Books on Hand Tool Techniques?

[David C]

Another vote for The Essential Woodworker.

Excellent,

David

 

[bugbear]

The four volume version of Practical Woodworker (editied by Jones) is rather good; if you want the "handtools furniture bible", I'd recommend "Modern Cabinetwork: Furniture and Fitments" by Hooper and Wells, but don't get the 1950 edition, when it went all powertools and plywood-y.

Hooper and Wells was the predecessor, in the hand tool era, of Joyce, who I can't recommend for handtool information.

Oh, and anything by Hayward, obviously!

BugBear

 

[selly]

I ordered the Sellers book base on Jacobs opinion (I find he makes a lot of sense although many disagree with him) and I would say its very good.

It doesn't try to blind you with techniques and thousands of a mm info just just good honest stuff to get you working wood and making stuff without spending a fortune. I have the Charlesworth books and I found them disappointing for my desires, a little bit too technical and dry but I can see how those into the minutiae would enjoy them.

So if you are a beginner and want to just start using some kit and making some things recommend the Sellers.

 

[Jacob]

Sellers makes things seem possible.
Some of the others do the opposite and could put people off, especially when they are told (over and over again :roll: ) that their tools are all carp and need hours of work to "tune" etc. etc. This becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in that many tools are wrecked by novices attempting to follow the tuning dogma - chisel faces polished on buffing wheels frinstance.*
"Tuning" b......x shouldn't be embarked upon by anybody who isn't already fairly competent with the tools and has a good idea of what is or isn't needed.

*Or they spend a fortune on American novelty tools and discover that their woodwork doesn't improve in the slightest!

 

[selly]

Sellers makes things seem possible.
Some of the others do the opposite and could put people off, especially when they are told (over and over again :roll: ) that their tools are all carp and need hours of work to "tune" etc. etc. This becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in that many tools are wrecked by novices attempting to follow the tuning dogma - chisel faces polished on buffing wheels frinstance.
"Tuning" b......x shouldn't be embarked upon by anybody who isn't already fairly competent with the tools and has a good idea of what is or isn't needed.

Agree 1000%.

 

[bobbybirds]

Another vote for The Essential Woodworker.

Excellent,

David

x3! Very easy to read and understand and give you what you need to know to start down the handtool road...

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Here's another vote for Robert Wearing's 'The Essential Woodworker' (and almost anything else by R.W.). I'ts probably the finest book for the raw beginner.

Years ago, I read David Charlesworth's articles in Furniture and Cabinetmaking magazine. I learned A LOT from them, but they are aimed more at the person who has a practical grasp of the raw basics but wants to improve - to move on from simple woodbutchery to finer cabinetmaking. He doesn't really cover the out-and-out basics as well as Wearing, I think.

I haven't read Sellers, but from what I've seen of his Youtube clips, he's spent a lifetime perfecting techniques that work well for him. Not all his techniques are quite what would be regarded as standard good practice, so perhaps his writings should be read with that in mind.

On balance, I'd read and absorb the basics from Wearing first, then move on to Charlesworth to improve and refine techniques.

 

[G S Haydon]

their tools are all carp

Something fishy going on here

 

[AndyT]

One of the problems faced by a beginner is how to start making something useful without knowing all the tools and techniques. A good book will lead you through a graded series of projects making sure that the basics are covered first. I've mentioned it on here before but I'd like to recommend a book that doesn't often get mentioned: Illustrated Furniture Making by Graham Blackburn, published on 1977. It covers hand tools only (he also did an excellent book on just hand tools).
It takes you through making simple boxes, tables and a chair.

Easily available second hand.

 

[Jacob]

......
I haven't read Sellers, but from what I've seen of his Youtube clips, he's spent a lifetime perfecting techniques that work well for him. Not all his techniques are quite what would be regarded as standard good practice, so perhaps his writings should be read with that in mind......

But what is "standard good practice" and how do you find out about it?
Personally I think that City & Guilds is as near as you could get and in many ways Sellers' stuff is closer than most. Better still would be the coursework books but you would really need the workshop training as well.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

......
I haven't read Sellers, but from what I've seen of his Youtube clips, he's spent a lifetime perfecting techniques that work well for him. Not all his techniques are quite what would be regarded as standard good practice, so perhaps his writings should be read with that in mind......

But what is "standard good practice" and how do you find out about it?
Personally I think that City & Guilds is as near as you could get and in many ways Sellers' stuff is closer than most. Better still would be the coursework books but you would really need the workshop training as well.

I've given my opinion on the OP's original question (and on how to find out what standard good practice is generally regarded to be), and you've given yours, Jacob. Rather than this thread degenerate into yet another of those boring, curcuitous, pointless tit-for-tat arguments, shall we allow the OP and others to take what they will from the opinions already stated?

 

[Jelly]

......
I haven't read Sellers, but from what I've seen of his Youtube clips, he's spent a lifetime perfecting techniques that work well for him. Not all his techniques are quite what would be regarded as standard good practice, so perhaps his writings should be read with that in mind......

But what is "standard good practice" and how do you find out about it?
Personally I think that City & Guilds is as near as you could get and in many ways Sellers' stuff is closer than most. Better still would be the coursework books but you would really need the workshop training as well.

City and Guilds is the standard by which most commercial environments will set their SOP's to and desire training to conform to... So it effectively *is* standard good practice.

 

[woodiedonald]

Ernst joyce's encyclopedia of furniture making is a book I'd reccomend.

 

[bugbear]

Ernst joyce's encyclopedia of furniture making is a book I'd reccomend.

Excellent on furniture construction, not so much on hand tools.

BugBear

 

[nine_tails]

I am a newbie woodworking looking for some instructions ... I am intrigued by sellers book. Can some one please list what kind of tools do you need to complete the projects? Do you also need a proper work bench? I stay in a share house, so it is going to be difficult to set up shop.... So I am looking for something I can work away in my room..

Cheers!

 

[bugbear]

I am a newbie woodworking looking for some instructions ... I am intrigued by sellers book. Can some one please list what kind of tools do you need to complete the projects? Do you also need a proper work bench? I stay in a share house, so it is going to be difficult to set up shop.... So I am looking for something I can work away in my room..

Cheers!

I'd (seriously) consider fretwork or chip carving.

Because making anything substantial requires a fair bit of room, and a half-decent bench. Speaking as the happy owner of a Workmate, I woudn't try and do handtool woodwork on it.

BugBear