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View Full Version : Which one of these woodturning books would you choose?



sawtomaticman
23rd June 2009, 10:47 PM
Hi, I'm new to turning, but fairly well versed in most other general woodworking practices.

I am currently looking to buy quite a few used woodworking books that are available to me at relatively low prices- this, after a lifetime of never owning any woodworking related books before (I've always just tried to go about my work without them. At most - I'd skim through magazines and books at book stores or libraries, etc.)

I've always wanted many of the books I'd looked through briefly, or seen mentioned on forums, but was always put off by the sheer numbers there are, and the amount of information there is available out there (just like with most every other subject, really.) I've always kind of hoped to find that one "perfect" book that would cover a topic(s) I felt I'd really "need" a book for in the first place, and not just something that would collect dust after an initial casual read through.


Anyway, I figure of the bunch of woodturning books the seller has on offer, at least one of them should be good enough to get me through the basics and hold my interest as a reference book long after I've read through it once or twice (the more detailed/ colour pictures there are - the better, usually- as far as my learning/ interest habits are concerned.)

So, I was wondering what one book (if any) that some of you would recommend to a new turner (who, otherwise, knows his hand tools etc, quite well), from this list of books that I have a chance to buy from at the moment:

Books that are still available to me:
-Modern Wood Turning by Gordon Stokes (1973)
-The Practical Wood Turner by F. Pain (1974)
-Practical Designs for Wood Turning by Roland Seale (1977)
-Creative Woodturning by Dale L. Nish (1975)
-Artistic Woodturning by Dale L. Nish (1980)
-The Craftsman Woodturner by Peter Child (1981)
-Woodturning Techniques by W J Wooldridge (1982)
-Woodturner's Companion by Ron Roszkiewicz (1984)
-The Woodturner's Bible by Percy Blandford (1986)

>>>>>>>

Books that I missed out on already:
-Ideas for Woodturning by Anders Thorlin (1977)
-Woodturning for Pleasure by Gordon Stokes, Robert Lento (1980)
-Turning Wood With Richard Raffan Taunton Press (1985) (I've read a lot of people recommending Raffan's books)

>>>>>>

I have also already missed out on these non turning specific books that I really wanted/ have heard good things about - so I'm trying to make sure I don't miss out on too much more:

-Encyclopedia of Furniture Making by Ernest Joyce (1976)
-Tage Frid teaches Woodworking Book 1 Taunton Press (1979 and 85)
-The Practical Woodworker by Bernard Jones (1983)
-The Workbench Book by Scott Landis Taunton Press (1987)

and a bunch of others

Any strong recommendations for one of the available turning books would be much appreciated.

Thanks (and sorry about the post length)

RETIRED
23rd June 2009, 10:52 PM
-The Practical Wood Turner by F. Pain (1974) Old style but it is a good read and the principles still apply.

The best book IMHO for beginners is "A foundation course by Keith Rowley."

jefferson
23rd June 2009, 11:03 PM
Books - and I have a few - are fine.

If I had my time again, I'd be investing instead on some lessons with some of the experts here on the board and elsewhere. I missed my chance with Vic Wood when he got crook a while back, more the pity.

Or try finding a good turning club or just borrow some books or DVDs. (I have a few that I can send if you're interested).

But there is nothing like having someone stand next to you and just quietly tweak the chisel (without intrusion), just to get the tool cutting right. (Thanks ).

That said, I've just ordered another 3 books on turning!

And more, I've just watched Ken W for 6 hours on DVD and have learnt heaps too.

It does get hard though when some of the wise ones preach different ways.....

MTBW anyway.

Jeff

sawtomaticman
23rd June 2009, 11:11 PM
Thanks for the quick reply, .

Keith Rowley's "Woodturning A foundation Course" is the one I have seen recommended the most along with Raffan's stuff, I was on the look out for that one from this particular seller, but, unfortunately, I don't think he has it.

How would you say "The Practical Wood Turner" stacks up to "Woodturning A foundation Course"? Is it a case where I'd be likely to get close to the same quality of information from the former, albeit in a less interesting/ presentable or quickly/ easily digestible manner?

I think I'd do best with a book that offers the most condesed format of efficient summarization and illustrated detail. I don't know if any of the above books offer that, but if I can find a book that is as to-the-point as possible while being easy to read and has a lot of nice pictures to look at, then I'm hoping that would be enough.

artme
23rd June 2009, 11:22 PM
Wouldn't get too hung up on the higher end books just yet.

