Book Description
Geared towards casual woodworkers and enthusiastic DIYers, this book opens the door to stylish, affordable furniture that anyone can build! The step-by-step instructions cover 20 projects including high-use household items such as futons, armoires, lamps, dressers and nightstands. All of the designs:

-Are easy to build and take only one to three hours to complete

-Use inexpensive, readily available materials

-Produce sturdy furniture designed for the long haul

It's perfect for those on a budget or just testing their woodworking skills -- or both! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not in my house!
This is rediculous.There is no way someone would put these projects inside of a home!C'mon....exposed plywood?!?Not in my house!

Great for college students or others on a budget
Are you a cash-strapped college student, a single person or couple just starting out, or just a minimalist?Do you need furniture?Do you have some basic tools, or access to them, and at least average intelligence?

If you meet the above qualifications you will find this book helpful.It shows how to build simple, very sturdy, somewhat funky looking bed stands, dressers, etc.

These aren't my kind of pieces, but I enjoyed the author's laid back attitude, environmental sensitivity and willingness to stand out in the crowd.

Especially helpful if you are into the looks of the 1960s, this book will teach you the basics of woodworking, including the skills which you can use to build "nicer" pieces when you've got the cash.

Or you can just stick with the designs in this book, and someday end up on one of those "weird home" shows on the Discovery Channel.Either way, it's all good!

NOT furniture in the sense of something you'd be proud to have made...
The cover of this book is a bit misleading. The detailed plans call for really unsatisfactory approaches. These include plywood with bare edges on many projects, pegboard screwed on the front of a box for a clothes hamper, and end-screwed supports on a bookcase.

There is nothing WRONG with furniture like this - if you want weak, visually unappealing furniture that will give you splinters in a year or two. But you don't need this book to help you build such pieces. This is all furniture anyone who can hold a saw or start a drill can easily figure out with a sketchpad. For the cost of materials you can get a better solution at IKEA.

The book's one redeeming feature: the pictures inside are true to the projects - rough cuts, bare edges and ungainly proportions all show clearly in the illustrations. You will get what you see, and you won't struggle much to achieve it.

There are far better books available with good starter projects that will teach you the RIGHT way to make joints, finish edges, and use attractive proportions: Danny Proulx' books are almost all good, with both plans and plentiful illustrations - such as "Build your Own Home Office Furnuiture", and "Fast and Easy Techniques for building modern cabinetry"
both use inexpensive materials and good techniques to build pieces of which you can be proud.

For good PLANS (but less instruction) you might want ot try : Quick and easy weekend woodworking Projects, and Build YourOwn Contemporary Furniture (both also published by Popular woodworking mag and available on Amazon).

Your project might not come out looking quite as nice as the picture, but you have a fighting chance of building something above dorm-room rejects.

If its worth doing, its worth doing right.

Save your money!
This book went into the garbage can 10 minutes after perusal. The projects are very simple but fit into no decor of any home I have ever been in. The coffee table in particular, looks like something found in the 1950's, without the "retro" appeal. In fact IMHO even the pictures of the projects found in this book would have very limited appeal to anyone.

Easy
These really are quick projects anyone can start and finish in a day. The pictures are informative, the plans easy to follow. Best of all, you might find yourself planning more complicated jobs based on these simpler projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun and nutritious!
This books is both useful and fun, but in an unusual way:It combines solid business planning information with a lot of information on how to set up your shop.I have read a number of woodworking/business books, and they are dull, not enough jigs and tool talk.Here you get both in an integrated way that makes each strand more useful:All the technology has a purpose.

Really a unique way of packaging a woodworking book.Of course the ultimate lesson is that you should drop all that woodworking nonsense and like Mr. Tolpin become a nationally recognized writer of coffee table books.They're good too, but I miss him.

Oh, by the way, the focus is a two car garage sized cabinet shop.

Do you yearn to be a woodworker
This book is an absolute must for anybody who wants to be a cabinetmaker or own a small shop.Of course you could work 20 years and get this information first hand, the hard way.Mr Tolpin --Hat's off---Great job, Thank you very, very much ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
An indispensable, authoritative manual on everything you'll ever need to know about woodworking tools, techniques, design, and materials. It provides the amateur woodworker with the skills and tricks a master brings to a project. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Essential Shop Reference
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.

