'It is more motivating to make something that you genuinely desire, to create an object that you want in your home. The things we choose to have around us say something about who we are, but things we have made ourselves do that even more strongly. I want every project in the book to be something that the reader wants to make, to work really well in use and be something that can be proudly shown to others.' Tom Trimmins This wonderfully practical book is aimed at anyone looking to balance their busy lives by mastering core woodworking skills. Working with wood will challenge, stimulate, relax and reward - and you'll be proud to display the beautiful objects you've made with your own hands. Here you'll find a range of practical and pleasing projects to display around your home. Initially you'll need a small collection of readily available tools - as your skills develop and expand, so too will your tool collection. Every project has step-by-step instructions, and you'll learn about the properties of different woods, design techniques and how to fix-up vintage tools. The book mainly uses hand tools as they're cleaner, take up less room, are quieter and offer less potential for accidents than power tools.

Pyrography, the art of 'drawing with fire' by burning designs onto a medium, is an ancient craft practised worldwide. This book presents 25 original pyrography projects in easy-to-follow step-by-step style that are suitable for the absolute beginner to master. The readers will love the clear and simple format which takes away the mystery behind achieving great results. The 25 projects include: door plaques, coasters, key fobs, letter opener, coat hook hanger, jotter board, picture frame, letter holder, trinket box, bread board and many more...This book includes detailed information on tools, equipment and materials. It is suitable for beginner level, with clear instructions and illustrations. All techniques are fully explained and illustrated in full colour throughout.

A detailed guide to installing high performance felt and torch on roofs, for both DIY enthusiasts and professional roofers. From safety precautions, to the tips and tricks to keep a flat roof water-tight for many years, Felt and Torch on Roofing will teach the novice how to successfully complete their first felt roof to a high standard, and provide the professional with new techniques to undertaking the best quality work on felt and torch on roofing.

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

Out of all the trees in the world, the ash is most closely bound up with who we are: the tree we have made the greatest and most varied use of over the course of human history. One frigid winter morning, Robert Penn lovingly selected an ash tree and cut it down. He wanted to see how many beautiful, handmade objects could be made from it. Thus begins an adventure of craftsmanship and discovery. Penn visits the shops of modern-day woodworkers-whose expertise has been handed down through generations-and finds that ancient woodworking techniques are far from dead. He introduces artisans who create a flawless axe handle, a rugged and true wagon wheel, a deadly bow and arrow, an Olympic-grade toboggan, and many other handmade objects using their knowledge of ash's unique properties. Penn connects our daily lives back to the natural woodlands that once dominated our landscapes. Throughout his travels-from his home in Wales, across Europe, and America-Penn makes a case for the continued and better use of the ash tree as a sustainable resource and reveals some of the dire threats to our ash trees. The emerald ash borer, a voracious and destructive beetle, has killed tens of millions of ash trees across North America since 2002. Unless we are prepared to act now and better value our trees, Penn argues, the ash tree and its many magnificent contributions to mankind will become a thing of the past. This exuberant tale of nature, human ingenuity, and the pleasure of making things by hand chronicles how the urge to understand and appreciate trees still runs through us all like grain through wood.

Alison Ospina has been making green wood chairs and stools for over twenty years. She has developed her own distinctive approach to creating sculptural, functional chairs using the natural shapes of the tree. The techniques she shares in Green Wood Stools are simple and relatively easy to master. According to Alison, The green wood approach is so accessible, people see it and immeditely think "I could do that!" As a skilled crafts woman and teacher, Alison Ospina's understanding of the joy of green wood working inspires us to discover our "inner chair maker". Green Wood Stools shows innovative ways to use beautiful, versatile, unseasoned hazel, to create that most fundamental of seats - the wooden stool

This is the complete practical woodworking book - a definitive reference guide for the beginner and the accomplished woodworking enthusiast alike. It is shown in 1200 photographs and diagrams, with clear and easy-to-follow instructions. It is packed with information including a guide to timber, directions on buying and using hand and power tools, and advice for setting up your workshop. It offers everything you need to know is explained, such as the principles of ergonomics, planning, design and construction. You can learn about fixings and fastenings, basic and advanced techniques, making joints and wood finishing. It features over 20 beautiful projects to develop your skills, including a storage chest, CD rack and bookcase. Wood is one of the oldest known natural resources and its universal appeal remains timeless. As every woodworker will testify, to work with this material is to understand its subtlety and to appreciate its amazing versatility. This comprehensive practical book demonstrates the basic techniques of woodworking, providing the foundation on which to build your skills and knowledge. It begins with an introduction to timber and a guide to tools. Essential advice on getting started is given, as well as in-depth guides to fixings and fastening, joints, and advanced woodworking techniques. There are also 20 step-by-step projects from basic tasks, such as a wine rack, picture frame or bookshelf, to complex ventures for experts, such as a bedside cabinet, butcher's block or dining table.