Personally I think Mike Darlow's books are as good as any and much better than most. His videos are also first rate.

It was by following, assiduously, Mike Darlow's instructions from the video "Taming The Skew" for using the skew that I overcame my fear and became fairly proficient fairly quickly.

RETIRED
23rd June 2009, 11:28 PM
Thanks for the quick reply, .

Keith Rowley's "Woodturning A foundation Course" is the one I have seen recommended the most along with Raffan's stuff, I was on the look out for that one from this particular seller, but, unfortunately, I don't think he has it.

How would you say "The Practical Wood Turner" stacks up to "Woodturning A foundation Course"? Is it a case where I'd be likely to get close to the same quality of information from the former, albeit in a less interesting/ presentable or quickly/ easily digestible manner?

I think I'd do best with a book that offers the most condesed format of efficient summarization and illustrated detail. I don't know if any of the above books offer that, but if I can find a book that is as to-the-point as possible while being easy to read and has a lot of nice pictures to look at, then I'm hoping that would be enough.Keith Rowley.

sawtomaticman
23rd June 2009, 11:31 PM
Books - and I have a few - are fine.

If I had my time again, I'd be investing instead on some lessons with some of the experts here on the board and elsewhere. I missed my chance with Vic Wood when he got crook a while back, more the pity.

Or try finding a good turning club or just borrow some books or DVDs. (I have a few that I can send if you're interested).

But there is nothing like having someone stand next to you and just quietly tweak the chisel (without intrusion), just to get the tool cutting right. (Thanks ).

That said, I've just ordered another 3 books on turning!

And more, I've just watched Ken W for 6 hours on DVD and have learnt heaps too.

It does get hard though when some of the wise ones preach different ways.....

MTBW anyway.

Jeff

Yeah, I can see what you mean about the lessons, and watching videos has definitely always proven to be more effective in teaching me something much more quickly/ easily than reading about it (whatever the subject may be.) That's one of the reasons I have put off buying books for so long...a short 5-10 minute video or two here and there, and I've got my answer. Lesson learned, more often than not.

But, when it comes to books, I was also always trying to avoid getting myself caught up in the collectors trap - which I'm highly prone to succumbing to when I'm really interested in certain things, and I knew books on woodworking would incite my hoarding tendency more than most other things I like. Buy one... then 10 more, then 20 more, etc, etc (I can feel it coming on already and I haven't even received my books yet.)

Most of all, I've always been afraid that the reading (and even the videos -if they are long enough) would take away too much from my Hand's-On time - which I enjoy the most, of course. But, that's where the big trade off/ pay off -balancing act comes into play, I guess (especially when you try to deal with all of the conflicting/ varying methods and information being fed to you from all of these different experts/ books/ videos- as you mentioned.)

Skew ChiDAMN!!
23rd June 2009, 11:40 PM
What said. :2tsup:

Keith Rowley's Foundation is as close to a Dummy's Guide as it gets; using plain, down-to-earth language while getting across all the important points.

Best of all, he doesn't bother you with all the fiddly little details that many books do... details which are more the author's opinion than hard, cold facts and the sort of things that cause arguments any time you lock any two woodturners in the same room. :rolleyes: (Isn't that what these forums are for? :D)

I still use it as a reference on odd occasions.

sawtomaticman
23rd June 2009, 11:48 PM
I guess I should have mentioned that, ultimately I plan on applying most of what I learn about woodturning towards use on a human powered lathe (treadle or possibly even spring pole for a while, at first.) So if there are any books out there that would suite my needs in that regard much better than any other, maybe I should be asking for that one above all?

I'm not anti-power tools or anything like that, but I don't tend to use them at all out of preference for the feel of hand-tools. I'm more of a Roy Underhill type when it comes to my outlook on working with wood and tools in general. I plan on eventually having my own little place off the grid (somewhere far away from these damn Canadian winters) where I can spend my days building things out of wood and living about as simple as simple can be.

Ed Reiss
24th June 2009, 12:07 AM
You mentioned Roy Underhill.....his book "The Woodwrights Workbook (http://sunsite.unc.edu/uncpress/woodwright/)" has plans for both a treadle and spring pole lathe.

Welcome to the forum :U

sawtomaticman
24th June 2009, 12:33 AM
You mentioned Roy Underhill.....his book "The Woodwrights Workbook (http://sunsite.unc.edu/uncpress/woodwright/)" has plans for both a treadle and spring pole lathe.

Welcome to the forum :U


Thanks.
I'm buying The Woodwright's Companion (1983) off of this seller, right now. Next, I hope to buy Roy's latest book " The Woodwright's Guide: Working Wood with Wedge and Edge (2008)" which I believe has an updated section on Roy's treadle lathe plans, although I'm not sure if it's the same design as the one from "The Woodwright's Workbook (1981). I'll probably end up buying all 6 of his books in the end, anyway:~




(http://www.amazon.com/Woodwrights-Workbook-Explorations-Traditional-Woodcraft/dp/0807841579/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4)

issatree
24th June 2009, 11:03 AM
Hi there sawtomaticman,
You are certainly a long way from here, no matter. I have all of those books, & as you have put the year date beside them, gives you an idea that they are a little out of date, meaning, that a lot has changed since.
Lathes are different, the Tools used in most of those Books are not HSS. as they are only Carbon Steel. Don't get me wrong, as we all use 1-2 of these Tools today. Tool shapes have changed, as with handles. Look if you think they are really cheap, go for then. I have the top 9. The 2 best as far as I'm concerned are the " Anders Thorin" one for shapes, design & ideas.
Richard Raffan's book. I say if it is good enough for Richard, then it is good enough for me.
Anything He does I do. He is "The Turner" as far as I'm concerned. I also know him to talk to, & that also helps. Well, they are my thoughts, all the best.
Regards,
issatree.

orraloon
24th June 2009, 03:17 PM
I have so far only read the Keith Rowley and Ritchard raffen books from that list and both were great. I have read a few others in the local library but can not recall the titles. I picked up sone tips from most of them.The Keith Rowley one got me started turning as I was luckey enough to get it with my first lathe. As to the question of what book is best I would just be aiming to read as many as opertunity presents and chances are every one will have something useful that you can try sometime.
Regards
John

arose62
24th June 2009, 04:10 PM
The Mike Darlow videos put me to sleep - boring boring boring.

The info in them was pretty good, just the voice - yikes!!

Ended up watching them without sound!

Cheers,
Andrew

KenW
24th June 2009, 07:01 PM
I also started with Keith Rowley's Fondation Course and then moved onto his Projects book. He explains all the basic rules you need to get started.

Ken

KenW
24th June 2009, 07:05 PM
Books - and I have a few - are fine.

If I had my time again, I'd be investing instead on some lessons with some of the experts here on the board and elsewhere. I missed my chance with Vic Wood when he got crook a while back, more the pity.

Or try finding a good turning club or just borrow some books or DVDs. (I have a few that I can send if you're interested).

But there is nothing like having someone stand next to you and just quietly tweak the chisel (without intrusion), just to get the tool cutting right. (Thanks ).

That said, I've just ordered another 3 books on turning!

And more, I've just watched Ken W for 6 hours on DVD and have learnt heaps too.

It does get hard though when some of the wise ones preach different ways.....

MTBW anyway.

Jeff

Jeff, I hope the DVDs didn't bore you too much. You will find that any ten woodturners will show you ten different ways of doing the same job. Try a few and choose whats best for you.

eisbaer
24th June 2009, 07:24 PM
i'll throw in my vote for keith rowley's foundation book. I'd been turning for a few years before reading it but found it corrected all the mistakes i'd been making :) would have been a good book to read before i did anything else.

jefferson
24th June 2009, 08:48 PM
Jeff, I hope the DVDs didn't bore you too much. You will find that any ten woodturners will show you ten different ways of doing the same job. Try a few and choose whats best for you.


Ken, as I've posted elsewhere, the DVDs where fantastic. If and when I send them back, please send me a copy. Time for you to go OS with a good supply of Dead Finish and test some of the other master turners.

Jeff

sawtomaticman
27th June 2009, 05:28 PM
Thanks for all of the responses everyone.

There was one other general turning book that I forgot to list in the topic post ;
- Creating In Wood With The Lathe by Ragnar Gustavsson (1967)
and a few speciality turning books ( Woodturning Projects for Dining by John Sainsbury (1981) and Woodturning Music Boxes by James A. Jacobson (1983) )

but I think I'll just skip the older turning books altogether, for now, until I get a chance to pick up one of the more modern books first - that have been recommended to me here, such as Rowley, Raffan and Darlow books, etc.

