The Essential Woodworker: Skills, Tools and Methods

by Robert Wearing

With all the answers to your fundamental woodworking questions, this is an indispensable guide to basic skills and techniques, and how to apply them.

Genres: Woodwork, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1988

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book in hard cover for quite some time. It is so useful to me that when I couldn't find the book for a month, I purchased the ebook version of it. Yeah, it's that good. When I started woodworking I wasn't able to attend classes. Now that I have been able to make it to a few classes/courses I can honestly say, for a newbie this book is the next best thing to professional instruction. One of the things I found most useful was the way he walks you through the stages of construction. You not only learn how to perform a technique, but when to perform it, in what order, and why you're doing it that way. It's just as useful today as it was when I bought it....both times. But hey, I paid for it twice, that should tell you something right? LoL

[Kevin Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does a great job of explaining the basic techniques needed to craft wood into furniture. Mastering the exercises presented here will allow a woodworker to competently produce casework, drawers etc. necessary for simple projects and sets the worker up to advance to more complex projects. Wearing writes with knowledge of both the craft and the teaching of the craft. He explains not only how but why. He knows where a novice would tend to go wrong and tells reader why they shouldn't go there. Many how-to articles on building specific projects assume the basic skill detailed in this book. Attempting even moderately advance projects without mastering the skills in this book can be ...uh... disappointing? What isn't here is wood turning and chair construction.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed instructions on basic woodworking skills and building tables and cabinets using hand tools. No major projects but there are enough plan books out there to easily get you started.No bench information, you will need another book for that, see Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use or Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings for more information on such a contentious subject.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title has it right, this is an essential guide for the serious beginner. It is well written and illustrated; although it took strenuous effort in some areas to follow Mr Wearing's description, I ultimately did.

A few pages into this book I thought it would have been interesting to be an apprentice woodworker, taking several months to work through the material as exercises towards becoming a journeyman. By the end of the book I'd increased my mental model of the time required to years.

The edition I own comes, by the way, from Lost Art Press, a fabulous resource for woodworkers which is run by a credible hot-shot hand craftsman.

[Kendel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, but not by reading it. I learned by googling half the things said in this book.

The book claims to be for learning foundational skills but throws names around like im supposed to know what they are. Whats a paper joint, mortise gauge, a sash cramp, a carpenters brace? You won't learn that in this book but they will be mentioned as though they are common place.

This is not the end of the world but when the book tries to explain a complex set of steps and hits you with a word like "planer stop" and you dont know if thats a tool or a skill or just a piece of wood to stop the planer its maddening. Not to mention that theres "500 illistratration" that have little to no annotations making them even harder to understand.

This is probably a great book if you already know half the things in it and want to fine tune your knowledge. But the introduction does not sell the book as such.

[Charlie Dibble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite useful and direct on how-tos. referenced it a couple times so far. I have a feeling as I reference it more in the future my opinion of it will improve.

Some of the topics and outlined are tough to track and understand without the context of having done or currently doing a project wherein the approach is relevant. As my repertoire grows, I think the pages of this book will grow worn and full of saw dust.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

one i'll be going back to and probably the best text for beginners. only a few criticisms: the figures are often multiple pages away from where they are referenced (i understand this is a limitation of typesetting but that won't stop me getting mad about it) and occassionally wearing uses technical phrases without explanation (which seems odd for an introductory text).

[Stephen Fridrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book on woodworking methods is easy to read. It remains relevant. There’s are many figures thoughout that nicely support the text descriptions. Both novice and experienced woodworkers can benefit from it.

[Christopher Hachet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this earlier in my woodworking journey, still relevant and useful

[Elizabeth Byerly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reference for fundamental forms. No fluff; maybe a little sparse on context given its target audience is amateurs?

[Shaun Deane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely easy to understand, but comprehensive explanation of how to make two basic projects, with many variations of style. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in understanding and doing woodworking.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic hand tool wooodworking manual. All the techniques for basic woodworking skills are outlined in a clear concise manner. It's a good book to keep in the shop for easy referral.

[Rob Drown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clearly written and covers an amazing breadth of topics.

[Ben Wenzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally useful. Great explanations and illustrations. A bit dry at times. Great reference tool, but not a page-turner.

[Tang Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is like having the teacher looking over your shoulder.

[Chase Seibert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even remotely targeted at the novice.