is expected to have a detailed working knowledge of furniture construction to understand the terms used and how to properly make certain cuts, a knowldge of joinery, etc.Again, this is not the novice woodworker. ... Read more

Product Description
Chairmaking Simplified offers the complete chair experience for woodworkers by providing not only step-by-step instructions for an in-depth education on chairmaking but also a history of chair design and a section on how to design a comfortable chair. Other titles have covered very specific chairs such as Windsor or Shaker, but this is the first title to cover chairs in a comprehensive manner by offering a variety of styles and configurations guaranteed to offer at least one favorite for every woodworker. Kerry has simplified the process of chairmaking by using jigs and his voice lends to clear and easy instruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Simplified YES...Thorough....?
I would rate this close to a 4 but not quite. First let me say that I do think that this is a book worth owning. Why? A few good reasons.
There are good measured drawings of a variety of chairs that create a solid reference to start any of the projects. They may be missing some details for the novice but basic geometry and some trial and error, which is inevitable, can figure out the rest. On that note before I continue... I am not sure what the one reviewer was complaining about in the front rung mortising jig drawing. It has all of the measurements to create the jig. Maybe mine is a revised addition. Also I like how the author sets you at ease and you feel that making compound mortises in a post isn't that big of a deal. In fact he helps you understand how being less than perfect actually can create a stronger chair. Read chapter 7. This is the part where you will see how he describes his simple method.I enjoyed his thoughts on different aspects of chair making from his 4 decades of experience. That said I wish that the text could have been more to the point and clear when it came to the actual methods being described in the chapter. Some parts I found I had to read several times to understand what he was explaining. This led to me realizing that he was leaving some things out. Little details that you could figure out on your own butwhat I seem to think is that with all the talking it could have been better used just focusing on the chair making method. Also I found myself flipping from one page with text describing what you are doing to photos or drawings showing you what to make or how to make it on different pages. This of course would interupt your focus. Good layout would have improved this book. For these reasons that is why I gave this a less than perfect score. I have been doing case work and other furniture pieces for some years now so I can figure out what to do but for the novice I think this could be frustrating and not in fact make chair making "simplified". However, all in all I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. I say this because despite the poor layout it has good information. I have found that you can never rely totally on one source for your reference material so you will probably buy another book to compliment this one anyways. Learn the concepts behind a method and apply it to how and what you want to build. I bought this book to learn about rung and post construction. I am not going to use his jig because I am not building shaker style chairs, though I am sure it would make it simple and would work well. I did however learn what I needed to know to feel confident in making the pieces that I want. That to me was worth the low cost of the book. By the way the 2 chapters on Windsor chair making was a real treat. It is hard to find a good book on that subject at a reasonable price. The two chapters are written by a different person so it is less wordy and more to the point. If I were writing a review on that part of the book alone I would give it a higher review just for the clarity and simple explanations and good layout of photos and text. No flipping from one page with text describing what you are doing to photos or drawings showing you what to make or how to make it. For these two chapters alone with the four detailed drawings of windsor chairs plus the "shave pony" drawing would be worth the purchase if that is what you where wanting to make. As for the chapter on lathes I can't comment since I didn't read it. I have all the reference on that that I need. I hope this helps. Buy this book.

Excellent Introduction
I bought this book as an introduction to chair making. It served that purpose extremely well. Descriptions and concepts are lucid and understandable. Illustrations are helpful.Finally, although the early chapters are ideal for a beginning chair maker, the book has plenty of depth.

Highly recommended.

Great guide to building Shaker chairs
I found Chairmaking Simplified to be very well organized with clear photos and sufficiently detailed plans.Pierce specializes in Shaker style furniture, so most of the chairs in the book are shaker-inspired.In particular, the chapters on weaving cotton tape and cane seats were informative and helpful.

Potentially great book with a fatal flaw
I bought this book because I was interested in learning how to make shaker chairs, and wanted a thorough, comprehensive treatment of the details.This book comes very close to achieving all I had hoped for it, but it has a fatal flaw.First, let me explain the good points.The book does provide a comprehensive and thorough treatment of building shaker chairs from turning legs and rungs on the lathe through mortising the legs, shaping arms, rockers, and weaving the seat with shaker chair tape as well as rushes.The book is well organized and the author's approach seems quite appealing.The author does a terrific job of explaining nearly every phase of shaker chair building.Now for the fatal flaw.The author's approach relies completely upon two clever jigs: a front mortise rung jig (FMRJ) and a side mortise rung jig (SMRJ).The book provides (on page 67) drawings for the two jigs as well as some photographs of them on other pages.


Unfortunately, the jigs cannot be built with the information provided in the drawings.In the SMRJ, for example, there is a trapezoidal shaped piece.The drawing provides the height of the longer leg of the trapezoid, but not the height of the shorter leg.Since the relative dimensions of these two legs determine the critical angle at which mortises are drilled, you really need this information to build the jig.This dimension cannot be determined by other information in the drawing nor can it be determined from information given in the text. Furthermore, the critical angle is discussed in general terms in the text, but nowhere specified (had it been, the dimension needed could have been worked out with elementary trigonometry).

The situation with the FMRJ is not any better.One of the dimensions in the drawing is missing.Furthermore, the photographs of the jig in the book do NOT correspond to the drawing.Thus it is pretty well impossible to determine exactly how to build this jig.The only thing that alleviates this situation is that, in this case, the jig is used to drill mortises at a 90 degree angle.Thus, one can see exactly what is intended and, I believe it would be pretty straightforward to design a jig to accomplish the intended task.

One final caveat.The section on turning and sharpening may be a questionable inclusion.Other books dealing solely with turning (Darlow's books, for example) provide a much more comprehensive (and better) treatment of turning and sharpening.I suppose its inclusion can be justified on the basis of providing a complete reference under one cover.

Without the two jigs, however, the author's approach cannot be carried out.While some experimentation (involving wasted time, material, and money on the reader's part) may resolve the dimensioning problems with the jig drawings, it irks me to have to spend my time and money doing so when a competent editing job could have obviated the necessity of doing so.

The author came very close to having a true classic here (one which would have rated 5 stars easily, and was prevented from doing so only by a careless editor.My advice to the author:find a way to get an addendum to the book out on the web correcting these errors.
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