Product Description

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A great textbook with obsolete examples        Rating:

This book would be a great textbook for Introduction to Cabinetmaking. It explores history, basic joinery, and presents several different examples of end products for the basic styles of cabinetry and furniture.

Although the book has very recent publication dates (2003, 2008, 2010), the end products illustrated in the book were popular several years ago. In other words, don't expect to see plans for any of the end products in the next edition of Wood or Fine Woodworking magazine which I subscribe to.

If you're looking to recreate furniture that was popular 30-50 years ago, you've got to have this book in your library. If you're looking for examples of modern cabinetry incorporating drawer slides, casters, and soft-closing concealed hinges, look elsewhere.

Again, the book presents a great overview of cabinetmaking techniques, but falls short in showing `How to Design..." furniture for today's homes.

A good education on cabinet making        Rating:

As a beginning woodworker, I was looking for information that would minimize mistakes that can ruin a project. The "little" things that most of us have to learn by experience.(i.e. the cause and results of expansion) I was looking for the techniques, that I may not realize went building furniture, that will avoid starting out to be a masterpiece only to turn into junk when the weather changes. This book was excellent. I began learning practical tips right from the first pages. It is not a book of projects with dimensions and patterns but a primer of cabinet making, the characteristics of wood and wood products, and how to cope with them.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who would like to begin building furniture especially if you do not want to use available patterns and plans exactly.

Surprisingly informative - a great reference        Rating:

I have a friend who didn't care for this book due to the lack of actual plans. However, the vast majority of my woodworking doesn't use them, which is why this book is valuable to me. The first part goes over every joint or method I can imagine. It is broken down into carcasses, drawers, runners, wall hung cabinets, tables, etc. There are great drawings that clearly show how such things are assembled.

The second part of the book has several examples of each type of furniture construction. If you don't find the furniture piece you want, you can certainly adapt what is there to a different style. If you are one for plans, there are alternative ideas complete with information as to where the plans are available.

I suspect that this is one of the few books I have that will be well worn and tattered in a short while.

No-Nonsense & Plenty Of Detail        Rating:

Okay, I had doubts about this book, but the reviews convinced me that it must be okay. Okay is an understatement. Exploded diagram views of each furniture type with drawing of some of the varients that exist. This book shows how to build different types of furniture, it is not just a collection of blueprints. This book showed me how I could have avoided a lot of mistakes and built better, cheaper, lighter and stronger furniture.

Great Reference Book To Add To Collection        Rating:

As most reviewers have remarked, this book is not a "how-to" technique book. It is also not a book for beginners as there is little instruction for how to actually cut, route, or otherwise shape any wood. Rather, this is a catalog of different techniques. It contains an illustrated collection of all different furniture pieces (casework, tables, and desks). It gives the user measured and exploded views. As such, it should be used to spark ideas when thinking about your next project.

If you are looking for a how-to book to create all the different joinery techniques or assemblies, I would recommend Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guides. This book is especially good when paired with Taunton's Illustrated Furniture and Cabinet Construction.

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