There are still so many older non-turning woodworking related books that this seller has left - I really don't have a clue if I'm missing out on some real gems or not, beyond the few really well known books amongst the rest.

When I check for reviews on Amazon and other well known book review sites - most of the books haven't been reviewed yet at all, and most of them are not mentioned in any of the dozens of "favorite woodworking books" lists I've scoured the internet for, so far. I guess there are just too many darn books out there to expect people to have the time/ money/opportunity to be able to compare and contrast them all in a comprehensive manner - especially when it comes to these older more obscure/ out of print publications.

I don't know if I should make another topic in the general woodworking section and post the list of the other remaining non-turning books there, or if I should just make do with the small bunch of books which I've already committed to buying at this point. As I said earlier, I really don't want to start a woodworking book collection at this point in my life, and definitely not one that is full books that I don't even really like/ want.

jefferson
27th June 2009, 07:56 PM
I may have said it before but will repeat again:

Books are good for instruction at a base level. Learn the "rules" - bevel rubbing etc.

DVDs are better, depending on who is presenting. (PM me if you want my opinion on Darlow and others).

Better still, watch a pro doing a demo. I know it's hard to capture it all, but live is good. Entertaining too.

First preference though is having a pro teach you. (Thanks especially to and more recently Ken W. )

If I had my time again..... I'd have wasted less money, got on the right track earlier etc by spending some time with a turner what knows his / her stuff. Spend for $ up front and you'll save heaps on chisels.

(Until you run into and Ken W. and then you really, really start to spend.

Jeff

Paul39
29th June 2009, 01:42 PM
Sawtomaticman,

Watching demonstrations and getting instruction is very helpful, but you must have done at least a bit of turning to understand what a demonstrator is doing and talking about.

I vote Rowley & Raffan & 2 to 4 hours at the lathe every day with wood pulled out of the firewood pile. With that much practice, you soon learn, ops we don't want to do that, and ooooh look at the way the wood comes slicing off the tool. Then it is just a matter of making the oooh part happen 99% of the time.

For bowls you need a bowl gouge and a scraper, a grinder, sandpaper, and tung oil, in addition to whatever kind of lathe you buy or make. With carbon tools you will sharpen more often, high speed steel tools only cut longer between sharpening, not any better.

I make tool handles and long skinny weed pots with a bowl gouge and a scraper. Yes, I can and do use a skew. Over time I have acquired from auctions and yard sales and also made about 30 various chisels & gouges. I have one good $$$ bowl gouge from Christmas money. I use them interchangeably, except no big wide roughing gouges or skews inside of bowls. With a foot powered lathe you are not likely to be hurt doing that, and you will quickly find why it is not a good idea.

On this site I have seen a reference to videos of a guy making bowls with a spring pole lathe. That would help your construction.

It makes me smile to see him roughing out bowls using an all wood lath with what looks like a couple of RR spikes for centers, using tools that look as though they have been heated in a campfire and beaten out over a hunk of well pipe, and handles hewed out with a dull ax.

Google: foot powered lathe, and spring pole lathe.

One damn fools opinion.

jefferson
29th June 2009, 05:21 PM
Sawtomaticman,

Watching demonstrations and getting instruction is very helpful, but you must have done at least a bit of turning to understand what a demonstrator is doing and talking about.

I vote Rowley & Raffan & 2 to 4 hours at the lathe every day with wood pulled out of the firewood pile. With that much practice, you soon learn, ops we don't want to do that, and ooooh look at the way the wood comes slicing off the tool. Then it is just a matter of making the oooh part happen 99% of the time.




Paul, I agree with your thoughts on spending hours at the lathe.

But better still, have a good educator there with you for those hours until you gain some good habits.

You American guys make me smile, truly. Your hardwoods are our softwoods, believe me! :D Our inland and desert stuff makes American cherry look like soft butter. Not too many curlies - at least not for too long. And lots of dust too.

As for the books.... I have the Raffan book/DVD collection. Great material for the most part. But dare I say it, Richard turns bowls mostly, not boxes, these days. So if that's your bent, look elsewhere. I have with Ken W. and my eyes are now almost wide open.

Jeff

Skew ChiDAMN!!
29th June 2009, 05:39 PM
DVDs are better, depending on who is presenting. (PM me if you want my opinion on Darlow and others).