A wealth of great info, some weak areas
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.

Everything you could ask for- almost
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.

Fantastic!!
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.

Excellent Information But Too Deep In Places
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 'MakingWood Joints' is direct and easy to understand.With no woodworkingexperience, I am about to begin my first project and will keep the book inmy shop for quick reference.The only drawback that I found was with thediagrams for the various jigs.They are quite hard to understand and thepictures don't properly explain the fundamental setup.Other than that Ithought the book was great. ... Read more

Book Description
The Arts and Crafts style is simple enough to look good in almost any home and works with many types of furniture. Encompassing the Craftsman, Mission, Greene and Greene, and Stickley styles, this book gives readers detailed instructions for creating Arts and Crafts pieces at all levels. Step-by-step photographs and illustrations walk them through the process of building a classic Arts and Crafts chair, bookcase, sideboard, blanket chest, clock, and mantel, among other pieces. Photos of finished pieces provide additional inspiration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Projects from Cutting Edge Craftsmen
The quality, complexity, and complication of these projects can be stunning.Its a great resource for planning your own projects, but few of us will have the competence to take our work to this level of professionalism.Projects are highly imaginative and the write-ups are full of great "how to's".This is actually a cheap book for Taunton Press to put out, since it is culled from a few years of Taunton's Fine Woodworking magazine - therefore don't pay more than 20 for it, and look for it used.

In the Craftsman Style: Building Furniture Inspired by the Arts & Crafts Tradition (In The Style)
In the Craftsman Style: Building Furniture Inspired by the Arts & Crafts Tradition (In The Style) I Purchased this as a gift for a friend who builds Craftsman Style furniture. We were both a little disapointed that so many of the pieces were "modernized" and "stlyized" - almost to the point that they didn't seem to fit the genre.

In the Craftsman Style
Fine Woodworking provides excellent photographs, sophisticated projects and adequate details for building.This book exemplifies these qualities with respect to craftsman furniture.I particularly liked the modern adaptations which are less heavy than many of the originals and the variety of projects.

An Excellent Guide to Building Arts & Crafts Style Furniture
This is the best introduction to building Arts & Crafts style furniture I have read.

I found it to contain an excellent balance of history, theory, project plans, and inspiration.The articles are well-written, accurate, and thorough.The photos and diagrams are crystal clear and colorful.

The first section (approx. 30 pages) introduces the Arts & Crafts style, highlights the schools of design and the designers (Morris, all the Stickleys, Greene and Greene, etc.), and showcases ways in which the Arts & Crafts heritage can be adapted for modern homes.

The second section (approx. 105 pages) containsdiagrams and detailed instructions on the construction of 10 pieces of furniture, plus instructions on making Stickley-style legs and on fuming the pieces with ammonia).

The third section (approx. 20 pages) contains photos and descriptions of several Arts & Crafts-inspired pieces (though not detailed instructions on building them).

This third section seems to have upset other reviewers, either because they didn't like it or didn't expect it in this book.I found this section vitally important to the book's stated goal, which is to help the reader apply to the Arts & Crafts style to designing and building her own furniture.

In my opinion, the difference between successful Arts & Crafts furniture and cheap knock-offs lies in the subtleties of design, proportion, and details.The discussions contained in the third section of this book focus precisely on these elements, walking the reader through the often lengthy decision-making process of the furniture designer.The importance of careful attention to line, function and form are emphasized here.I might not have purchased to book just to get this section, but excluding it (or not reading it) would be a shame.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone interested in buying or (especially) designing and building Arts & Crafts style furniture.

Excellent book
This book covers the design elements and construction of Arts & Crafts/Craftsman styled furniture, including the design elementdifferences between Stickley, Greene & Greene, etc.It also lightly covers the history.

There are several plans, unfortunately not the one on the cover.And chairs are not something that plans can easily be drawn, even when overall dimensions are given.It doesn't take much to make a chair uncomfortable.

Some more plans covering the gallery items, especially the cover item, would have been nice.But, overall it is a really good book. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A wide variety of projects
Step-by-stepinstructions for a variety of garden furnishings - from a butterfly box to a potting bench to a portable privacy screen. Some diagrams of the various steps, but photos only of the finished products. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
This comprehensive guide gives readers the instruction they need to build the ideal entertainment center for any home, any space. Readers will learn to: -Assess the space available for the entertainment center -Install built-in cabinetry -Determine how many electrical components the unit will house -Create chases for wires and cabinets -Match a furniture style with their home style -Select the best material for the project -Make the best use of specialty hardware -And more!

