Authors: Jeff Strong
ISBN-13: 9780764539770, ISBN-10: 0764539779
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Date Published: October 2003
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Jeff Strong, of Lamy, New Mexico is not only an accomplished craftsman and woodworker, but is also author of Drums For Dummies and Home Recording For Dummies. Jeff began creating sawdust at a very early age while assisting his father, a master craftsman, build fine furniture. He has designed and build countless pieces of furniture and has recently completed the designs for a commercial line of furniture blending Arts and Crafts and Asian infuences which has already secured representation with a gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
You've seen a few shows on TV, and working with wood looks like it could be quite entertaining and rewarding. After all, you get to create something that you can proudly display to your friends and family. But where and how do you begin to move from expressed interest to hands-on experience?
Woodworking For Dummies shows you how your raw building materials stack up, with everything you wood need to know about hardwood, softwood, plywood, veneer wood, plain-sawn wood, rift-cut wood, quarter-sawn wood, solid wood, man-made wood, and more. This down-to-earth guide gives you the goods on how boards are made from trees and the characteristics of hardwood and softwood species, plus all the buzz on
Whether you want to put together a simple plywood bookcase or an incredible solid oak dining table, Woodworking For Dummies can help you get organized as you craft your plans for a piece that'll reflect your personal touch. You'll discover how to
This handy reference packs in essential information for the novice woodworker and some advanced tips and tricks to jumpstart any woodworker's existing skills. Detailedillustrations, how-to photos, and a color insert defining the look of different woods and the effects of finishes are sure to inspire a sawdust storm in your busy workshop.
Introduction | 1 | |
About This Book | 1 | |
How to Use This Book | 2 | |
Conventions Used in This Book | 2 | |
Not So Foolish Assumptions | 2 | |
How This Book Is Organized | 3 | |
Icons Used in This Book | 5 | |
Where to Go from Here | 6 | |
Part I | What's All the Buzz about Woodworking? | 7 |
Chapter 1 | Discovering the Basics of Woodworking | 9 |
Getting the Lowdown on Wood | 9 | |
Setting Up Shop | 10 | |
Working with Woods | 11 | |
Chapter 2 | Wood You Be Mine? Appreciating Wood for All It's Worth | 15 |
Board Basics: Knowing What to Look For | 16 | |
Sorting Through the Types of Solid Wood | 25 | |
Looking Beneath the Surface of Veneers | 28 | |
Playing with Plywood (and Other Manufactured Boards) | 29 | |
Searching for Wood in All the Right Places | 33 | |
Buying Wood | 34 | |
Chapter 3 | Putting Safety First in Your Workshop | 37 |
Protecting Yourself from Injury | 37 | |
Where's Mr. Clean When You Need Him? Keeping Your Shop in Ship-Shape | 39 | |
Taking Care with Bits and Blades: Basic Tool Safety | 44 | |
Part II | Tool Time: Selecting and Setting Up Your Equipment | 47 |
Chapter 4 | Gearing Up: Choosing Tools That Are Right for You | 49 |
Figuring Out Your Work Style | 49 | |
Determining How Much to Spend | 50 | |
Chapter 5 | Getting a Handle on Hand Tools | 57 |
Measuring and Marking Your Wood | 57 | |
Using Saws: More Than One Way to Cut a Board | 65 | |
Using Planes: Smoothing the Old-Fashioned Way | 68 | |
Charging into Chisels | 71 | |
Choosing and Using Sharpening Stones | 73 | |
Hammers and Mallets | 75 | |
Diving into Drivers | 77 | |
Holding It All Together: Clamps | 77 | |
Chapter 6 | Peeking at Portable Power Tools | 81 |
To Cord or Not to Cord: The Pros and Cons of Cordless Tools | 81 | |
Sizing Up Saws | 82 | |
Rallying around the Router | 87 | |
Getting the Skinny on Sanders | 91 | |
Detailing Drills | 95 | |
Banking on Biscuit Joiners | 96 | |
Chapter 7 | Introducing the Big Guns: Stationary Power Tools | 99 |
Tuning In to the Table Saw | 99 | |
Joining the Jointer | 104 | |
Cutting Curves with the Band Saw | 106 | |
Making a Case for the Miter Saw | 109 | |
Partying with the Planer | 111 | |
