Good beginner books

[Rick Malakoff]

I'd like to second this. Buy and read at least the first one for sure. The biggest thing I learned from it is that the parts you don't normally see (bottom, back, etc) matter too. Make them look good yoo.
Fred

What Keith and Fred said, I picked up one in the early 80's and it has influenced me ever since. They are available at the big book seller, used form other sellers and very reasonable.
Rick

[Michael J Evans]

Here are a few:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s1ei5r142x...0sick.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xnnjsgk3c4...0comp.pdf?dl=0

Assuming you like reading about how they did it back in 1890.

I tried downloading drop box and viewing these but the page was just blank.

[Michael J Evans]

Thanks for all the recommendations guys, I'm going to start researching them all and see which seem most interesting and go from there. Actually I'll probably start with the cheapest and go from there 😀. Either way thanks again and keep shooting the ideas my way.

[Michael J Evans]

Pete,
I skimmed through exercises in wood working, and its exactly what i was looking for.Thanks much for those.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Pete, those are good. Thanks for posting.

[Graham Haydon]

If you are a total beginner I think Paul Sellers Artisan course 1 & 2 is very good. If you have some experience you might skip it but it does offer a sensible foundation. It covers all the basics, joints, basic tools and some basic projects.

Next I'd say Hayward's "Tools for Woodwork". I tried Sellers' book but in my opinion, it was pretty poor when compared to Hayward. Hayward is concise and the drawings are clear and informative.

Then it would be books about projects you'd like to build, whatever tickles your fancy really

Krenov is a lovely read, soothing. Aside from that I always have a rifle through second hand bookshops in the hope of finding something that might interest me.