What is your Bible

[harry strasil]

Machinists call Machinery's Handbook their Bible, and most Machinist's Tool Chests have a Large Narrow Drawer at the middle top of the Chest specifically to hold the Bible.

As a Galoot Woodworker, My Bibles are "The Practical Woodworker" and "The Complete Woodworker" both edited by Bernard E. Jones, and 4 or 5 books on Shaker Furniture, I like the clean simple lines that go with any decor.

What do you use for your Bible or Bibles?

[Vic Castello]

The Bible!

:eek:

Oh....you must mean in terms of woodworking.

Woodcarving Illustrated.

:)

[Dennis McGarry]

Tourniquets the complete idiots guide to applying with one hand...

:)

Haven't got a bible for woodworking yet..

[Jim Holman]

I like the Jones books you have mentioned. Also the Cabinetmakers encyclopedia, Earnest Joyce, I believe. My all time favorites are by Aldren Watson, "Country Furniture" and "Hand tools their ways and working." Love his drawings.

[Don C Peterson]

SMC is my go-to reference most of the time, that and I have your phone number!!!

[phil harold]

I have a bible for corded tools...

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1270175#post1270175

Need one for hand tools one day...

[Brian Ashton]

The book I seem to crack the most is a book by Albert Sack called The New Fine Points Of Furniture Early American. It is loaded with pictures and short descriptions of what he thinks are the subtle features that distinguishes the masterpieces from the average.

[Randal Stevenson]

While I find it handy to not have a bible, but a Library, one I bought after reading about it, and enjoy, is the Audel's carpenters and builders series.

I also guess some of what we read, is based on how/what we have learned. Norm and this old house was more of my teacher, while my father is a teacher that is inbetween Red Green and Tim Taylor.

[David Gendron]

I realy like the first book of Krenov, "Cabinet maker note book" and " The fine art of cabinetmaking. I also like, if it count as a "bible", Woodworking Magazine. As a hand tool only woodworker, I can't wait to get my copy of Tom fidgen book, "Made By Hand".

[Bob Strawn]

The George Lamsa translation.

For hand tool woodworking however, The Complete Guide to Sharpening by Leonard Lee.

Bob

[harry strasil]

Randall, my Library of old technical manuals pertaining to Blacksmithing and Machinist books (top section), Woodworking (second from top), Audels Manuals (3rd from top), History (bottom).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/7408009.jpg

And now an additonal one on top to take the overflow and tall ones, that is a prototype for my First Floor Library under construction (approx) 3000 volumes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/brstrbkcs001.jpg

[Jim Belair]

Tage Frid always seems to have an answer for me.

Jim B

[David Keller NC]

Harry - Depends. If you mean a reference for furniture styles, then Jeffrey Greene's "American Furniture of the 18th Century" for me. Joinery is Charles Hayward's "Carpentry for Beginners" and "Woodwork Joints".

BTW - That 2nd edition John Walter's Stanley Tools book is worth about $500 in some venues. If your shop is damp, I'd consider moving it to the house. Same goes for some of the blacksmith reference guides - they go for big money on e-bay.

[Matt Stiegler]

SMC is my go-to reference most of the time ....

+1. But there are several classics out there I haven't read yet, so my answer could change.

[Matthew Dworman]

Machinists call Machinery's Handbook their Bible, and most Machinist's Tool Chests have a Large Narrow Drawer at the middle top of the Chest specifically to hold the Bible.

As a Galoot Woodworker, My Bibles are "The Practical Woodworker" and "The Complete Woodworker" both edited by Bernard E. Jones, and 4 or 5 books on Shaker Furniture, I like the clean simple lines that go with any decor.

What do you use for your Bible or Bibles?

Gosh there are so many, but If I had to narrow it down to 3 and if they had to be from the last 30 years, it would be:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510GWG74ZDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418KD4RCNJL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg
and
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H55Y7DK5L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg


make that 4:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41CGBYDHMCL._SS500_.jpg

It is so hard to narrow it down, but these 4 are essential

Matthew

[harry strasil]

The 2 edited by jones were articles written by european craftsmen the way I understand it and edited together by Jones, they were originally published just before or right at the turn of the 20th century, they have since been reprinted several times.

[Dave Williams]

The Woodwright's Shop series is always close by as well as Paul N. Hasluck's Manual of Traditional Wood Carving. No matter how many times I go through it I'm always finding new pages and things I need to get around to making.

[Sam Babbage]

My bible is The Technique of Furniture Making by Ernest Joyce.

http://www.amazon.com/Technique-Furniture-Making-Ernest-Joyce/dp/071344407X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260178812&sr=8-2

It's not really instructional, but covers just about everything, it nearly always gives you a good starting point to figure a problem out.

[Vic Castello]

I'm a woodcarver only. I recently visited an old family friend (now in his 80ies) who I hadn't seen for some time. He has two passions: Books and woodworking. His house is crammed with books! In conversation, I told him I had taken up woodcarving. Before I left...he said wait a minute, I have something for you. He went down into his basement, and returned with 5-6 books very old books on woodcarving! He said...I don't much need these anymore, so I'd like you to have them! I don't remember all of the titles right now, but some were by E.J. Tangerman who is considered by many to be the "godfather" of woodcarving. I refere to those old books all the time. I love the old black and white pictures which go back to the 1930's. It's amazing what some of those guys could do with just a pocket knife and a few basic chisels!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks,

I will remind you...religious comments violate the Terms Of Service to which all members agreed when you joined.

