This is the essential who, what, when, where, and why of hand tools! Not only is the equipment itself beautiful, it's the classic and most pleasurable way to work with wood. Hundreds of photographs, accompanied by explanatory illustrations, escort you through the traditional woodshop, introducing everything from clamps and drills to chisels and saws. Not a question goes unanswered in this guide to buying, tuning, sharpening, and operating both antique and contemporary pieces: you'll find out which tools you really need, which ones are the best, and how to use them most effectively. There's advice on work surfaces, marking and measuring utensils, edgers, and tools that pull, pry, twist, bore, and scrape.

Reviews

Power tools are a ubiquitous part of modern woodworking but, for most of history, hand tools were the standard. Rae, a professional furniture maker who has contributed to and edited a number of woodworking magazines, offers a wealth of information about the selection, care, and use of nearly every kind of hand tool: vices and workbenches, marking and measuring tools, and hammers, screwdrivers, drills, files, chisels, planes, and saws. Sharpening instructions are included, and each entry is profusely illustrated with color photos. This title will prove to be a valuable resource for woodworkers and should be part of public library woodcraft collections. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

"Offers a wealth of information about the selection, care, and use of nearly every kind of hand tool...each entry is profusely illustrated with color photos...will prove to be a valuable resource." --"Library Journal".