The New Best of Fine Woodworking
Taunton Press, the publisher of Fine Woodworking Magazine, was kind enough to supply me with one of their recent publications for review. Taunton has always managed to bring a deep sense of quality to everything they produce, and their recently released The New Best of Fine Woodworking series of books is no exception. Each book is filled with excellent articles and covers a specific woodworking topic ranging from finishing, to router techniques, to shop layout. If your new to woodworking you’ll find a treasure trove of information from a variety of top woodworkers.
These books are a collection of selected articles published in Fine Woodworking over the last decade, and that may lead some to believe that if you have or read the magazines the books won’t add much. However, I found that having all these articles grouped together by subject made it a joy to explore a topic. For instance, spending an evening with the volume on finishing gave me several alternatives on how to finish an upcoming cabinet, and, by combining tidbits from different articles, I was able to pick up several tips and details to make me feel comfortable with trying a new finish.
In each book I did find one or two editing errors, usually involving a mismatched image or caption, but these were minor and none interfered with understanding the article. I did appreciate that Taunton took the time to mark price estimates and/or brands that might be out of date.
This series of books is a great way for a new woodworker to gain a trove of information. For the old dog looking to learn a new trick, it’s great to be able to thumb through one volume with a variety of alternatives and viewpoints on a topic. I’ve never been disapointed with Taunton’s offerings. You can check out their full range of woodworking books, DVDs, and magazines on their website.
Brian Todoroff
Contributing Editor, Nothing Severed Yet
www.nothingseveredyet.com
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