Beginner Help!!

**Vicarious_1987** · 22nd November 2010, 10:10 AM

Hi guys, I'm new on the forum and hope this is the right place for this post (I apologize if I'm wrong)

I've just finished my Diploma in I.T (networking). and am looking to pick up a furniture making course part time while I work. I have always had a keen interest in furniture-making and if things went a little different earlier on I could very well have made it my career choice.

Now that Ive finished my study's I'm very keen to pick up furniture-making as a serious hobby but I'm having a little trouble getting started. I stumbled across this forum whilst searching for beginner courses on furniture-making and after reading a through a few threads I thought "who better to ask for help?".

My problem is before I enroll in a course I'd like to get a head-start by grabbing a couple good books to give me an edge when I begin the course, but I'm having a seriously hard time finding any books tailored to beginners,.... so I though some of you members may have some good recommendations, what I'm mainly looking for is 2 different subjects.

1) A book about timber (hardwood, softwood, life-cycles, strengths/weaknesses ect.)
2) A book for beginner furniture-making (e.g tools, techniques, joints ect.)

Any recommendations you guy have would be greatly appreciated, also It doesn't have to be a book instructional videos and all other mediums are just fine. Thanks in advance!!

**Karl1** · 22nd November 2010, 10:41 AM

The local library will have some books on woodwork for beginners. If you are near a Carbatec store you could drop-in and peruse the volumes they sell, although they do tend to be a little more specialised.
I'd recommend just getting stuck-in to it. Nothing can compare to the tactile experience of handling and working timber. Enrol in beginners course at a local TAFE or similar institution, or a woodwork club, and see how much you learn! It can be addictive though.

**Glennet** · 22nd November 2010, 10:47 AM

A couple of books I've found useful:

Encyclopedia of Furniture Making - Ernest Joyce (constructional techniques and methods)
Wood Joiners Handbook - Sam Allen (lots of joints)
Woodwork in Theory & Practice John Walton (dated but still good)

I find DVD's better than books for learning skills. One source is the Lie Nielsen Australia website, but Carbatec also have them:

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Australia | DVDs

I learned the most about hand techniques and sharpening from the David Charlesworth DVD's, also the Rob Crosman is good.

**AlexS** · 22nd November 2010, 04:24 PM

I'll second Glen's recommendation or the Encyclopedia of Furniture Making. It's a good solid reference book. The Australian Timber Buyer's Guide is a good reference book for timber. Neither of these are textbooks.
The Book of Boxes by Andrew Crawford shows a number of boxmaking techniques that are generally applicable.

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