Woodworking For Dummies

You've seen a few shows on TV, and working with wood looks like it could be quite entertaining and rewarding. After all, you get to create something that you can proudly display to your friends and family. But where and how do you begin to move from expressed interest to hands-on experience?
Woodworking For Dummies shows you how your raw building materials stack up, with everything you wood need to know about hardwood, softwood, plywood, veneer wood, plain-sawn wood, rift-cut wood, quarter-sawn wood, solid wood, man-made wood, and more. This down-to-earth guide gives you the goods on how boards are made from trees and the characteristics of hardwood and softwood species, plus all the buzz on
Gearing up with the right tools
Putting safety first in your workshop
Using adhesives and glue
Working with wood joints
Smoothing it out by sanding and filling
Adding color with stains and paints
Protecting your work with topcoats
Whether you want to put together a simple plywood bookcase or an incredible solid oak dining table, Woodworking For Dummies can help you get organized as you craft your plans for a piece that'll reflect your personal touch. You'll discover how to
Measure and mark your wood
Distinguish among saw designs
Choose and use sharpening tools
Hone in on hot melt glue
Speed things up with modern frame joints
Get down to the nitty-gritty on nails
Apply water-based polyurethanes
This handy reference packs in essential information for the novice woodworker and some advanced tips and tricks to jumpstart any woodworker's existing skills. Detailed illustrations, how-to photos, and a color insert defining the look of different woods and the effects of finishes are sure to inspire a sawdust storm in your busy workshop.

Jeff Strong, of Lamy, New Mexico is not only an accomplished craftsman and woodworker, but is also author of Drums For Dummies and Home Recording For Dummies. Jeff began creating sawdust at a very early age while assisting his father, a master craftsman, build fine furniture. He has designed and build countless pieces of furniture and has recently completed the designs for a commercial line of furniture blending Arts and Crafts and Asian infuences which has already secured representation with a gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"...this friendly guide gets you started in the basics...choose your step by step project and away you go..." (Prizes Galore, February 2004)

Introduction.
Part I: What’s All the Buzz about Woodworking?
Chapter 1: Discovering the Basics of Woodworking.
Chapter 2: Wood You Be Mine? Appreciating Wood for All It’s Worth.
Chapter 3: Putting Safety First in Your Workshop.
Part II: Tool Time: Selecting and Setting Up Your Equipment.
Chapter 4: Gearing Up: Choosing Tools That Are Right for You.
Chapter 5: Getting a Handle on Hand Tools.
Chapter 6: Peeking at Portable Power Tools.
Chapter 7: Introducing the Big Guns: Stationary Power Tools.
Chapter 8: Setting Up Your Workshop and Maximizing Your Tools.
Part III: Together Forever: Basic Wood Joinery.
Chapter 9: Stuck on You: Using Adhesives and Glues.
Chapter 10: Working with Wood Joints.
Chapter 11: Making the Most of Mechanical Fasteners.
Part IV: Getting Your Hands (and Shop) Dirty: Turning Raw Wood into Furniture.
Chapter 12: Understanding the Building Process.
Chapter 13: Banging Out Bookcases.
Chapter 14: Tackling Tables.
Chapter 15: Creating Cabinets.
Part V: The Grand Finale: Sanding and Finishing Your Masterpiece.
Chapter 16: Smoothin’ It Out by Sanding and Filling.
Chapter 17: Adding Color: Stains and Paints.
Chapter 18: Protecting Your Work with Topcoats.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 19: Ten Great Habits to Get Into.
Chapter 20: Ten Common Woodworking Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them.
Chapter 21: Ten Great Woodworking Resources.
Index.