LumberJocks

If you want to fall in love with furnituremaking - read this book!

Review by Loren posted 184 days ago 349 views 0 times favorited 5 comments Add to Favorites
View Loren's profile

Loren

263 posts in 188 days


If you want to fall in love with furnituremaking - read this book! No-picture-s No-picture-s Click the pictures to enlarge them

I read this book when I was just starting out. It is
a spiritual revelation in terms of what it means to
work with wood – and do it well.

It’s not a book of plans and there isn’t enough information
in here to teach you how to build anything if you don’t
have any skills.

This book (and Krenov’s others) are about Feelings. They
are about discovering the wood and discovering a design
process that produces furniture that is finely proportioned
and intimate – with every detail done with careful thought.

He talks about making and using planes, how to choose and
fabricate knife hinges, how to collect one majestic board at
a time and, eventually, when the wood is dry, split it in
half with a bandsaw and discover a bookmatched panel or
pair of doors that are the foundation for most of Krenov’s
work.

He has said (I paraphrase) ,”if I screw up the doors I lose the
whole piece,” so he thinks it through thoroughly and weighs
his choices. Rips can be jointed and glued but a crosscut is
forever. If you cut a board too short you lose the potential…
so if you work in this style you have a strategy to keep your
options open as you go along.

Krenov wrote several books and I read most of them. I get them
mixed up in my mind though because they all have one voice
and cover much of the same territory.

He writes about machines. The bandsaw is his favorite, his most
used – and if you want to make solid wood furniture I concur
with him that a bandsaw is your most critical machine purchase.

When this book was written he lived in Sweden – over 30 years
ago now. He says he started out with just a bandsaw and a
jointer. Today I own one of the same jointers he used – the
little INCA 8” machine.

Today Krenov lives in Fort Bragg, California. He founded a woodworking
school up there. His eyesight has decayed and he doesn’t
make furniture anymore. These days he makes wooden hand
planes by feel.

This book made me fall in love with woodworking. It compelled
me to teach myself the foundations skills. If it were not for
Krenov I don’t know if I would have half the understanding I
do today of hand planes and the beauty of a hand-planed surface.

In the end all my woodworking started here. I give this book
my highest recommendation.

-- http://amherstcabinets.com - also a marketing consultant with expertise in direct response marketing for woodworking and online businesses - http://COPYMATCH.COM


5 comments so far

View johnjoiner's profile

johnjoiner

146 posts in 433 days


posted 184 days ago

I’m glad you put up the review, Loren.

I also love Krenov’s books.

-- johnjoiner

View Shopsmithtom's profile

Shopsmithtom

259 posts in 735 days


posted 184 days ago

Thanks for the comments. I believe that I’ll search for his books. I’ve seen some articles either about or by him in Fine Woodworking mag. I think it’s time for his books now. -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

View Denappy's profile

Denappy

60 posts in 222 days


posted 184 days ago

Thanks for the great review; I tend to agree; It is not always how quickly you can do it, but how you do it!

-- -=Den

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

9950 posts in 362 days


posted 184 days ago

Thanks for the review. I have read this book as well and agree with your assessment of Krenov.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5684 posts in 637 days


posted 184 days ago

Also agree as you can see from my tag line.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

You must be signed in to post the comments.

Your Online Shop - Your Support Is Greatly Appreciated - Your Woodworking Showcase - 3 Ways To Help, Financially - Your Woodworking Community

Woodworking StoreApparel StoreMake a Donation
Bookmark And Share This Page
  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: All views and comments posted by members are not necessarily those of LumberJocks.com or of those working on the site.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase