Author: Derek Jones
Published by: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd
Published: 2013
Softcover
Pages: 176
Cost: $34.99
This book certainly ticks a few boxes. Use up free scrap wood. Tick. Beginner level only skills required. Tick. Projects for things that look okay. Tick. Don’t need every machine and power tool under the sun. Tick.
For those woodworkers who are still on their L-plates Derek Jones has really hit the nail on the head with his new book.
Every project book seems to start with chapters on tools and basic equipment and this one is no exception. Directed at beginners the introductory chapters name and describe the hand and power tools, and machinery that woodworkers want to use. The next chapter ‘Materials and Jigs’ details what offcuts to save (and not to save), where to find free ones (!), and how to store them. Just throwing them in a big pile is not recommended.
Once again for the newbie, the author shows how to make an alignment jig, a bench hook and a shooting board. The photos are good, the steps numbered and the text concise. Metric and imperial measurements are given throughout.
There are 20 projects. Very easy are the serving platter and marble game. Once you can mitre it’s on to a ring box and a picture frame. The meat tenderizer will get you sawing and tenoning. The 'wedge end box' is, well, a good use of offcuts.
Using a spaghetti gauge to measure pasta would be taking things a little too far in my kitchen, but here you have it, a project for one.
The remaining projects cover: salad servers, desk tidies, pen case, floating shelf, collector’s tray, sliding dovetail box, Japanese work trestles (low stands), letter rack, recipe book holder, bird box, garden planter, tool caddy and desk lamp.
For beginners of all ages (and possibly even moreso for woodwork teachers) this book is a good resource. For those seeking to maximise shorts of valuable wood this book may inspire a range of small scale work to sell at markets or gift store.