This step-by-step pictorial reference covers using all the tools found in a modern woodworking shop. Organized for quick access, this book makes it easy to find exactly the technique you are looking for. Over 850 photos and drawings illustrate using hand and power tools, including choosing the right tool for the job, setting it up, and basic and special operations.

Among the topics covered:

• Choosing the right tool


• Mastering hand-tool skills


• Setting up machines


• Making accurate cuts


• Using jigs and fixtures

About the author
Lonnie Bird was a long-time contributing editor to American Woodworker and frequently contributes to Fine Woodworking. He is the author of The Shaper Book, The Bandsaw Book, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood and Tauntons Complete Illustrated Guide to Period Furniture Details. For many years, Bird ran a university woodworking program. He lives in Dandridge, Tennessee, where he makes 18th-century furniture and operates a woodworking school.

Introduction

How to Use This Book

PART ONE: Wood and the Shop

SECTION 1. Working with Wood
The Structure of Wood
From Logs to Boards
Dealing with Wood Movement
Checking Moisture Content

SECTION 2. Outfitting the Shop
Holding the Work
Edge Tools
Measuring and Marking Tools
Hammers and Striking Tools
Sharpening Equipment
Portable Power Tools
Stationary Machines
Blades, Bits, and Cutters
Dust Collection

PART TWO: Benches, Clamps, and Assembly

SECTION 3. Benches and Clamps
The Workbench
Bench Accessories
Holding Work for Planing
Holding Work for Sawing
Holding Shaped Work
Clamps

SECTION 4. Gluing and Assembly
Simple Glue Joints
Project Assemblies
Repairing Defects

PART THREE: Hand Tools
SECTION 5. Measuring and Marking Tools
Measuring Tools
Marking Tools
Marking Gauges
Tools for Circles, Curves, and Arcs
Drafting Supplies

SECTION 6. Handsaws and Chisels
Saw and Chisel Joinery
Installing Hardware
Tuning Chisels

SECTION 7. Planes and Planing
Planing Techniques
Planing Project Parts
Planing Shapes
Tuning Planes

SECTION 8. Files and Rasps
Files and Rasps

SECTION 9. Sharpening Hand Tools
Sharpening Chisels
Sharpening Scrapers

PART FOUR: Power Tools

SECTION 10. The Table Saw
Tune-Up Procedures
Basic Operations
Table-Saw Joinery
Table-Saw Shaping

SECTION 11. The Jointer and Planer
Using the Jointer
Jointing and Planing

SECTION 12. The Bandsaw
Tune-Up Techniques
Cutting Simple Curves
Compound Curves
Bandsaw Ripping
Bandsaw Joinery

SECTION 13. The Shaper
Shaping Edges
Shaping a Face

SECTION 14. The Router Table
Basic Routing
Advanced Routing

SECTION 15. Drilling and Mortising Tools
Using the Drill Press
Using the Mortiser

Further Reading

Index

There are few activities that provide the enjoyment and deep sense of personal satisfaction as woodworking. As you join, shape, and smooth the wood, you feel growing anticipation as the piece nears completion. The excitement builds as the piece is assembled and the finish applied. The pleasure of woodworking is in the process of using tools to create furniture that will last for several generations.

If you are new to woodworking you may be wondering where to begin. Its always a good idea to start with a few hand tools, such as a couple of planes, a set of chisels, some layout tools, and a handsaw. Using hand tools requires patience and a measure of skill, but in the process youll learn all about grain direction, accurate layout, and the importance of sharp tools. And, as you learn to cut and fit a dovetail joint or carefully shape the sensuous curves of a table leg, the hand tools will create textures and surfaces that distinctly say, "handmade."

Learning to use power tools can be equally satisfying; woodworking machines provide accuracy and efficiency thats difficult to match with hand tools. The tablesaw is the first power tool that many woodworkers purchase. It can accurately rip and crosscut as well as cut many joints. The jointer and planer are a team that can efficiently flatten and plane lumber to size. And almost every woodworking shop has a bandsaw; its the tool of choice for cutting curves and the only tool that can resaw bookmatched panels and veneer.

Essentially, power and hand tools are of equal importance: Machines provide efficiency for labor-intensive tasks, such as sawing and planing; hand tools are used to create fine details that machines cant duplicate.

As you peruse the pages of this book, I hope that youll learn many new skills while experiencing the intense enjoyment that woodworking provides.