Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship

Reviews of Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship

1.) Very Good For the Self Taught Woodworker
Reviewed by: Jason T. Amsden Texas
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I have found it difficult to find a book with actual exercises to build hand skills in an organized manner. I think many self taught woodworkers have peaks and valleys of skills due to the nature of "solo woodworker" learning (project plans and piece meal magazine articles). Sometimes my inefficient methods have taken more time and wasted more wood than I would care to admit.

This book is based on a course taught at a school under the author's direction. Though I am sure the live course would be vastly superior, I find this book to be an excellent guide. I would not pass it by if you are completely self taught with years of experience and/or successful projects under your belt. It is a great reinforcing tutorial. If I could have done it all over again I would have started with the course or bought this book.

2.) Read this book first!
Reviewed by: Steven Vela Colorado, USA
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Having muddled my way through about 6 years as a hobbyist woodworker, I wish I would have found this book first. It provides excellent instruction on basic woodworking techniques, but it also unashamedly recommends the surprisingly few, but high quality tools one needs to produce beautiful furniture. Had I read this book first, literally hundreds of dollars in unnecessary or substandard tools wouldn't be cluttering up my shop today!

Additionally, this book will teach you how to hand and machine cut several woodworking joints using step-by-step narrative and clear, color illustrations. Not only will the book serve the beginning woodworker, but will challenge the more experienced craftsperson to take his or her work to the next level.

I just had the pleasure of taking Peter Korn's class at his school in Maine, and was surprised at how closely it follows this text. While no book can substitute for the interactivity of a two week course, actually going through the process of completing each one of the projects in this book will be time and resources well spent. Even experienced woodworkers would not be wasting their time in going back to the basics and perfecting their techniques and execution.

I highly recommend this book.

3.) Invaluable for the beginner
Reviewed by: John J. Quinn Rockford, IL
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Though I'm sure it was not Mr. Korn's intent, this work converted me from a 'Norm-ite' to a 'Neanderthal' woodworker. Mr. Korn provides parallel instructions for using power and hand tools, and that made all the difference. I realized I could do real woodworking without investing thousands of dollars in loud, dangerous, impersonal machinery. After reading this book, I invested lightly in used hand planes, chisels, a Ryoba and waterstones rather than jointers, planers, routers and table saws. Though I am not yet a craftsman by any means, I now 'enjoy' woodworking more than I ever had before.
I didn't realize how much I'd grown to depend on Mr. Korn's book until I lost the darn thing midway through the course. Yes, it's a course, not a reference book. It teaches gradually, with each lesson building on the prior one. That's what makes it so compelling. Taken with patience, one can master seemingly impossible tasks in workworking. Highly recommended.

4.) Great book for the beginning woodworker
Reviewed by: N. S. Bell
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Great background and a thorough introduction to the skills and techniques needed to become a skilled woodworker. Nothing overly complex or astounding, but I gained a great deal of satisfaction and confidence by following the exercises and practicing.

They say that practice does not make perfect, only PERFECT practice makes perfect. That is what this book offers - detailed instructions on how to practice cutting these beautiful joints perfectly. Within five attempts, I was cutting gap-free 1/8" pin dovetails with nothing more than a dozuki, a coping saw, and a sharp chisel. To say that I am satisfied would be a horrific understatement.

The book is written clearly and in a friendly, accessible tone. It focuses only on a few techniques rather that overwhelming the reader with every obscure joint available to the woodworker.

I enjoyed this book immensely. If you are a beginning woodworker mesmerized by the skill and precision of truly excellent hand-cut joinery, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Then diligently practice the techniques as thay are laid out for you...you will be more than satisfied with the results.

5.) Excellent for a beginner like me
Reviewed by: Jose J. Rodriguez FL, USA
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I am a weekend amateur woodworker who has gone through many of the typical problems you run into when you think that wood is something straight and two pieces are easy to joint even when you cut them "almost" right. This book is excellent if you are new into woodworking. Everything is explained and illustrated with very good pictures.
At the end it goes through some exercises that are presented in order of difficulty and with logic sequence. To the author: great job. I wish I would have the time to attend to your classes.