For some reason I rarely remember anything after about the 15min. mark (except, perhaps, an occasional nudge in the ribs.) Raffan's the worst for this, but I've found it true of most, if not all, DVD's.

Give me a book or a live demo any time!


On this site I have seen a reference to videos of a guy making bowls with a spring pole lathe. That would help your construction.

It makes me smile to see him roughing out bowls using an all wood lath with what looks like a couple of RR spikes for centers, using tools that look as though they have been heated in a campfire and beaten out over a hunk of well pipe, and handles hewed out with a dull ax.

Google: foot powered lathe, and spring pole lathe.

That would be Robin Wood over at http://www.robin-wood.co.uk :)

He's quite skilled at what he does, but he mainly uses traditional English timbers. Soft stuff... and usually still green at that. I'd LOVE to see him have a go at a large chunk of well dried Cooktown Ironwood on his pole lathe. :dev:

Not that I'm belittling him... :no: when a bloke can compete against a powered lathe using the same wood and finish earlier with a better result, he certainly demands some respect!

jerryc
29th June 2009, 06:26 PM
I would recommend the Gordon Stokes books. I did a three day turning course with him back in the mid eighties and his down to earth approach was great. Three days of spindle turning and no piece to take home. Everything was on technique including the best way to copy turn by eye. Incidently we only did a half day " tack on" devoted to bowl turning.

Equally Fred Pain's work is a great starter.

Jerry

Paul39
30th June 2009, 11:34 AM
Skew,

Thanks for the Robin Wood web site. Watching him rough out the Robin Hood bowl with an ax, and adjusting the lathe with a cudgel, again makes me smile.

I have been obsessed with making bowls for about 4 years, and more recently weed pots.

I use partly dried wood from the wood pile so it is easier than your hard, dry, slow growth timber. Dry locust is quite hard, the tree takes up silica and cutting it with a chain saw makes sparks. It takes the edge off a tool quickly.

Recently I'm working on a bowl of red oak that has been drying in the house about 6 years. Slow hollowing even with the Crown HSS gouge.

I agree about video instruction. I can't fathom how one can work on a car using a step by step video.

Sawtomaticman,

The Robin Wood site provided above by Skew should be inspiring and helpful to you.

Seventh Wood
4th July 2009, 09:48 AM
Hi All,

A problem I have with a lot of the older books is that they are simply not up to date with current practice - with use of carbon steel tool and HSS only being optional, and use of long obsolete chucking methods, like the old engineers three jaw knuckle-busting chucks.

It is unusual to find any reference to a modern scroll chuck, though some do cover collet chucks, yet the scroll check is now in standard use.

One the other side, the classics do have all of the good stuff on what hasn't changed much - use of various chisel types, centrework versus facework and timber basics.

I also find DVDs useful but even then many are dated in terms of use of modern chucks, etc.

Cheers,

Geoff from 7Hill

gtwilkins
4th July 2009, 10:08 AM
G'day All,

For green woodworking and poles lathes there is an excellent little forum at:

http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/index.php

Robin and Nicola Wood are frequent contributors and there are lots of offbeat sites to explore.

Hope this is helpful, Trevor

rsser
4th July 2009, 02:16 PM
Once you're past the basics I'd recommend Darlow The Fundamentals of Woodturning - the book that is. While you have to invest some time in grasping the tech language there's a good deal of interesting stuff on the mechanics of cutting, and the series of photos that illustrate techniques like turning a bead are second to none.

rodent
9th July 2009, 12:12 AM
Skew,

Thanks for the Robin Wood web site. Watching him rough out the Robin Hood bowl with an ax, and adjusting the lathe with a cudgel, again makes me smile.

I have been obsessed with making bowls for about 4 years, and more recently weed pots.

I use partly dried wood from the wood pile so it is easier than your hard, dry, slow growth timber. Dry locust is quite hard, the tree takes up silica and cutting it with a chain saw makes sparks. It takes the edge off a tool quickly.

Recently I'm working on a bowl of red oak that has been drying in the house about 6 years. Slow hollowing even with the Crown HSS gouge.

I agree about video instruction. I can't fathom how one can work on a car using a step by step video.

Sawtomaticman,

The Robin Wood site provided above by Skew should be inspiring and helpful to you.


Car how do you work on a car buy a step buy step video . Easy get a hammer , then get a bigger hammer , if that doesn't work reach for the sledge hammer , if all else fails go get the gas axe ( oxy acetaline ) torch .:D:2tsup: