Every board has edges, faces and end grain. So every workbench should be able to easily work the edges, faces and ends of boards. But most benches built during the last 100 years will fail you on at least one of these tasks. This book dives deep into the historical records of the 18th and 19th centuries and breathes new life into traditional designs that have lain dormant for decades and were utterly fantastic to use. These old-school benches are simpler than modern benches, easier to build and surprisingly perfect for both power and hand tools. Encompassing years of historical research and real-world trials, this book boils down centuries of the history and engineering of workbenches into simple ideas that all woodworkers can use. With this book, your very first workbench will do everything you need it to do for the rest of your career in the craft. This revised and expanded edition includes 64 pages of new information including a step-by-step build and measured drawings for an 18th-century French bench and a knockdown English bench, as well as recent advances in workholding

This book features a survey of circular work of both single and double curvature.

The debate over the merits of power tools vs. hand tools has raged for years, but the bottom line is that you need both to be a successful woodworker. Machinery provides efficiency for labor-intensive tasks such as sawing and planing, whereas hand tools are used to create fine details that machines can't duplicate. Power tools don't replace hand tools, they complement them. In Woodworking with Power Tools, expert craftsmen and craftswomen explain how they choose, maintain, and use every kind of power tool, from tablesaws to plunge routers, bandsaws to bench planers. There's advice on tool maintenance, techniques for getting the most from your tools, and projects made using power tools. With clear photographs drawings, and step-by-step instructions, Woodworking with Power Tools will be an essential resource for anyone who works wood. You'll learn how to: tune up your tablesaw choose bandsaw blades for resawing get started with your plunge router install dust collection in a small shop cut easy angled tenons get better cuts with your planer build a perfect picture frame, an elegant bookcase, and a pedestal dining table

Chris Mitchell and Pilar Guzman are design obsessives who both want the same thing: rooms that are spare yet warm, layered yet clean, current yet timeless. Rooms that never forget the real humans - with all their needs, hopes, emotions, aspirations, and even spills - who live in these spaces. Over the course of six ever more ambitious home renovations, they've cracked the code on how to achieve this. It's a simple formula, one that lies in mixing modern design with timeworn materials - in particular, white oak, brass, and bridle leather, all three of which become richer, mellower, and burnished with patina as they age. Add a few essential lessons (Decorating by Mood, Borrowing from the Best) and a nine-point manifesto that covers everything from lighting (rooms should feel like lanterns at night), to the use of black as an accent, to the intention that every space should serve multiple purposes, and the result is Patina Modern, a uniquely inspiring and practical design guide. The book leads by example, as the authors reveal in room-by-room detail the full evolution of their homes, including a Brooklyn brownstone and two classic Hamptons "cottages." Along the way, we come to not only understand just how they see and think but also learn what they've learned, getting an education in colour, proportion, paint, and the world of modern furniture design, for which the authors have a special passion. Tools, principles, and the power of designing around the things you love - this is the gift of Patina Modern, showing just how to put it all together to create your own beautiful spaces.

This is the ultimate beginner's guide to the scroll saw. It features 25 skill-building chapters, each culminating in a relevant project. The new edition features an updated, objective guide to the latest equipment models. Use this ultimate beginner's scroll saw guide to hone your scrolling skills to perfection. You'll find everything you need to know here, boiled down to the best and simplest methods. Practice a specific technique in each of 25 skill-building chapters, and then use that skill to make an attractive project. As you progress, each chapter builds upon the previous skills you've already learned. By the time you've completed the book, you'll be ready to tackle any scrollsaw project with experience and confidence. You can begin with the basics of cutting straight, curved, and jagged lines, and then progress to more advanced techniques like stack cutting, relief, inlay, compound, segmentation and more. Project patterns include die-cut stationary, a fish silhouette, a butterfly with interior cuts, a hummingbird ornament, and a collapsible wooden basket.This new third edition provides an objective guide to all of the scroll saw models available in today's market, updated to include information on new scroll saw manufactures.