6.) Excellent woodworking course
Reviewed by: C. Young West Jordan, UT United States
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I have to say I agree entirely with Jason T. Amsden's review. A lot of woodworking books focus on one or two skills and just brush over the rest, so as a novice woodworker, you are left to figure things out for yourself.

While this book isn't as good as a live, hands-on course would be, it is the next best thing.

7.) The most important tool the new woodworker should buy
Reviewed by: Samma
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This book is pure delight! I got this book as a complete beginner to woodworking. The book has straightforward instructions and enough background information to understand the "why" behind the instructions. The illustrations are also very well done and helpful.

What I really like about this book is that it gives instructions for accomplishing the same task in at least two different ways, sometimes three or four. There are instructions for both power tools and hand tools. Using the recommendations in the book, I bought a few quality handtools. The more I use them, the more I am delighted and excited to find that I can make quality products without spending thousands on power tools. Because the book gives instructions for both hand tools and power tools, I can also better evaluate whether certain power tools would be worth the investment.

This book also really focuses on craftsmanship - not just getting the job done, but getting it done right. However, you DO need to follow the instructions, and do the projects as exercises. Practice. It's not as difficult at I thought it would be, and I am very pleased with the results I've obtained even in a short time.

8.) Great for beginners or for those new to hand tools
Reviewed by: Stephen Horowitz Los Angeles, CA United States
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As everyone else has mentioned, this book contains wonderful introductions to the techniques and vocabulary of fine woodworking. In addition, it also can be a great introduction to the use of hand tools, for those who might be familiar with power tools and woodworking in general, but with no hand tool experience.

One of my favorite things about this book is that the author, Peter Korn, is not afraid to give recommendations for which tools to buy and which you can do without. He sometimes will even recommend a specific brand of tool, which is great since tools may all look the same even though they are most certainly not built the same.

Overall, a great purchase.

9.) Concise, compelling, the beginning of an addiction
Reviewed by: Adrian Veidt Middletown, NJ USA
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I had nothing but a curiosity about woodworking when Amazon brought this book to my attention as a highly rated book for beginners. This book does an absolutely fabulous job of boiling the craft down to the basics for readers unfamiliar with the subject.

This book will not make you a master in any technique, nor will it cover anything in particular detail. What it will do is give you an introduction to wood, common tools (both hand and powered), and basic techniques for making fine furniture. This book was the beginning of an addiction for me, and for that I am grateful!

10.) Getting Started
Reviewed by: Scott Aderhold Baltimore, MD
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If you are looking to get started and pick up a general understanding of how to begin woodworking...this is a great book. I started out with essentially no knowledge of the subject...but I knew I wanted to get into it for several reasons. By the end I knew about the raw material, tools, terms, safety and how to get a basic project on track.
I ordered a second book on the subject, at the same time, (which will remain nameless), but it was difficult to follow and each page was too busy to follow easily.


11.) Great book for anybody want to start with woodworking
Reviewed by: Suresh Gopalakrishnan MILWAUKEE, WI United States
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This is a great book for beginners!

12.) Meta-technique
Reviewed by: Marshal Berthier Colorado USA
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First, I'd suggest you ignore the less than five star reviews; The authors don't seem to get the point.

This book is not about specific technique. It is about the thought process you go through in selecting and applying a technique. It is about approaching things from a self-conscious perspective of Craftsmanship in woodworking. That probably sounds like the mystical-babble that most practical craftsman hate, but I found myself in complete sync with the author's thought process in about the first four paragraphs of the introduction, and I am all about practicality.

As so many of the other reviewers have noted, I wish I had found this book years ago and started with it, but then I might not have understood it at that point.

13.) Excellent for the beginner
Reviewed by: J. Hartford Boston, MA
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I'm still fairly new to this, but I learned a great deal from this book about how to go about doing things the right way. I'm on my second read after attempting many of the different methods of joinery described. I recommend it to others just starting out!

