Book Review: The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing
- Thread starter Andy Kev.
- Start date
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Thanks for posting this review. I agree that it's an excellent book to cover the essential basics in a systematic way, like a school teacher would do. (I think it's no surprise that an experienced teacher like Wearing can do a better job of explaining things!)
As for the interesting discussion of speed, I think it's a definite distinguishing factor between amateur and professional or rather, inexperienced and experienced.
I've done two lengthy projects that I have documented in exhaustive detail on here. The step - chair took nine months and the chest of drawers took four. Much of this time was spent working out how to tackle some aspect or comparing one tool or method with another. If I was making furniture for a living I would have to be faster. I definitely had sessions where there was no visible difference between before and after, but I had done some thinking.
As for the interesting discussion of speed, I think it's a definite distinguishing factor between amateur and professional or rather, inexperienced and experienced.
I've done two lengthy projects that I have documented in exhaustive detail on here. The step - chair took nine months and the chest of drawers took four. Much of this time was spent working out how to tackle some aspect or comparing one tool or method with another. If I was making furniture for a living I would have to be faster. I definitely had sessions where there was no visible difference between before and after, but I had done some thinking.
I would have thought that one key difference between the amateur and the pro is that the latter will have been trained in every technique he could need i.e. he'll have done everything once even if some of those things were only done during training. It's more probable that the hobbyist, as he takes on ever more ambitious projects, will constantly be confronted with new challenges, all of which can only be dealt with by preparation and planning from first principles. Just consider Derek Cohen's lingerie chest which in the complexity of its geometry seems to me to be the Rubik's Cube of cabinet making (honestly: I just can't get my head around the joinery and so have given up trying to fathom it and now just enjoy looking at the pictures!). How many of the more experienced hobbyists on here could just dive into doing that without having to get their thinking caps on for a while so as to deal with hitherto unencountered challenges?AndyT":18lgx95w said:
I bought the downloadable copy of The Essential Woodworker (only $12) on the basis of Andy Kev's review and find it excellent. My aim was to get something to provide a framework and reference work for some tuition classes that I am just starting for my (adult) son and his partner, who are used to absorbing information efficiently from online and print sources. I had already planned to start with the basics of planing, marking out, sawing and basic joints, and TEW sets this out in an admirably clear and structured way, with excellent diagrams. While they will get one-on-one instruction, they have to be able to work on their own too, and having a quick reference to check that they have not omitted a step, or exactly how an operation is done, will be so valuable.
As others have mentioned, the consistency of approach is invaluable.
I do find some YouTube instructional videos worthwhile, because sometimes it is easier to learn from seeing a good example than reading even an illustrated description. The trick is to use something like TEW to filter out the extensive rubbish and discover what is worth viewing! I find I can't watch most woodworking videos without losing patience, because of the egotism, bragging, rambling, showing trivial stages, etc, but occasionally there are gems.
Of course I also found, as so often when you are preparing to teach something, that I clarified my own knowledge and understanding and learned some new techniques!
Keith
As others have mentioned, the consistency of approach is invaluable.
I do find some YouTube instructional videos worthwhile, because sometimes it is easier to learn from seeing a good example than reading even an illustrated description. The trick is to use something like TEW to filter out the extensive rubbish and discover what is worth viewing! I find I can't watch most woodworking videos without losing patience, because of the egotism, bragging, rambling, showing trivial stages, etc, but occasionally there are gems.
Of course I also found, as so often when you are preparing to teach something, that I clarified my own knowledge and understanding and learned some new techniques!
Keith
Oh, I learned the importance of time pressure and not being hasty at a very early age, 11 I think. I had just completed my first term of instruction at a school that had excellent workshop training, and the end-of-term test was to make a lap joint. I enjoyed the work, had assimilated all the stuff about marking out, had learned the techniques and was determined to excel at the test. Indeed I was the first to finish. To find that my lap "joint" had a 1/4" gap thanks to a measuring/setting out mistake! Whilst this set me back temporarily, I then realised that I really could do it well but needed to take the care and the time, and let speed develop at its own pace.
Professionals develop this in their long apprenticeship (I'm a great believer in the 10,000 hours to achieve mastery of a field). But the nice thing about being an amateur is that the learning curve is so long. After over 60 years of - very part time - woodworking I am still learning and improving!
Keith
Professionals develop this in their long apprenticeship (I'm a great believer in the 10,000 hours to achieve mastery of a field). But the nice thing about being an amateur is that the learning curve is so long. After over 60 years of - very part time - woodworking I am still learning and improving!
Keith
I went to school one Saturday morning, and had a whole morning of woodwork. My master said he was quite happy with my work, but I had to get used to working faster. He pointed to a pile of wood - that's your job for the morning, he said. I asked what it was for and he replied that he wanted a coffee table ... finished by lunchtime. Don't worry about laquering it, he said, so long as glued up and finished. I'll laquer it tomorrow. I seem to recall smiling very weakly. It wasn't until ages afterwards that I found out he'd promised a coffee table for a church fete that Sunday and he'd forgotten all about it. 
Wearing's book Handtools for Woodworkers should be considered a companion volume. Be forewarned that there are lots of pictures of Record and other British tool brands if for some reason you've come to believe these tools can't be used to make furniture.
The line art was of course available from manufacturers, the actual tool photos I assume are of Wearing's own kit (cover photo as well) and it appears to be all Record, Stanley, Sorby, Marples, etc.
The line art was of course available from manufacturers, the actual tool photos I assume are of Wearing's own kit (cover photo as well) and it appears to be all Record, Stanley, Sorby, Marples, etc.
As should "The Resourceful Woodworker".
