Bealer, Alex W.
Old Ways of Working Wood.
Barre, MA: Barre Publishing Co., 1972.
ISBN: 0785807101
Pretty good book on techniques, but I like Watson better.
Blackburn, Graham.
Traditional Woodworking Handtools: A Manual for the
Woodworker.
Bearsville, NY: Blackburn Books, 1998.
ISBN: 1558218742
Lots of good tips on using and tuning old tools. I'm getting
rather fond of this one, but I haven't decided if I like it
as well as Watson. Copiously illustrated with drawings by the
author.
Henry Disston & Sons. Disston Saw, Tool, and File
Manual. Philadelphia: Disston, 1953.
64 p.
Some good tips on using saws and files along with a very
dubious history of the saw. Despite the pictures, I don't
think everyone in the 1950's did woodworking in a suit.
Disston reprinted this booklet for years in a number
of different editions and it's not too hard to find in used
bookstores.
Dunbar, Michael.
Restoring, Tuning & Using Classic Woodworking
Tools.
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1989.
ISBN: 080696670X; 253 p
The standard reference on restoring and using old tools with
a concentration on planes. I find it invaluable, especially
for more arcane things like sharpening spoon bits. This is
the book people in the Old Tools community most commonly
recommend to newcomers.
Fine Woodworking.
The Best of Fine Woodworking: Traditional Woodworking
Techniques.
Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 1991.
ISBN: 0942391942
Lots of good hand tool tips and techniques.
Fine Woodworking.
The Best of Fine Woodworking: Bench Tools.
Newtown, CT, Taunton Press, 1991.
Lots of good hand tool tips and techniques. Articles on using
and tuning a variety of hand tools.
Fine Woodworking.
Fine Woodworking on Carving.
Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 1986.
ISBN: 0918804523
A collection of 40 articles from the magazine. Some good
pieces on linenfold, gothic tracery, and alpine peasant
furniture.
Fine Woodworking.
Fine Woodworking on Planes and Chisels.
Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 1985.
ISBN: 0918804280
Twenty-nine articles on making, tuning, and using planes and
chisels.
Fine Woodworking.
Fine Woodworking on Hand Tools. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 1986.
106 pp. ISBN: 0918804531
Thirty-eight articles on making, tuning, and using tools
other than planes and chisels.
Fine Woodworking.
Fine Woodworking on the Small Workshop.
Newtown, CT: The Taunton Press, Inc. 1985.
ISBN: 0918804272
Graubner, Wolfram.
Encyclopedia of Wood Joints.
Newtown, CT: The Taunton Press, Inc. 1992.
ISBN: 156158004X
More ways of putting pieces of wood together than you can
think of.
Hampton, C.W. and E. Clifford.
Planecraft: Hand Planing by Modern Methods.
Parkersburg, WV: Woodcraft Supply Corp., 1994.
A reprint of a 1934 original. Information and tips on using
Record's line of bench and specialty planes. Looks like it
was aimed at Do-it-Yourselfers. Has some good tips for the
novice plane user.
Holtzapffel, John Jacob.
Hand or Simple Turning: Principles and Practice.
New York: Dover, 1976.
ISBN: 0486233650
Reprint of a Victorian work on turning. The first section is
a good history of lathes, including enough detailed pictures
that you could build your own.
Jones, Bernard E., ed.
The Complete Woodworker.
Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1998.
408 p. ISBN: 1580080154.
A reprint of a work from 1917. Instructions on using various
hand tools and making common household projects. Fun to
read. The chapter on "Aeroplane Woodwork" is a hoot. There
is a companion volume, ThePractical
Woodworker, both are commonly available in used
bookstores.
Jones, Bernard E., ed.
The Practical Woodworker : Advanced Techniques, Plans and
Designs Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2000.
586 p. ISBN: 1580081460
The companion volume to the preceding book. Despite the
title, this volume includes a large section on basic tool
usage and techniques as well as a handy section on setting up
a shop. The second half of the book covers a variety of
projects such as tables (including one that's
quasi-Elizabethan), chairs, doors and gates, and other pieces
of furniture. As always, Jones is an interesting writer and
the book is copiously illustrated with both drawings and
photographs.
Kean, Herbert P.
Restoring Antique Tools.
Morristown, NJ: Sparkler Press, 1998.
122 p. ill. ISBN: 0966573501
A guide to restoring old tools for both the collector and the
user, but aimed more towards the collector. A useful
supplement to Dunbar's book since they sometimes have
different approaches to the same problem.
Korn, Peter.
The Woodworker's Guide to Hand Tools.
Newtown, CT : Taunton Press, 1998.
201 p. ISBN:1561582166
Originally published in 1939, updated several times. History
of planes section and general user tips on block, bench,
multiplanes and German type planes.
Tolpin, Jim.
The Toolbox Book.
Newtown, CT: Taunton Press, 1995.
199 p. ISBN: 1561580929
The companion to The Workbench Book (q.v.). Lots of
information and ideas on selecting and/or building tool
storage.
Underhill, Roy.
The Woodwright's Apprentice: 20 Favorite Projects from the
Woodwright's Shop.
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press,
1996.
197 pp. ISBN: 0807846120
This book is a cunningly disguised course in woodworking. If
you make all the projects (one of which is even quasi-period)
- you're far better at woodworking than I am.
Underhill, Roy. The Woodwright's Companion: Exploring Traditional
Woodcraft.
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1991.
189 pp. ISBN: 0807840955
More projects and information from Roy. A good chapter on
woods and several others on tools.
Underhill, Roy.
The Woodwright's Eclectic Workshop.
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press,
1991.
238 pp. ISBN: 0807843474
More projects from Roy. Good info on lathe building, plane
making, and timber framing.
Underhill, Roy.
The Woodwright's Shop : a practical guide to traditional
woodcraft.
Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press,
1981.
202 p. ISBN: 0807814849
Roy's first book.
Underhill, Roy.
The Woodwright's Work Book: Further Explorations in
Traditional Woodcraft.
Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press,
1986.
248 pp. ISBN: 0807841579
The "Debate of the Carpenter's Tools" (a bit of late
15th Century verse wherein the tools debate
whether or not their owner is a drunk), more on lathes, and
more projects.
Watson, Aldren A.
Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings.
New York: W. W. Norton & Company. 1982.
ISBN: 0393016544; 415 p. 450 ill.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the use of hand
tools (there's even a chapter on the right way to use a
screwdriver). Copiously illustrated with the author's
drawings.
Whelan, John.
Making Traditional Wooden Planes.
Mendham, NJ: Astragal Press, 1996.
121 pp. ISBN: 1879335697
Instructions for making a wide variety of wooden planes
(smooth, jack, jointer, molding planes, and a variety of
special purpose planes). Whelan covers techniques, tools, and
appropriate woods along with fairly detailed instructions.