14.) The title says it all!!
Reviewed by: Kenneth Robinson
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Get the book!! I have been woodworking as a hobby for about 10 years, always following plans from the various woodworking mags. While I had plenty of success, with many projects under my belt, I didn't feel as though I was really a craftsman. Peter Korn helped me to become a craftsman, well, at least much closer than I was before. Building the simple projects in the books has elevated my woodworking skills tremendously. Before this book I felt as though hand tool skills were beyond my reach, I didn't have anyone to show me how and the magazines usually only show machine skills, so that is all you need to know, right??. This book shows you how and gives you examples to practise. If you follow the book your hand skills will improve dramatically! I no longer dream of a new dovetail jig, I cut them by hand!!

15.) A Must Have for Beginning Woodworkers
Reviewed by: Sam Tennessee
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I have done small woodworking projects such as shelves but wanted to learn more so I could possibly complete larger projects. This book has been an invaluable tool. Gives you information on different types of wood and their qualities, gives good information on tools, how to use them, which ones to buy, etc. There are lots of pictures. I learn more visually than reading. This book has all the information you need to get started. It even has a small bench project to complete. I made the bench using the book. Turned out great.

This book is a must have for any novice or even experienced woodworker. I would highly recommend the book.

16.) Good Book
Reviewed by: Gregory M. Lauck Santa Fe, NM
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I need this book for a woodworking course that I am currently taking.This book arrived in good condition...and before it was available in the college bookstore.

17.) Provides a review of basic woodworking craftsmanship
Reviewed by: Midwest Book Review Oregon, WI USA
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Peter Korn's WOODWORKING BASICS provides a review of basic woodworking craftsmanship, from learning master skills and techniques to safe use of machinery and hand tools. This also offers two useful projects - a small bench and a side table with a drawer and door - to reinforce and illustrate the proper use of equipment.

18.) a good start
Reviewed by: Jason Hallman Boyertown, PA USA
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I read this book with knowing almost nothing about this subject. Though I have not tried to use the knowledge presented in this book in a practical sense, I feel that I have gained enough insight from this book to begin to do so. This book will probably be appreciated the most by those that are seeking a basic understanding of the fundamental principles of woodworking. If you are already working with wood, this book is probably not for you. For those of you who are not, this book will provide a foundation from which to do so. I would not rely on this book alone though as the only source of information on this subject, as it seems it is not comprehensive enough to encompass the whole of the subject matter.

19.) More of a project book
Reviewed by: Tony
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This book is basically a collection of projects, and then explanations of the various techniques used for each step. Good if you want to make an end table, but not that useful overall. A better book to learn all the different woodworking techniques would be The Complete Manual of Woodworking by Albert Jackson, et. al., which contains everything this does (explained and illustrated much better), and much more.

20.) modern woodworking for rich people
Reviewed by: marrilorenzo Sea
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With this book you need a lot of expensive machines.
I don't consider this basic...............
A book of pictures.
Hope you can find better,finally all is here is on the web too, but free .
LM

21.) Amazon hasn't shipped my order yet!
Reviewed by: HaventGotMyStuff Waiting, USA
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Amazon solicited my review of this book. I'd really like to provide a review, but as they've taken over a month to actually ship my book, and well, haven't actually shipped it yet I've had a bit of trouble getting into the text. I have high hopes that it's a good, informative, and thorough text. I'll only be able to find that out when Amazon finally decides to actually send it my way. Gosh it was silly of them to ask me what I thought when they know full well I haven't got the thing yet.

Features of Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship

Based on a two-week course in woodworking fundamentals offered at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Camden, Maine, this book takes a traditional approach to teaching, with the idea that learning basic skills is essential to craftsmanship. In the process, the book covers all the bases, from working with hand tools to cutting dovetails. Over 250 color photos and drawings and two complete projects — a bench and a small cabinet — are included.


Package Height x Length x Width: 10.8 in. x 10.8 in. x 8.5 in.
Package Weight: 1.35 lbs.