The Renewable Energy Home Handbook is biased towards the practical, and covers the installation of all leading types of alternative domestic energy sources - from ground- and air-source heat pumps, PV solar electricity generation and solar water heating, to bio-mass domestic heating systems and wind turbines. Discussing the pros and cons of each technology, it also provides you with a clear overview of what's genuinely required and the benefits to be gained from each system. The author, Lindsay Porter, is best known for his books on motor vehicle technology, making car mechanics and body repairs easy to understand and carry out. But alternative energy and conservation have long been a passion for him and his wife, Shan, so this manual is very much a labour of love. Here, Lindsay applies his commitment to making difficult subjects easy for everyone to understand to the money-saving - planet-saving - systems we can apply to our homes.

A revised, redesigned and updated edition of the definitive and bestselling woodworker's bible. Authoritative, superbly crafted and easy to use, Collins Complete Woodworker's Manual is the UK bestseller and the one book every woodworker needs. This revised edition has been extensively rewritten and contains new photographs and illustrations. It includes new products and techniques developed since the last edition, as well as updated trees' conservation status. Every stage in crafting furniture and other decorative pieces are fully explained starting with the basics; the nature of wood, the tools required and setting up a workshop. The book then examines the principles of three-dimensional design from inspiration to construction. Step-by-step illustrations demonstrate how to make every type of joint and all the major crafts are given detailed coverage with the same step-by-step approach: bending wood, veneering and marquetry, woodcarving and finishing. The book also includes a chapter on using other materials, such as metal, glass and leather in combination with wood, plus a chapter on fixings and fittings.

Aimed at keen woodworkers of all levels, this book features 25 designs to suit all tastes - from traditional hinged jewellery-box designs to boxes with more elaborate and sophisticated opening mechanisms such as a quatrefoil box. Woodworkers will be spoilt for choice. Many of the projects include helpful hints and tips to ensure a perfect result and all projects include step-by-step instructions, along with either clear diagrams or easy-to-follow step-by-step photography. Plans are also provided where necessary.

Woodworking Basics is the perfect introduction to the fundamentals of working with wood for those with little or no experience. The book covers all of the basic hand tools that a beginner will need and describes how to use each one, giving useful tips and expert advice along the way. Successful woodworking is all about best practice and this book shows how it is possible to create all manner of pieces with a very limited and inexpensive set of tools. Includes photos and diagrams to guide you through each project and technique. Also covered are the important techniques of accurate measuring and marking, gluing, sanding and making simple joints such as butt, lap, and mitres. 6 simple projects are included. Projects which can be made using the skills are covered: toolbox, shelf unit, table, cabinet, box, and picture frame.

The Sunday Times bestseller, Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless, by Jay Blades, the beloved star of hit BBC One show The Repair Shop. We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn't have a lot of food and didn't have a lot of money. But that didn't stop me having the time of my life. In his book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming the presenter of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop. Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay's positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.

Creating the perfect loaf of bread--a challenge that has captivated bakers for centuries--is now the rage in the hippest places, from Waitsfield, Vermont, to Point Reyes Station, California. Like the new generation of beer drinkers who consciously seek out distinctive craft-brewed beers, many people find that their palates have been reawakened and re-educated by the taste of locally baked, whole-grain breads. Today's village bakers are finding an important new role--linking tradition with a sophisticated new understanding of natural levens, baking science and oven construction. Daniel Wing, a lover of all things artisinal, had long enjoyed baking his own sourdough bread. His quest for the perfect loaf began with serious study of the history and chemistry of bread baking, and eventually led to an apprenticeship with Alan Scott, the most influential builder of masonry ovens in America. Alan and Daniel have teamed up to write this thoughtful, entertaining, and authoritative book that shows you how to bake superb healthful bread and build your own masonry oven. The authors profile more than a dozen small-scale bakers around the U.S. whose practices embody the holistic principles of community-oriented baking based on whole grains and natural leavens. The Bread Builders will appeal to a broad range of readers, including: Connoisseurs of good bread and good food. Home bakers interested in taking their bread and pizza to the next level of excellence. Passionate bakers who fantasize about making a living by starting their own small bakery. Do-it-yourselfers looking for the next small construction project. Small-scale commercial bakers seeking inspiration, the most up-to-date knowledge about the entire bread-baking process, and a marketing edge.

