Wood Bible?

[brett gallmeyer]

What is the best wood bible out there? I know its kinda vague... But i can't wait to hear everyone's advice. Here are the three that i've looked at but i'm open to a better sugestion....

The real wood bible
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554070333/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3AFXBWOHVI0FB

The encyclopedeia of wood
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0816061815/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A365C2XG0O7B0H

Wood: Identification & Use
http://www.amazon.com/Wood-Identification-Use-Revised-Expanded/dp/1861084366/ref=pd_sim_b_4

thanks, brett g.

[Dave Gaul]

I have "the real wood bible" and have found it quite usefull. Sometimes I wish it showed a larger profile of a board though, it only shows the common grain pattern of each type of wood, but it does show a sample of a dry board, and what it would look like with a coat of oil on it...

I do like the quick index with pics in the front of the book...

I am happy that I bought it!

[Thomas Hotchkin]

The Wood Book it a reprint of The American Woods (1888-1913) by Romeyn Beck Hough. Also Knowing Your Trees a pulication of the American Forestry Association, 1974 Intial work on Knowing Your Trees started in 1932 by G. H. Collingwood. Tom

[Roy Lindberry]

What is the best wood bible out there? I know its kinda vague... But i can't wait to hear everyone's advice. Here are the three that i've looked at but i'm open to a better sugestion....

The real wood bible
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554070333/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3AFXBWOHVI0FB

The encyclopedeia of wood
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0816061815/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A365C2XG0O7B0H

Wood: Identification & Use
http://www.amazon.com/Wood-Identification-Use-Revised-Expanded/dp/1861084366/ref=pd_sim_b_4

thanks, brett g.

I don't personally have a lot of experience with it, but my dad has this one (http://www.amazon.com/Woodbook-Complete-Plates-Taschen-Anniversary/dp/3822838187/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275928021&sr=1-1), and it looks great from what little time I've spent with it.

[Gene Howe]

I saw one on the Antiques Road Show that was made in the early 1800s. It had actual wood pieces of every tree native to North America. The samples were about the size and thickness of laminate samples. You can imagine the size of that book.
Value was several thousand IIRC. It was gorgeous.

[paul cottingham]

I kind of like Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood," http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-REV-Bruce-Hoadley/dp/1561583588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275928926&sr=1-1.

You may be searching for something like the companion volume "Identifying wood" http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-R-Bruce-Hoadley/dp/0942391047/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

I haven't read all of both books, but I found them helpful.

[Bill Davis]

I'm with Paul in that Hoadley's books. They are thorough and contain lots of excellent information. But.... It kind of depends on what you mean by 'bible'. If you are just looking for pictures of wood to help you identify or pick a look in wood Hoadley's 'Understanding Wood' doesn't have a lot of that. If you want to understand more than you ever thought there was to know about wood try Hoadley. IMO he's good!

[brett gallmeyer]

I guess i'm just looking for a good reference with pictures for identifing some woods and explaining details about them. More of a general sorce than a scientific study of wood...

[mike holden]

Brent,
try contacting your local arborist society. There are people out there whose hobby is tree types and uses, not necessarily as woodworkers. The local arbor society in SE Michigan gives forest walks, seedlings, advice on what to grow on your property, how to identify, etc.
Sounds like what you are looking for, rather than a textbook on wood structure.

The US government has a number of free publications concerning wood, from identifying to building structures.

Mike

[Keith Weber]

And I opened this thread out of curiosity, expecting to see that someone had carved a Bible out of wood (which would have just been a little weird!)

[Van Huskey]

I have all three you mention and though all are good my favorite is the last one you listed, Wood ID and use

[Jeff Willard]

World Woods in Color by William A. Lincoln. Linden Publishing.

[Jim King]

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/search/commonnamesearch_action.php?sorting_rule=1u&phrasesAndKeywords01=cocobolo&phrasesAndKeywords02=&phrasesAndKeywords03=

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/