Furniture Books

I am a beginning cabinetmaking student at a local community college and technical institute here in Minneapolis. After taking a year of classes, I decided to work on reinforcing my newly acquired skills over the summer hiatus by making some built in closets for our bedroom.

Using what I'd learned in my drafting for cabinetmakers class and after considering what my husband and I really needed by way of a built-in, I designed a nice modular unit. Woodsmith's Bookcases, Shelves and Cabinets helped me keep on course with the project, acting like an instructor. A number of projects illustrated in the book helped me design some of the parts that I wanted to include in my own design. I wanted simple finger hole drawers (p. 16-19) for the inside of the upper part of the closet which would be hidden behind doors, and larger more finished looking drawers for the lower closet. For the latter I redesigned some of the modular cabinets (pp. 94-105), using the case work the authors show and putting in drawers instead of shelves. The doors illustrated for these cabinets also provided me with a template with which to design the doors for the upper cabinets in my own design.

The book includes a number of truly lovely projects, some for bookshelves, an armoire, and a corner cabinet that I'd like to try, but I think those will have to wait awhile. While some of the plans for jigs for making repeated parts easier to process were very interesting, I think I'll wait to consult with my instructor in the fall before trying them. The exploded views of all the patterns and the suggestions for alterations to the designs make the book fully understandable even to a novice like myself. I look forward to using some of the ideas and techniques in future designs for my classes next year. Really a terrific book.

"Every piece of furniture in THIS BOOK WAS DESIGNED WITH TWO BASIC QUESTIONS IN MINE.

First, will this unit be attractive enough to fit into today's style-conscious home?

Secondly, have the construction procedures and assemblies been simplified as much as possible without sacrificing the functional or visual aspect of the piece?

These units, therefore, combine ease of construction, extreme utility, and a handsome appearance....."

[from the book of the introduction by Klaus Grabe]

This book has detailed plans including materials list and photographs of the finished project. Sections divided into Tables and Desks, Chairs Benches and Beds, Cabinets and Storage, Accents and Accessories. Lots of shaker style pieces.

Vikki Bell successfully traces the historical origins of incest according those discourses which claim to know the truth about incest.By utilising a critical Foucauldian framework, she emphasises the shortfalls of feminist theoretical construction in the area, opening new challenges and spaces for further development. Bell utilises discourse analysis to demonstrate how different discourses have contributed to the concept of incest, how these have shaped the criminalisation of incest and how incest is problematised. This is an excellent piece of work where Foucauldian deconstructive techniques are juxtaposed with contemporary feminist thought, raising new dilemmas and challenges.

This writer speaks from 50 years of experience and it shows. I love his common sense approach to working with the wood and letting its beauty show. I prefer his simple lines approach with some caracter. He believes in slightly rounded corners so the pieces seem friendly and warm on their own. I love his use of slight curves versis only just straight lines. His instructions are ideal for us who are doing things by ourselves because that is the way he does it also. Over the years he has developed lots of helpers that work and make tasks not only possible, but easy. He is a thinker and obviously enjoys taking the time to let the project be designed to be all it can be to please and delight the eye. He just makes sense and you know he knows what he is doing. When he tells you something, you know you need to listen. I found this book in the library and could have photocopied any part I wanted on my copier. However, this is a keeper for "fatherly advise" when ever I get to a step beyond what I have done before.

I own this book and "Fine Furniture For A Lifetime" (also by Glen Huey). They are both very detailed, providing complete cut lists, exploded diagrams of each piece, and thorough instructions with plenty of pictures.

I haven't built any of the pieces in the book, but I've use several of the techniques described in other pieces.

In this book, Dorie Krusz takes the reader through the steps of making dollhouses and everything in them. The information is wonderfully in-depth, and quite comprehensive. The color photos in here are wonderful to behold, and speak volumes about Ms. Krusz's ability. This is a great book.

Built-In furniture shows you imaginative solutions for every room of the house. Create a library in a stairwell. Add a wet bar to your family room. Hide appliances & electronics. With the hundreds of color photos, floor plans & diagrams in this book, you'll have a wealth of ideas for every space in your home.

This book is a must have for furniture makers, designers or anyone else that is interested in the refined neoclassicism of the Sheraton style. Although his book seems to have less illustrations than Chippendale's diretory, it also includes descriptions of each plate by the man himself. The two books are most useful when viewed together to compare how the styles changed and to understand the breadth of ornamentation available. The third director available from that time(Hepplewhite) is the least thorough, but it is also an indispensible addition to the design library. The only thing that would make these books better is if they were bound in a more permanent manner. The current editions are all in softcover which is economical(especially when compared with the cost of acquiring an old copy) but it just isn't as grand as the subject matter seems to require.

Excellent service and excellent prodoct. Would order from them again.