A woodland craftsman's workshop should bring immense pleasure and the tools and devices that furnish it are unique to woodland work and have formed the heritage of woodland crafts that we have today. Following on from his successful book Woodland Craft, woodsman Ben Law explains what makes a good workshop, outlines the key tools needed, gives information on how to sharpen them and shows us how to make an array of fascinating devices from scratch. Projects include: peeling jig, pole lathe, woodsman's grip, cleaving brake 16 step-by-step woodland device projects Beautiful photography and illustrations A foundation book for every green woodworker to use as reference Coupled with interesting titbits of historical and practical information, this is an invaluable guide for every green woodworker.

This book grows out of many requests we have received for animal carving books in general, and for Tom Wolfe animals in particular. His raccoons and hounds have graced the pages of his previous books. His bears, in their original form and as reproductions, have found their way into the hearts of people across the nation. Beginning with a plain block of bass wood or white pine Tom creates a menagerie of characters. Bunnies and bears are the epitome of "cuddly," and are a favorite of children and adults alike. These projects are perfect for the person who carves for relaxation. After bandsawing the patterns, they can be completed with the simplest of tools-a knife, a gouge, a veiner, and nailset. Tom helps the less experienced reader with the basic skills required for carving. Those who are more experienced will value a few of the secrets and shortcuts he has learned over the years. The projects can be adapted so that your bear or bunny will take on a different character through its size, position, and/or color. Your imagination is all that is necessary to make the changes.

Woodturning enthusiasts looking to advance their skills will delight in this collection of 50 challenging and diverse projects. Some of the featured designs include boxes: cylindrical, diabolo and clamshell; bowls: round-bottom, flared and winged; and platters: minimalist, handled and roll-rimmed. Each project is accompanied by diagrams, wood and tool requirements, and even suggestions for alternative designs. Beginners who wish to build skill by approaching these projects at a simpler level will benefit from the thorough sections on safety, tools and equipment, finishing products and types of wood. More seasoned turners hoping to test their expertise might take the designs found here and create even bigger, more elaborate constructions.

Pure Deck-adence: A Guide to Beautiful Decks is a fantasy collection of real-life deck photos from all over the United States. From the humblest of condo balcony walkouts to the most elaborate sprawling wood structures, Pure Deck-adence explores the many possibilities of add-on outdoor home improvements. This pictorial essay explores America's fascination with outdoor living, from barbecue-centered constructions to the new immersion in hot tub culture. More than 240 full-color photographs provide a rich resource of ideas for those who dream of expanding their homes, and their horizons, with wood decks.

Fresh, local nutrient-dense fruits vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses. The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground to air heat exchanger. Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate. Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun! Lindsey Schiller is a greenhouse designer and with co-author Marc Plinke, co-owner of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. Lindsey has designed, toured and helped build hundreds of energy-efficient greenhouses spanning small residential structures to acre-size commercial facilities. Marc Plinke is an inventor-innovator with a PhD in engineering who has focused his engineering mindset on building innovative, energy-efficient and smarter greenhouses, with the intention of enabling people to grow their own food sustainably and year-round.

Here is a new and exciting aspect of wood turning, similar to traditional style turning except for gaps left between each segment. Step-by-step instructions and color photographs illustrate a basic vase project that can be completed in a weekend. You won't need any special turning equipment or tools other than an easily constructed jig. Wood selection and preparation, jigs, glue, turning tools, finishes, and advanced techniques are all explained and illustrated. Combine various woods and patterns to produce beautiful vases, boxes, and sculptural pieces. With practice, you can create some really spectacular work!

Learn how to make beautiful, bespoke candles for you and your home in this easy-to-follow guide. Sarah Ditchfield, founder of Candle by Events, shares her secrets for crafting 20 of her best-selling candle designs, so that you too can make both modern and traditional waxed creations at home - from elegantly simple taper candles to show-stopping ice pillars. Invaluable advice is included on the essential materials and tools you'll need to get started, along with handy measuring and heating charts. Every candle project is accompanied by simple instructions, step-by-step photographs and a gorgeous finished picture. There's even a chapter on how to decorate and package your candles if you'd like to give them away as thoughtful, hand-crafted gifts. If you are looking for a craft that you can truly immerse yourself in, and one that's perfect for the beginner candlemaker looking for professional results, this is the book for you. This is a revitalized edition of Making Candles: Create 20 decorative candles to keep or to give (2017).