Featuring color photos and ten step-by-step projects, this guide will show woodworkers how to design and build the perfect entertainment center for their own personal needs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This is an excellent collection!
I would classify myself as an intermediate level woodworker and a book expert (I am a librarian after all) and I can honestly say that this is one of the absolute best books of its type on the market.As I see it, the normal downfall of a book such as this is the authors either spend way too much time giving us all of the philosophical and historical background behind the furniture style in question, or once they actually get to the furniture projects section they disappoint by selecting such rare (and odd) pieces to reproduce that the book ultimately becomes more of a novelty rather than a useful tool.

I am thrilled to say that the authors of this book got the balance between philosophy and practical matters just right.There is just enough about Arts and Crafts fundamentals here to whet the appetite for the projects which follow.And speaking of the projects, this is good stuff!Out of the twenty two projects offered in this book, I can honestly say that I would be very happy to build fifteen of them and put them in my own home.In a book this size I am usually lucky if half of the projects are appealing enough to want to build them for myself, and keep in mind that I am a HUGE fan of this furniture style.

Bottom line is that the color illustrations (although minimalist to the beginner's eye) are compelling to the more skilled among us, the choice of projects is excellent, and the bibliography of suggested reading is very good.I highly recommend this purchase.

Build it all and have fun!
I have built almost everything in the book.I made a few mistakes because I misinterpreted the drawings, but if you study the drawings very carefully before construction then you will truly enjoy this book.Author needs to write another book like this.Watch the interpretation of Dado and rabbet joints in particular.

Excellent Writing and Furniture Designs
This book was the first that I picked up when I started building my own furniture.The projects turned out great and the finishing process that he recommended was excellent.The diagrams and step by step instruction give you all the information that you need to complete each project even if you're an amateur like I am (you do need to have/buy some good power tools though).I've made two of the projects he describes and there are still a couple more I'd like to do.

Furniture you will use
This is a good A&C furniture book for the intermediate woodworker. The authors cover pieces from the simple (wastebasket) to the more difficult (entry bench, sideboard). A nice touch is that besides covering the usual Gustav Stickley pieces there are items by other A&C companies of the time (Shop of the Crafters, Limbert, Greene & Greene [actually architects, but they designed the furniture for their buildings], L & J.G. Stickley, Roycroft). The introductory chapter covers a brief history of the style, next is an introduction to some of the general woodworking techniques needed, and then the various projects with good photographs and explanations (there are a couple of minor editorial glitches, but they cause no real problems). The projects also vary from a duplicate of the original to slightly modified interpretations. A useful technique is given for staining/glazing the furniture to achieve the traditional golden brown color without actually having to fume the pieces in concentrated ammonia (a smelly, dangerous, and potentially lethal approach). So if you are a somewhat experienced beginning woodworker, you should find some great projects here to move you on to the next level. And even if you are a very experienced furniture maker, you will find some nice pieces you might want to make too. ... Read more

Book Description
Color-illustrated "Woodworking Class" books inspire readers to build their own beautiful wooden furniture. Detailed easy-to-follow instructions will transform beginners into capable craftsmen and handy home improvement experts.Projects in this volume guide readers through construction and finishing of chairs, bookshelves, tables, cabinets, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not what I expected
Nicely printed but the title is misleading. Half the book is dedicated to materials and techniques. The other half is for projects such as making a giraffe, garden chair, multipurpose box, serving cart, entrance hall table, and finally a cabinet. ... Read more

Book 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

Customer Reviews (4)

Michael Dunbar really knows his Windsor chairs.
Make a Windsor Chair (A Fine Woodworking Book) For amateur or advanced woodworkers this is THE book to have if you are aiming for a great Windsor chair. Michael Dunbar is widely, and justifiably, known as America's most well known Windsor chair craftsman. He has taken the best of his personal furniture making classes and boiled it all down into an easily followed, well illustrated guidebook. If this is your first or even tenth Windsor chair project you will find this book invaluable.

