With his first bestselling book, ""Concrete Countertops,"" designer Fu-Tung Cheng brought homeowners and contractors an affordable, attractive alternative to expensive granite, marble, and man-made countertops. Now, he takes his concrete revolution one step further with this remarkable DVD/Book set. In seven simple steps, Cheng takes the reader through the process of designing, forming, pouring, finishing, and installing a concrete countertop that will look great and survive the test of time. Explaining the process like a chef guiding you through a recipe, Cheng shows that even an amateur with the simplest tools can produce fantastic results the very first time.

A complete step-by-step guide to essential woodwork techniques, from choosing and cutting timber to planning, measuring, marking, cutting, shaping and joining. Essential troubleshooting tips are supplied throughout. Learn how to control power tools with accuracy, and select and use the 10 essential hand tools that will give your work a beautiful, hand-finished quality. Choose from a selection of projects - simple furniture and decorative items complete with cutting lists and full instructions - to practise the techniques. Be inspired by a gallery of finished examples from professional woodworkers to take your woodwork further. You will also find a wood identifier section that describes the key characteristics of different types of timber and suggests how to use them. Dip into this brilliant resource to build new skills, repair existing items and create fantastic projects.

The art of fire-writing is a returning trend, and there is no better way to learn the technique and inspire yourself than through this up-to-date edition of Daniel Wright's ultimate introduction to pyrography. Daniel Wright's enthusiasm for his subject is beautifully captured in a sequence of clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step photographs and unique projects. Taking his inspiration from pen-and-ink, engraving and watercolour techniques, he demonstrates many exciting methods and traditional ways of woodburning to create myriad patterns, pictures and motifs including landscapes, trees, flowers, animals and buildings. Information is included on the types of wood to use, how to prepare surfaces, working with the grain and enhancing designs. He goes on to illustrate shading and faux marquetry, and there's a section on using photographs and sketches to produce your own designs. With each new technique, a project is introduced by Daniel to help you learn and explore your new skill - from burning your own chessboard to a stunning fairytale stool design for your little one's bedroom. Finally, advice and demonstrations are provided on decorating old wooden objects, revitalizing much-loved pieces by working patterns into their worn, textured surfaces. This book will inspire, entertain and instruct you, whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced pyrographer.

High quality purpose-made joinery skills employs many traditional craft principles and skills and this title aims to reflect this in its coverage of modern materials and techniques. It details windows, doors, frames, wall panelling, counters, fitments, seating and stairs. Considerable demand countinues for "purpose-made" joinery in order to satisfy individual tastes or design needs in new building work as well as for building restoration and refurbishment. Each chapter concludes with several joinery projects designed to be used as workshop exercises and to link theory to workshop practice.

More eggs, less work! And more enjoyment for both the chickens and their keeper! That's the promise of Frank Hyman's Hentopia. From the Vending Machine Feeder to the Refilling Rainwaterer, Hyman's innovative building projects are designed to save time and money, while keeping chickens safe, healthy, clean, and well-fed. All 21 of the projects for the chicken yard feature easy-to-follow instructions and colorful photos, including creative doorways, nest boxes, fencing, roosts, as well as a predator-proof pen and "Chunnel" chicken run. With a lively, humorous voice, Hyman generously shares his ingenious strategies and expert advice on all aspects of chicken keeping. Requiring no previous carpentry experience and using many salvaged or found materials, Hentopia is within reach of every aspiring chicken-keeper.

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.

Using the three basic approaches to producing curved parts--laminate bending, steam bending, and milling by machine--this book provides step-by-step instructions on each method, the pros and cons of each project, and how to troubleshoot problems. Also included are discussions and advice as to what methods will work and what methods will not in various applications.

Despite the growing interest in making paddles and canoes, it is difficult to find reliable information for that craft. For the how-to beginner, a paddle represents the perfect challenge, both finite and functional. For the skilled woodworker, the opportunity to experiment with design and technique to create a tailor-made product that perfectly suits a paddler's needs is a dream come true. In Canoe Paddles: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own, longtime canoeist and woodworker Graham Warren provides detailed information and guidance to make a canoe paddle that will be used with confidence and cherished for generations. The book is thoroughly illustrated with photographs, line drawings and plans with measurements for: How to make a paddle having a single blade, a bent shaft, or double blades; How to protect a paddle with oil or varnish; What to look for when test-driving a paddle; How to decorate a paddle; How to care for and repair a paddle.The book also covers: Paddle design - grips, shaft, blade, flexibility, weight, balance; Paddle woods and adhesives; Hand tools, power tools and homemade tools, carving and finishing tools; Making the paddle - size, design, mark out, cut and carve; Paddle plans, including Beavertail, Voyageur, Algonquin, Whitewater, Bent-shaft, Double-blade, Child's; Templates for grips, tips and blades; Materials sources. The authors include an appreciation of the evolution of the paddle plus a special chapter by renowned canoe-building teacher David Gidmark, which celebrates paddle-making in the native American tradition.

Beginning woodworkers are constantly stymied by the apparent need for thousands of dollars worth of tools to start their hobby. Once they have the tool they face a learning curve to understand how to use the tool. The next problem is finding wood to build the projects. Not everyone has a lumberyard nearby. This book will show them how to build quality furniture projects that can be completed by any woodworker with a modest (but decent) kit of tools in less than two days of shop time, and using raw materials that are available at any home center. The enclosed tool manual explains all the tools and shows them how to perform the basic operations in a step-by-step format.

Master carver, Ian Norbury, provides a detailed guide for all craftsmen to discover the art of creating facial expressions in woodcarving.

The bandsaw is one of the most widely used woodworking tools, found in 3 out 4 home and professional workshops. Although deceptively simple -- a steel blade rotating around two rubber-clad wheels, the bandsaw does its best work when it's tuned properly. Unfortunately, most owner's manuals provided by tool manufacturers are difficult to understand, and the drawings and photos are unclear.

In this book, professional woodworker Lonnie Bird gives all the information bandsaw owners wished came in the owner's manual plus much more -- what to look for when buying a bandsaw and how to tune it up for optimal performance. The information is presented in an accessible, easy-to-understand way, making this a quick reference as well as comprehensive handbook. All the information is up-to-date and thoroughly researched. Excellent color photos by the author and a clean, friendly layout gives this book on a classic woodworking subject a fresh modern look. This clearly illustrated and photographed volume will quickly become the standard reference and is a must-have title for any woodworker.

All the information necessary for preparing to plank, hanging and fastening and finishing off. Every type of wooden planking system, technique and method is covered along with all fastening options. Advice and illustrations all based on specific projects large and small.

There are countless ways to join two pieces of wood (nails, dowels, biscuits, mortise and tenon, dovetails, to name but a few), but in recent years pocket hole joinery has been growing in popularity mainly because it is a simple technique to master and the tooling available guarantees a strong joint every time.

Pocket screw joinery makes simple work of face frames, cabinets, and other applications where you want to hide the fasteners. The pocket hole jig, usually a stepped drill bit and guide bushing, drills an angled hole though the end of a piece of wood. A pocket screw, similar to a wide pan-head screw, is then driven through the hole into the mating piece of wood making a strong, tight joint. The advantage is that you are driving the screw through the end grain, similar to toe-nailing into the side grain.

The 8 projects in this book range from a simple picture frame, through a bathroom vanity, to furniture projects such as a bed, end table, and dresser. Furniture maker Mark Edmundson explains the basics of pocket hole joinery, helps you select the right jig for the job, shows how to use pocket screws with dowels and biscuits, and explains why clamping is the most important part of the assembly. It s a complete course in pocket hole joinery, with 8 great projects to show for it.

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