A great number of project articles in various woodworking magazines are centered around the tablesaw, often choosing joinery at least partly because it can be created on this ubiquitous and versatile tool.
I do not have a tablesaw and do not plan to obtain one, for all of the reasons that have been discussed elsewhere (primarily noise, space, and dust considerations).
I’d like to find a book that discusses joinery created by hand tools. My goal is to learn this subject well enough that I can take articles and plans such as those mentioned above and decide whether the joinery is appropriate for creation with hand tools and modify the design appropriately if not. I know that any joint you can make with a machine CAN be made with hand tools. But my gut feel is that many machine-created joints can be replaced by joints that are at least as strong and are perhaps more easily cut by hand (more easily than creating the machined joint by hand, that is).
So, what books might you folks recommend that would shed light on this subject?
Thanks!
Mike
Replies
I don't know of a book that fits your need exactly, but my articles may help you. If you snip out this year's series, you can staple those articles into a folder and you have, more or less, the book you seek. Pay particular attention to the articles on the upper and lower carcase where I covered the basic joints used to make basic furniture parts. In the upcoming November issue, I'll discuss the guts of a secretary, breaking it into two simple joints.
Adam
P.S. The problem I've had with some of the books on the market about joinery is that they typically fail to place the joints in context, which, I think, is exactly what you're after. They also typically fail to discuss which surfaces are the important/structural elements and which you can sacrifice.
Hi Mike,
An easily found (ie. Rockler and some Woodcraft stores) book is Terrie Noll's book The Joint Book. Older books, which I prefer, are often difficult to obtain and assume a certain level of knowledge.
But some have reprints available and excel in other aspects--like laying out for the joinery (often difficult joinery as well) for hand work. One such example is the excellent book by George Ellis, Modern Practical Joinery (originally written in 1902). This is available I believe from Tools for Working Wood.
One more modern book which I don't think has been reprinted but is good if you can find a copy is Robert Wearing's book The Essential Woodworker. Yet another is Charles Hayward's Woodwork Joints. Woodwork Joints is a great one, actually.
Others will chime in as well, I suspect...
Take care, Mike
Max
Are you willing to use a bandsaw?? For basic lumber preparation its just a great tool and I believe it is a very safe tool to use with care. If you are patient and your goal is handtools only, you might look at the tools and go to the wood. You might look at the joints and go back to the tool. Either way its the joined piece you want. For years I worked w/o a tablesaw. In the wooden boat world of the sixties, there were guys ripping boards on the unisaw with no fence. It was only a matter of time and somebody got hurt as I watched and I was stand-offish about the tool. The tablesaw is a great tool but it can be a man eater.
Books: The old joinery book by Tage Frid comes to mind. Lots of step by step with good illustrations. I have talked with a bunch of people over the years and they liked that one universally. Caution: a bunch of power tool stuff included.
The book includes: Mortise and Tenon, dovetailing, lapjoints, use of dowels(before the age of bisquits), and lots more. Its a taunton press book and its still for sale after all these years. Maybe what you are looking for?? Good Luck and don't skip the chapters on sharpening hand tools.
Once you figure out what books you want check eBay. There are some really good used books there going for decent prices.
Search, "(joints, joinery) (wood, woodworking)", in books.
I just checked and there are several good ones listed now.
There are two old books that I found online. The first is called Handwork in Wood, by William Noyes: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20846/20846-h/20846-h.htm
The second is Woodwork Joints: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21531/21531-h/21531-h.htm
Both books date back to the early 1900's. It's amazing how much information is in the older books, especially compared to today's articles/books.
Max,
I don't really use my table saw to make joints. I do use it to dimension my wood. However, I got along O.K. with a good circular saw and a straight edge for years before I could aford the TS. I even made some very nice tapered legs for a writing desk I built for the wife using the CS and a jig so strange I can't even describe it here. Still, I like my TS. Saves time and with the dust collection, it doesn't really make much of a mess either. Allows me to get to the fun stuff like cutting joints quicker. :-)
Scotty
Good Wood Joints by Jackson and Day.... shows both machine and hand methods. Organized very nicely too.
Get the three book series by Tage Frid, (Taunton Press). The first book on joinery is great with both hand and power tool versions of just about everything. I love Frid’s work because he is so practical; he was trained as a working craftsman who was expected to be able to do things profitably, not a navel gazing artist.