Dated but still useful
Mike Dunbar has probably had more to do with the revival of hand made Windsor chairs using traditional tools and techniques than any other person in the U.S. and his book remains the best single guide to making such a chair. I purchased a copy eleven and a half years ago when I took my first class with Mike and when his book was still in print. I have never regretted the fifteen or twenty dollars it cost. Nonetheless it needs to be thoroughly revised and updated. Even Mike admits there are some serious errors in the book, and some of the techniques he and his students have developed since the book was first published will yield a better chair with considerably less effort. My advice would be to spend the six or seven hundred dollars to take one of his classes plus the cost of meals and a motel room for five days, take copious class notes, and then buy the book as a good reference work for subsequent chairs.

Make a Windsor Chair , Dunbar
Excellent book dealing ONLY with the construction of the Windor chair. Dunbar takes the reader through the selection and riving of wood, adzing of the seat and turning of the chair legs, through to the finished construction of the chair. Dunbar also explains the construction of a steaming setup and jigs for the bending of wood(s). Dunbar runs a school on the making of Windors and this would be the textbook students use to learn Dunbar's methods. A "can't miss, no regrets" purchase.

Clear, Concise, & to the point
I not only have this book, I have made a chair in Mike's workshop in New Hampshire.Mike has been instrumental both through his writings and teachings in the recent revival of interest in the making of Windsor chairsby hand much as they were made hundreds of years ago.His book is mydefinitive resource for questions about Windsor chair construction when Iam working in my shop.In this day and age where most of our furniture ismass produced by machines using wood composites and other man madematerials it is refreshing to see how fine furniture was once (and incertain places still is) crafted directly from the forest with nothing buthand tools and the skilled hands of the chairwright ... Read more

Book Description
The Shakers wanted their belongings to reflect the simplicity and perfection revered in their religion. Their furniture, with its clean lines and attention to detail, is still the most popular style of furniture more than a century after it was first designed. This book walks readers through a variety of Shaker-inspired projects ranging from beginning to advanced. It provides an overview of hallmark Shaker details, illustrated step-by-step instructions, and a gallery of photographs of successful projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book
This book covers the design elements and construction of Shaker styled furniture.It also lightly covers the history.

There are several plans, unfortunately not the one on the cover.But, it should not be too hard to take what's in the book and create a plan for it as sizes are given.

Some more plans covering the gallery items, especially the cover item, would have been nice.But, overall it is a really good book. ... Read more

Book Description
In this fresh and contemporary look at the world of workbenches, Lon Schleining takes us on a guided tour of a wide variety of classic, modern, and specialty benches and offers hundreds of options for choosing or building that perfect bench and its accessories. The Workbench looks at the classic subject with a focus on helping readers find the right bench and accessories for their needs. The object is to guide the reader through making critical choices, including whether to buy it or build it. Even long-time woodworkers dream of the perfect bench and the time to build it, and for them the real enjoyment is in the planning. With 279 color photos and additional illustrations, this book provides in-depth information along with the inspiration to fulfill workshop dreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Good idea Book
Lots of pictures, ideas, descriptions and this book serves its purpose of giving me ideas on current and future projects.

Recommended

If you need help deciding the design of a workbench*****
I built a new shop & needed a workbench. This book had several options from VW to Rolls-Royce.Size, heigth, thickness, type of wood, tool tray, Many vise options, round or square dogs etc. It helped me decide on the bench to build. If you are looking to build one of the benches in the book, there's not allot of detail to the plans & you may need to order plans (depending on your woodworking skill level). Good references to find parts & plans. Also good history of work bench evolution.
I'm building a bench close to one in the book.

Thought provoker
Initially i purchased this thinking it was going to give me the answer i was looking for. However what this book has done is help me explore my options of my own custome workbench.
This book is an excellent read and shows there is no one size fits all with workbenches.

Not quite complete
Scant on details but good for ideas to design and build your own bench.......especially if you have not even seen one before.

The Incredible Workbench Creation
There are two categories for this review.


Firstly is the short period of time it took for the book to arrive from America to Australia, being just 14 days.This was impressive to say the least!

The second part is not only the fact that it is a brand new hard back in perfect condition, but that the information inside the book is incredible.this was not my first choice for a work book, but has so far been my best choice.

Recommended to anyone thinking of looking up how to build a work bench - from this group. Thanks guys.

Andrew ... 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