Please refrain from making those types of comments or this thread will be closed and removed from public view.

[Heather Thompson]

Folks,

I will remind you...religious comments violate the Terms Of Service to which all members agreed when you joined.

Please refrain from making those types of comments or this thread will be closed and removed from public view.

I sure do not see any religious comments in this thread, just books that folks turn to and find useful.

Heather :confused:

[Jerome Hanby]

Did you remove my post? There was nothing religious in it at all.


Folks,

I will remind you...religious comments violate the Terms Of Service to which all members agreed when you joined.

Please refrain from making those types of comments or this thread will be closed and removed from public view.

[Rob Young]

I sure do not see any religious comments in this thread, just books that folks turn to and find useful.

To nudge the thread back onto its subject:
I have picked up a while back "The Practical Woodworker" as recommended to me by Harry. A fun read and I enjoy how books written prior to about 1950 (roughly) do a better job of giving written instructions instead of relying solely on pictures or diagrams. Cost of making quality photo plates and photo reproduction issues made this a necessity.

Haven't found a copy of "The Complete Woodworker" at a decent price/condition combination yet.

On somewhat permanent loan from my public library are Taid Frige's books. Just keep renewing them. :) I periodically search online resellers to find copies in good shape (I request photos of the exact item to evaluate, sometimes they comply, sometimes they don't).

[Richard Niemiec]

I'm still looking for the religious overtones here, 'cept perhaps the capitalization of bible.....

Dictionary.com defines lowercase bible as:

"4. (lowercase) any book, reference work, periodical, etc., accepted as authoritative, informative, or reliable: He regarded that particular bird book as the birdwatchers' bible."

:confused::confused:

[Larry Fox]

My go-to book most of the time is Taunton's "Finishing" by Jeff Jewitt.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Generic useage of the word "Bible" is not religious commentary and I wouldn't have edited those. That's why other references are still there.

Moderator actions will not be discussed in public as per Keith Outten.

Get over it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jerome,

Your post had absolutely nothing to do with the Neander Forum and thus isn't gemain to the OPs thread.

[Kent A Bathurst]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/7408009.jpg



A Tangent - whatever your primary reference material is (mine is Jewitt's Finishing, as noted by another poster, plus the self-taught skills at repairing mistakes) - I have to hand it to you. This is the FIRST bookcase I have ever seen on wheels. Maybe that means you have a small shop and need to move it out of the way, or maybe it means you take it with you to any workstation? :D Either way - a bookcase on wheels is a winner, IMO

[Ben West]

Flexner's book on finishing is something I refer to very commonly. It is my bible of finishing.

[harry strasil]

I was very lucky to have a Mentor that started his Carpentry Career when hand tools were actually used to build things by Contractors, and the Company he worked for specialized in Churches and other large projects, he ended his career being a Superintendent for them. He is now in the big wood shop upstairs taking instruction or giving it to the Big Carpenter. I ended up with some of his Collection before he passed and it was put on the Auction block.

[Jeff Skory]

On somewhat permanent loan from my public library are Taid Frige's books. Just keep renewing them. :) I periodically search online resellers to find copies in good shape (I request photos of the exact item to evaluate, sometimes they comply, sometimes they don't).

Rob, try going to AbeBooks.com. This website is essentially a storefront for hundreds (thousands?) of used bookstores around the world (primarily in the us). You can pick up some of Tage Frid's books for a few bucks ($1 - $10) plus about $3 shipping. I have ordered a ton of books this way and have always been happy.

[Rob Young]

Rob, try going to AbeBooks.com. This website is essentially a storefront for hundreds (thousands?) of used bookstores around the world (primarily in the us). You can pick up some of Tage Frid's books for a few bucks ($1 - $10) plus about $3 shipping. I have ordered a ton of books this way and have always been happy.

Yep, I use them all the time, great fun looking and thinking of random search phrases. The problem lately has been less about the price of the book and more about inflated shipping costs. :(

However I has been a while since I checked on Taid's books there. So long as the public library just lets me keep renewing them ($0 vs. $10, $0 wins) I'll just keep doing it...

That, and I pretty much used up my book budget about two months ago anyway. :rolleyes: Guess I'll have to bump it up and food down for 2010.

[David Gendron]

My new go to book is the new book of Tom Fidgen, Made By Hand, this book is a great newbe book to learn how to set up shop for a thrue Neander trip! Lots of amayzing pictures and the text is good reading. It comes with a DVD that shows all the tools and shop topics found in the book!
A great book for all type of woodworker but mainly adress to neander want a be... Like me!

[Richard Niemiec]

The George Lamsa translation.

For hand tool woodworking however, The Complete Guide to Sharpening by Leonard Lee.

Bob

Who is George Lamsa, didn't he work with Sam Maloof?