With just the naked eye and a hand lens or elementary microscopy, you will be able to identify over 180 domestic and tropical hardwoods and softwoods by following the straightforward techniques in this book.

Bruce Hoadley, a professor of wood science and technology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, provides:

• an overview of the wood identification process
• a look at the basic anatomy of woody plants
• hundreds of easy-to-use charts and crystal-clear photographs and microphotographs
• sources of information and materials, and a glossary of all technical terms used in the book

Customer Reviews from Amazon

The book provides the info needed. It does not provide the jeweler's loupe or microscope, judgment or practice needed. Judgment comes with practice. The sample prep technique is very important. When I started trying out the technique outlined by the book, my first impression was wow, this is harder than you would think - then I started to see what the author was talking about, and started identifying mystery wood with certainty. Very satisfying to do. It takes more time to learn the method than you would think, but I cannot think of a better way to go about identifying wood. A very good book, if identifying wood is your goal.

Before I bought this book, I would look at something and wonder, "Is this wood?". Now, I always know. This book will show you how to tell wood apart from materials such as metal, plastic, dirt and flesh. You don't need to be an expert, anyone can do it. Get this book and go find out if something is made of wood or not!!

I have worked with wood all my life but I had never looked at it through a magnifier and never really understood how the grain worked. I believe that, as I spend more time with the book, it will be a great help with identifying different woods but it was worth the cost for helping me understand wood and wood grain better. I am very glad I bought this book.

I purchased this book for my step father for Christmas. He needed a book to help him identify wood since he has a portable band sawmill. He really likes the book, and now he wants the other one by this guy.

A must have book for any forestry student that is taking a wood science or wood tech class. Without this book as a supplement to the regular textbook for the class, I don't know if I would have passed! The opening chapters are an easy to understand read and the pictures/descriptions of the different types of wood are excellent.

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