Woodshop library
SUCCESS WITH JOINTS, by Ralph Laughton, is a reminder to all that patience, accuracy and a steady hand assure proper joint alignment. Sharp, accurate tools are also important. Getting adjusted…
SUCCESS WITH JOINTS, by Ralph Laughton, is a reminder to all that patience, accuracy and a steady hand assure proper joint alignment. Sharp, accurate tools are also important. Getting adjusted to permanent habits using traditional hand techniques works wonders for craftsmen, according to Laughton, a full-time furniture maker. The book covers planning and preparation, basic techniques of joint making, and individual joints in detail. Clean, crisp pencil and marking knife lines make cutting foolproof, writes Laughton, who advises marking tools be inspected periodically. Laughton also suggests ways to clamp or otherwise secure wood before gouging it. He hints to use steady, but not excessive force with sharp chisels and other necessary tools. Finally, after dado, dovetail, and other styles of notches are cleaned out, the author instructs on how to glue and/or secure them. The 176-page softcover sells for $19.95. Contact: Sterling Publishing Co., 387 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10016-8810. Tel: 212-532-7160. www.sterlingpub.com
WORKSTATIONS AND TOOL STORAGE, by the editors of Fine Woodworking magazine, gives unorganized shops and their owners no excuses. The book features designs and tips for grouping tools in their right families with hand-made carts, benches, box-framed wall mounts, and rollaway workshops. The basics for the designs are laid out. It may be carpentry 101 to put aprons on legs, and add shelves and castors for a rolling storage cart — but how about adding carpet remnants to plywood shelves to protect tools, or leather straps fastened to lighted wall-mounts to hold your chisels and files? Other ideas include a lumber rack, vacuum hold-down sanding table, rolling miter saw stand and clamp organizer. Skill lessons are also offered in building these storage units, which make great practice pro-jects. The design for a cabinet with drawers requires many sliding dovetails to secure shelves and vertical dividers. Practice notching these fine joints on something only you will see. A lesson on how to assemble a duct-style ventilation system for sanding is another bonus. Tips on mounting vices, electrical boxes and wires for a safe, clean workspace are given as well. The 153-page softcover sells for $17.95. Contact: Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., P.O. Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506. Tel: 800-888-8286. www.taunton.com
FABULOUS TURNED-WOOD PROJECTS, by John Hiebert, Harm Hazeu, Tim Bergen and Henry Bergen, offers step-by-step instructions for making nearly 30 projects. Each includes full procedures starting with wood selection tips from the experts. Photos of bowls, vases, ink pens, rolling pins and much more are shown in both their preliminary step-by-step processes and finished forms of magnificent, intricate works of art. Author backgrounds add to the enjoyment. Henry Bergen admits that, when he was a child, he used a stick he found to make a whip handle for his pretend wild stallions. His lesson on vase turning shows his appreciation for scrap wood in his adulthood. Learn how the other artists got into the business, and how they designed a winged chess bowl, lighthouse salt-and-pepper shakers, a maple vase and a resin goblet. The 96-page softcover sells for $12.95. Contact: Sterling Publishing Co., 387 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10016-8810. Tel: 212-532-7160. www.sterlingpub.com
HOUSE FRAMING: PLAN, DESIGN, BUILD, by John D. Wagner, is an all-
inclusive manual on residential wood framing. It touches on all parts of planning and building an entire home, from concrete slab foundations to roofing, and everything in between such as sheathing, floors, partitions, stairs and windows. Ideas focus on platform framing, a popular building method that requires small pieces of lumber and is very sturdy. Instructions start from Square 1 with what to put in your tool pouch and what angle to position a ladder. An occasional "Pro Tip" will appear throughout the book, such as how to add a temporary spacer block when toe-nailing studs so they don't move off layout. All necessary material fastening components are mentioned, while charts present floor joist and rafter span ratings, according to the type of wood used. Get ideas on roof types, and decide what pitch is best for you. When all of the above is said and done, head downstairs to finish off the basement with metal studs and drywall. The 240-page page softcover sells for $17.95. Contact: Creative Homeowner, 24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. Tel: 800-631-7795. www.creativehomeowner.com
— Jennifer Hicks