>not a navel gazing artist. <Ha ha ha. There's an element of practicality left in knots? Except for Bob Smalser's posts, you could've fooled me.I'll add: "The Complete Woodworker" ed Bernard Jones, reprinted in paperback by Tenspeed Press. State of the art hand tool work, circa 1900 - 1910.
And you know Frid may have never owned an infill plane, how is it that he was able to do all that wonderful work? Oh yeah, he had a BELT SANDER! He even used it to sharpen his tools, God forbid!
He also used a bow saw for almost everything else. I've tried it. I guess I should have started at the age of 4 like he did to be able to do anything with it except make firewood.
You know that is all I use. I taught myself after reading his books, then I got to meet him that was a treat, (my scrapers are still sharp thanks to his teaching). Bow saws are great, they do everything well and you can make them yourself, a sharp one will out saw a very expensive dovetail saw any day, <!----><!---->IMO<!---->.
Sounds like I need to practice, practice, practice. (Perhaps I can even make it to Carnegie Hall after all.) I am always willing to learn something new. Thanks for the encouragement.
Tage Frid, (Taunton Press). I agree.. Only after I saw his dovtails with that chopped up look inside. Something about his wife saying it did not look very neat. How I did mine and thought it was suppose to be all smooth! Dang what a joy when I saw that!
Will,
Measure with micrometer, chop with an axe then file to fit, right?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
No. Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe and beat to fit!
If it don’t show, well, it don’t show.
Mike W is right, almost anything written by Charles H. Hayward will add to your fund of knowledge.
I have many copies of The Woodworker magazine he edited (and wrote) through the war years and later, and to me the most telling point is photographs showing his surroundings. He produced magnificent hand work in a shed, later using a small Myford lathe with a few attachments as a nod to power woodworking.
Max,
Take a look at these sites; they have numerous books that cover the kinds of info you're looking for:
http://www.astragalpress.com/
http://www.blackburnbooks.com/
http://www.cambiumbooks.com/books/hand_tools/
http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/
http://www.toolemera.com/grr/index.html
http://www.woodworkerslibrary.com/
http://www.tenspeedpress.com/
Hope that you will find something of use in at least one of these.
.
Tschüß!
James
"The end does not justify the means. No one's rights can be secured by the violation of the rights of others."
-- Ayn Rand
There is an English author called Charles Haywood who has written numerous woodworking books over the years one called Woodwork Joints would probably suit your purpose I am not sure if it is still in print the author started his apprenticeship around the time of the first world war I hope this helps.
Regards from OZ
You can make it fool proof but not idiot proof
HI Bolts,Hayward is the correct spelling.I use some of his illustrations as teaching aids. It's written at elementary trade level and a good resource.CHeers,eddie
Definitely excellent stuff. It is not all at trade or elementary level though. He wrote a diverse range eg "Antique or Fake", "The Complete Book of Woodwork", two books on period furniture designs that have excellent drawings with dimensions and methods of dealing with the more difficult items, "Tools for Woodwork", "Staining and Polishing" and so on.
No American Woodworm should be without at least one of C Hayward's books....Philip Marcou
Thanks for the scans Phillip. Much appreciated.I think that over the years I've picked up a good two dozen of his titles.You're right, most are written to cover skills covered by a tradesman, but in simple English and easy to understand. I note at least three textbooks that are written around his history of furniture, including direct use of the illustrations. They've set the benchmarks and are an accurate and authoritive source.Cutting joinery by hand is more skilled than setting up machines, but we covered this in the early trade training, with exception of compound cuts or things such as mitred blind dovetails, etc... Later on, it was more about doing things at the same high level of accuracy but quickly.Was your training the same?Thanks again for the scans.eddie
Thanks Eddie
I was doing the name from memory which is probably not what it used to be I have several of his books and have always always held him in high regard.
Regards from Melbourne OZYou can make it fool proof but not idiot proof
How about this book: "The Handymans's Book" by Paul N Hasluck.
It was first published in 1903, so there is no danger of a reference to a Biskweet Jointer, WoodMonkey or Grizziizily, let alone pictures or adverts for these...
I seriously recommend it- over 700 pages of information and drawings-the title is entirely mis-leading.
If Adam has not seen it he ought to, but I think in his case the only omission which comes to mind is the lack of reference to correct attire (;).It even tells one how NOT to undercut a dovetail joint, and where the secret dovetail joint can be found.
I scanned at random some pages.
ISBN 1 8589 254 7
I haven't checked , but I'm sure you can locate it on Amazon.
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