Making Great Furniture: 30 Inspiring Projects from Top Makers Paperback – Import, 7 November 2005

Excellent

This book contains projects that were constructed by 25 different woodworkers. Each article is authored by the woodworker. Unfortunately, the editor did a terrible job of creating a consistent style throughout the book.Take, for example, the large tamboor desk on the front cover. I bought this book primarily for that article because I've seen the desk and it is a tour de force of design and execution.However, the seven page article is simply a self-congratulatory, fluff piece. ('My oh my, we are such good woodworkers in this shop. We worked really hard and won lots of awards.' So?)There are absolutely no construction details and no sources of supply (where can anyone get 8/4 macassar ebony for the legs, what about that unique hardware that holds each carcase together and allows for disassembly?) What about veneering? Constructing the taboors from solid ebony?Well, OK, there is one construction detail about a lift off rail but the details on that are completely lacking. I don't even understand why it lifts off. Actually, why would anyone else build the desk so it can be disassembled? The author did it because he planned to carry it around to various shows but would anyone else have this requirement?How about a few hints for making the half lap joint on the "S" shaped stretchers? What about dovetails for the cured drawer fronts? Why was all this stuff kept secret?On the other hand, some of the articles are very well written. For example, the fall front desk shown on the cover is very well described for an intermediate woodworker. The article assumes that you are a competent woodworker and focused on the details that make the piece unique, like the inlays.Each piece is described with a drawing that show most of the details and provides a overall measurements. The reader certainly will make quite a few decisions about what size everything should be and infer a lot of details.So, the quality range from pretty darn good to downright awful. If all the articles were like the first article, I would have returned the book and told everyone to stay away. But there are some really good articles here too. The intermediate woodworker will find some stuff to like. But next time, the publisher really should use an editor with a bit of background in woodworking or at least some technical writing expertise.P.S. All of the woodworkers are from the United Kingdom and its kinda surprising how many different words are used. Someone once said that 'England and the states were a united country separated by a common language'. The truth of that statement is certainly evident in this book.

This book contains photos, measured drawings and some accompanying text with construction details. There are no cutting lists nor directions. This is a book of ideas. It would be of interest for the furniture maker wanting some casual reading, some design ideas and perhaps inspiration. The word "projects" in the title is misleading: this is not a set of project instructions.