This is a new addition to the popular Complete Illustrated Guide series, covering all there is to know about jigs and fixtures. It is an essential and popular element of woodworking. It includes over 800 photographs and 50 illustrations. This book, in the Complete Illustrated Guide format covers jigs and fixtures, a subject of perennial interest to woodworkers. Jigs, simply put, are devices, sometimes shop-made but now often available commercially to enable woodworkers to do something more than once. For example, some jigs are fences that ensure straight cuts or templates capable of guiding tools to create a certain shape time after time. Woodworkers love jigs and fixtures for the same reason they are drawn to woodworking: designing them is about figuring out how to do something. All woodworkers are secretly engineers and inventors, and jig design and construction is a way to indulge that need. Simple or elaborate, jigs are an essential part of woodworking. This book, authored by prominent woodworking author Sandor Nagyszalanczy, is organized according to function. This approach allows woodworkers to either build the jig exactly as shown or modify it to suit a wide variety of purposes.

Practical and fully illustrated, this updated reference is indispensable for woodworkers who want to master bending techniques, learn to increase the elasticity of wood, and recognize the woods best-suited for bending. Topics covered include hand bending, machine bending, moisture content, selecting and preparing wood, steaming and other softening treatments, and working with laminates and adhesives. A new color gallery provides craftspeople easy reference to finished projects, and the tips offer advice on how to avoid costly errors, such as weakening or cracking the wood. An essential resource for any wood bender, this how-to guide helps with any rounded construction.

A great finish can make even a simple project look terrific. A bad finish can ruin the most well-built, sophisticated piece of furniture. Finishing can be a daunting and mystifying task to many woodworkers and DIYers who fear wrecking their projects at this late stage in the process. This collection of articles from Fine Woodworking brings together the best information on a rich variety of finishing techniques. Nowadays, finishing wood doesn't just embrace fine clear finishes like shellac and French polishing, but also bright pigmented lacquers, dyes and stains, milk paint, and crackled paint. Finishing Wood features a whole section on the hot new trend of coloring wood. Also included is timeless information on preparing a surface before you apply a finish (a critical first step) as well as tried-and-true methods for applying all the traditional finishes, whether by brush or by spraying.

Inside this book you ll find ingenious plans for making wildly inspired mechanical marvels from wood. These working wooden wonders might just be the most enjoyable projects you ever build in your shop! Well-illustrated step-by-step projects are arranged by skill level from beginner to advanced, with full-sized patterns attached to the book in a handy pouch. Projects range from a Rapid-Fire Rubber Band Gun and a Kicker Treat Gumball Machine, to whirligigs and classic automatons for cowboys, ballerinas, cats, ships, and more. Create fun games and toys for the whole family, and discover the secrets of kinetic sculpture to build your own interactive wooden gear machine. Learn from woodworking experts like: Clayton Boyer Bob Gilsdorf Dug North Richard Packer David Wakefield ...and many more!"

'No one knows sheds like Joel Bird. The creativity and knowledge which won him shed of the year is echoed throughout this brilliant book.' - George Clarke Have you ever wanted to design your very own garden shed? The Book of Shed will show you how: traditional or contemporary, large or small, private rooms to entertaining spaces, guest houses to beach huts - this book is here to teach you how to make your vision a reality, from the very first design brief, to costing your new venture, to sourcing builders and suppliers, to how to structure and maintain your garden shed. Written by designer-builder, TV personality and all-round shed-progressive Joel Bird, The Book of Shed combines imaginative ideas and beautiful design with practical thinking and building knowledge. This wonderful tome is split into four comprehensive sections - on the history and basics of the shed; shed inspiration and style; the shed build; and some of Joel's most distinctive shed case studies - and is the perfect fireside read whether you're a seasoned shed-head or completely new to the joys of your own purpose-built haven, wherever and whatever that may be.