Essential wood books

[Alan Weinberg]

looking forward to hearing what other books people find essential in the quest to master woodturning.

Learn to Turn by Barry Gros—great beginner’s guide

The Lathe Book by Ernie Conover—guide to understanding the lathe

Understanding Wood by R. Bruce Hoadley—exactly what the title is

Turned-Bowl Design by Richard Raffan—a master turner explains design

Ellsworth on Woodturning by David Ellsworth—another master turner

Woodturning with Resin by Keith Lackner—a bit specialized

Turning Wood by Richard Raffan—another book by this master, more elementary.

Turning Green Wood by Michael O’Donnell—what the title says

Band Saw Handbook by Mark Duginske—useful adjunct to turning.

Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner—the Bible in finishing.

Master Woodturners by Dale Nish—insight into some masters.

 

[hockenbery]

My first reaction to your “essential” list is that none are truly essential.
While they are all good. Will any them help you on your journey?

If you have had good fundamental classes and some intermediate classes you may not “need” any of those on your list and some might not event want.

The books you might seek out are those supporting your interests. Several good books for segmenting. If that is an interest get them. If not, don’t.
David Springett -woodturning wizardry and others if that is your interest.

Two on your list I often reccomend are
Understanding Wood by R. Bruce Hoadley—exactly what the title is. - this is best suited fo green wood turners
Band Saw Handvook by Mark Duginske—useful adjunct to turning. - obviously good for someone with a bandsaw and limited experience with a bandsaw.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I understand your point. I’ve “attacked” learning woodturning with a 5 point program—I read (books and turning sites like this), watch YouTube videos, work with my mentor, classes, and by doing. Each has value. I thought a thread on good books might be useful to those starting out.

 

[hockenbery]

I understand your point. I’ve “attacked” learning woodturning with a 5 point program—I read (books and turning sites like this), watch YouTube videos, work with my mentor, classes, and by doing. Each has value. I thought a thread on good books might be useful to those starting out.

If you haven’t used it a terrific tool is the AAW search. Click resources->information->explore….
You get the search window below.
When i pick bowls&&boxes and natural edge I get :
9 articles from the journal or fundamentals.
20 videos. These are videos that have been reviewed by an AAW comittee of volunteers who validate safety and soundnesss of technique.

 

[Michael Anderson]

I agree with Al. There are so many instructional videos out there, that having “how to” resources in print form seems not so necessary. (I’m not eschewing those, just a general statement, for example the Ellsworth book on your list is absolutely fantastic). I find good value in design books (Raffan’s Art of the Turned Bowl is great resource), and even more value in books that highlight specific makers and selected works (for example New Masters of Woodturning, Bert Marsh Woodturner, Rude Osolnik a Life Turning Wood) or museum/personal/aggregated collections of images (ex 500 Wood Bowls, or Nature Transformed: Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection).

Just my two cents.

 

[Doug Freeman]

You

If you have had good fundamental classes and some intermediate classes you may not “need” any of those on your list and some might not event want.

No woodturning, flat work, or finishing class will provide the info that “Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner” does. IMO having books or pdf’s/articles to reference is indispensable. Unless you take notes, class learning can slowly be forgotten.

 

[odie]

Turning Wood by Richard Raffan—another book by this master, more elementary.

From your list, this one ^^^^^ is the only one I have. It was purchased back in the late 1980's, and very worn out looking, with dog-eared pages and notes written in the spaces. I can remember many nights falling asleep late at night with this book in my hands....I studied it, like I was studying for final exams! This book, as Al suggests, is not essential by itself....but, recommended only because I am intimately familiar with it. Nothing in this book, like all the other reference materials, is to be considered among "the ten commandments" of turning.......because absolutely nothing is chiseled in stone!

What definitely, and absolutely is essential, is your desire to learn, and the will to stick to it, even though there will be many, many, many failures and revising your beliefs, ideas, and techniques......until you finally refine them enough to continue on to the next step in the journey. That is only part of the progression of gaining knowledge......the process goes on for years and decades, so long as the enthusiasm for your own individual progress is steady and unwavering.

I usually get disagreement with this comment, but I do not feel that hands on instruction is "essential" either. Again......it all depends on the individual, and how much desire, combined with an unrelenting quest for self-earned knowledge is a part of their inner search for answers. The same can be said about the many YouTube and professional video instruction dvd's that are available....nothing is essential.....other than the determination that resonates from somewhere within your soul....and...

...That never-give-up attitude is the ONLY thing that is 100% essential!

-o-

 

[robo hippy]

I think I started with Richard Raffen's book as well. Read it cover to cover, would go to the shop and play around, and then read it again. Things made more sense each time I read it. I did get that Turning Green Wood book, but by then, I already had figured out most of it. First tape I had, yes it was that long ago, was also by Richard. My flatwork wood store had it and gave it to me to watch. I thought every one turned like Richard..... The good thing about attending demos is that you can ask specific questions. I still get asked questions that no one has asked before....

robo hippy

 

[Paul May]

I have the Turned Bowl Design book by Raffan. Well worth the price of admission.

 

[John Hicks]

1. How to buy tools like you're rich but really a poor turner

 

[Mauricio Kolenc]

Most folk do not like reading nowadays but rather watch videos. I think they both work if you can filter them.
Being a book junkie I have and read hundreds of books about turning and wood related.
Books that I think are worth reading are those by Holtzapffel ( 5 volumes but mainly "principles and practise of hand or simple turning").
James Lukin, for me the most important is "The lathe and Its uses"
Frank Pain " The practical woodturner"
Both of Bill Jones`books "Notes from the turning shop" "Further notes from the turning shop"
And of course Raffan, Ellsworth, Key to mention a few.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

James Lukin, for me the most important is "The lathe and Its uses"

written in 1868. Probably won’t help in reprogramming a VFD!

 

[Peter Szameitat]

Thanks for sharing this and the wise advice that followed. I’ll find my copy of Raffan and consult it.

 

[Adrian Wilson]

Read it cover to cover, would go to the shop and play around, and then read it again. Things made more sense each time I read it.

robo hippy

Ditto this. I am a book/print guy, it's how I process. I watch videos too, of course. There is no such thing as a club anywhere near me, and the one person who could 'mentor' me passed away recently. So, books are important to me.

On a basic library of books: yes to Hoadley, Flexner, and Conover's two books. For a beginner, I would add:

Raffan's book for Taunton, Complete Illustrated Guide to Turning
Alan Lacer Woodturning Projects and Techniques..... haven't finished this one yet, but good on the basics.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

I find books far more useful than videos, and as a way of refreshing what I learned in in-person instruction. I hate having to wade through 20 minutes of video to (maybe) find what I need, give me a book with a decent index any day!

I'd add George Nakashima's Soul of a Tree to the list.

At some point in any craft, I think, what (by which I mean design and shape) pretty quickly becomes a more interesting question than how, and then eventually why. None of the how-to books and videos are essential for mastering woodworking after the initial period of learning the tools, techniques, and materials. (That "initial period" is where you put in your 20,000 hours of study and practice so you can successfully execute whatever's in your head.) Technical proficiency will only take one so far though, and I don't know how to make the leap from competent to mastery.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

WOOD! Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide by Eric Meier​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FGP9964

This is the hardcover version of the Wood Database web site.