Detailing the Drill Press | 114 | |
Chapter 8 | Setting Up Your Workshop and Maximizing Your Tools | 117 |
Considering Core Issues | 117 | |
Sampling Some Shop Setups | 123 | |
Tackling Tool Set-ups | 126 | |
Journeying into Jigs | 127 | |
Part III | Together Forever: Basic Wood Joinery | 137 |
Chapter 9 | Stuck on You: Using Adhesives and Glues | 139 |
Cluing into Gluing: Understanding the Essential Role of Glue | 139 | |
Working with Carpenter's Glue | 140 | |
Handling Hide Glue | 141 | |
Choosing Contact Cement | 142 | |
Relying On Resin Glues | 143 | |
Honing In on Hot Melt Glue | 144 | |
Chapter 10 | Working with Wood Joints | 147 |
Choosing the Right Joint for the Job | 147 | |
Easing into Edge-to-Edge Joints | 148 | |
Constructing Carcass Joints | 154 | |
Figuring Out Frame Joints | 166 | |
Chapter 11 | Making the Most of Mechanical Fasteners | 179 |
Understanding the Role of Mechanical Fasteners | 179 | |
Securing with Screws | 180 | |
Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty of Nails | 182 | |
Getting What You Need: Stocking Up on Your Screw and Nail Selection | 184 | |
Part IV | Getting Your Hands (and Shop) Dirty: Turning Raw Wood into Furniture | 185 |
Chapter 12 | Understanding the Building Process | 187 |
Following Plans: Making Sense of Diagrams, Dimensions, and Procedures | 187 | |
Creating a Cut List | 192 | |
Preparing the Board for Milling | 194 | |
Making the Cut | 195 | |
Putting It All Together | 195 | |
Chapter 13 | Banging Out Bookcases | 201 |
Parts Is Parts: Breaking Down Bookcases | 201 | |
Making Your Own Simple Bookcase | 202 | |
Creating a Contemporary Style Bookcase | 213 | |
Crafting a Craftsman Style Bookcase | 217 | |
Fashioning a Shaker Style Bookcase | 223 | |
Making Your Mark: Designing Your Own Bookcases and Storage Units | 225 | |
Chapter 14 | Tackling Tables | 227 |
Introducing the Parts of a Table | 227 | |
Digging In to Building a Dining Table | 228 | |
Crafting a Shaker Style Table | 239 | |
Creating a Craftsman Style Table | 244 | |
Tackling a Trestle Table | 249 | |
When You Want to Get Creative: Designing Your Own Tables | 257 | |
Chapter 15 | Creating Cabinets | 259 |
Introducing the Parts of a Cabinet | 259 | |
Making Your Own Storage/Work Cabinet | 260 | |
Building a Four-Drawer Dresser | 275 | |
Crafting a Shaker Entertainment Center | 284 | |
Bucking Tradition: Designing Your Own Cabinets | 293 | |
Part V | The Grand Finale: Sanding and Finishing Your Masterpiece | 295 |
Chapter 16 | Smoothin' It Out by Sanding and Filling | 297 |
Filling Holes and Cracks | 297 | |
Smoothing Out Your Wood | 300 | |
Chapter 17 | Adding Color: Stains and Paints | 305 |
Understanding Types of Stains | 305 | |
Picking Up on Paints | 310 | |
Chapter 18 | Protecting Your Work with Topcoats | 313 |
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about Various Topcoats | 313 | |
Shining It Up with Shellac | 314 | |
Opting for Oil | 317 | |
Working with Wax | 318 | |
Employing Varnish and Oil-Based Polyurethane | 320 | |
Using Water-Based Polyurethane | 321 | |
Part VI | The Part of Tens | 323 |
Chapter 19 | Ten Great Habits to Get Into | 325 |
Slowing Down | 325 | |
Standing Guard | 325 | |
Wearing Protection | 326 | |
Staying Fresh | 326 | |
Being Prepared | 326 | |
Checking Up on Key Equipment | 326 | |
Staying Sober | 327 | |
Lighting Up | 327 | |
Keeping Clear | 327 | |
Staying Sharp | 328 | |
Chapter 20 | Ten Common Woodworking Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them | 329 |
Going Too Fast | 329 | |
A Blotchy Finish | 330 | |
Drawers/Doors Don't Fit | 330 | |
A Table Rocks | 330 | |
Stain Doesn't Take | 331 | |
Sanding Makes the Wood Fuzzy | 331 | |
Joints Don't Fit Together | 332 | |
Tabletops Aren't Flat | 332 | |
Wood Splits When Cutting | 333 | |
Joints Too Loose | 333 | |
Chapter 21 | Ten Great Woodworking Resources | 335 |
Online Forums | 335 | |
Magazines | 336 | |
Woodworking Guilds | 336 | |
Community Colleges/University Extension | 336 | |
Books and Videos | 337 | |
Online Instruction | 337 | |
Plans | 337 | |
Local Woodworkers | 338 | |
Local Woodworking Stores | 338 | |
Woodworking Shows/Conventions | 338 | |
Index | 339 |