Home improvement is booming – DIY projects are a popular pastime during the lockdown. A new guide helps with the implementation of wooden furniture.
They are hard-wearing, long-lasting, ecologically sound and ensure a healthy room climate: furniture made of wood has a very special status. Anyone who values individual designs instead of mass-produced goods can use the guide “Wood Practice Book” to grab a hammer and plane and lend a hand.
Create something with your own hands
Of course, furniture can now also be produced entirely by machine, but this requires a lot of space and money. In contrast, working by hand requires a comparatively small amount of resources and space. At the same time, it lets us experience the joy of creating an object with our own hands.
Woodworking basics
Despite technical progress, the basics of woodworking have not changed significantly over the centuries. The ancient craftsmanship is still the basis of furniture construction. The practical book, published by Dorling Kindersley Verlag, uses more than 2,800 illustrations to explain what the do-it-yourselfer needs to know and be able to do. From chisels to planes and milling machines to saws – all the necessary tools and machines, their handling and care are clearly presented in short portraits.
Important techniques
The most important woodworking techniques are not missing either: connections, turning work or tips on surface structure and furniture restoration. In another chapter, around 100 types of wood – from birch to basswood – are presented in brief profiles so that the right material is always available. It also explains how recycled wood is prepared – for example, removing rusty nails or other damage such as traces of insect damage or rot.
25 projects
The knowledge acquired can then be used in 25 projects with different levels of difficulty. The workpieces range from bird feeders to garden benches and bar stools to cloakrooms, jewelery boxes, dressers, chairs and wine racks.
Draft to the final touch
Every project has a material and cutting list. The instructions are divided into small, easy-to-follow steps, from the design considerations to the final polish. A checklist helps to ensure that all important points have been taken into account in order to be able to carry out the project safely and successfully. The glossary at the end of the book is used to look up technical terms and is primarily intended to provide orientation for beginners. Because regardless of whether you are a beginner or an experienced hobby carpenter – everyone becomes a professional here.
Book tip
“Practical Guide Wood: Techniques – Tools – Projects” covers 400 pages and shows everything the do-it-yourselfer needs to know about wood processing, techniques and materials. The knowledge acquired can then be put into practice in 25 projects. Dorling Kindersley Verlag, € 39.95
