Book recommendations?

[jmischel]

I'm thoroughly enjoying my self-education into carving. There's a lot to learn, and I get to play with cool tools, make wood shavings, and occasionally produce something recognizable. All well and good, but I'm also interested in the science behind what I'm doing. (Hey, I'm an engineer at heart, what can I say?)

I did a search online looking for information on the physics of cutting wood. What happens when you draw a knife through the wood? Of the references I found, the one that looks the best is Leonard Lee's "The Complete Guide to Sharpening." Anybody have opinions about this book? Is there a better guide to sharpening?

I saw a recommendation for R. Bruce Hoadly's "Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology", but then I saw others that recommended the USDA's "Encyclopedia of Wood" instead. It you were given the choice of the two books, which would you choose?

Finally, although I enjoy carving basswood, I seem to be happiest when I'm whittlin' away on a stick, branch, or stump I've picked up in my yard or wherever I happen to be. I'd like a good discussion of selecting, drying, and preparing found wood. I see two books by the Fine Woodworking editors: "Selecting and Drying Wood," and "Wood and How to Dry It." Any comments on these two?

Of course, if you have other book recommendations or links to online resources, I'm most grateful.

Jim

[brian-bailey]

What happens when you draw a knife through the wood?

Hoadley's book, "Chapter 8, Machining Wood" would be of great interest to you.

Chapters 4 & 5 deal with drying wood.

His book is a must have if you are a woodworker.

[RUssL.]

I have both the Leonard Lee book on sharpening and the Hoadley book (after Mr. Bailey suggested it to me last year!) on wood. They are both great books and "exhaustive" would be how I would describe their coverage of the subjects.

Both books go waaay beyond what I needed to know on each topic! ;-)
Don't expect to sit down and read one cover to cover!

However, I do go back to both books from time to time for more detail on one topic or another.


They are good additions to a carver's library if the carver is a book lover, too.

Russ

[jmischel]

Brian and Russ:

Thank you both for the recommendations. Yes, I'm something of a book lover. Obsessively, it seems ...

I'll put both those books on my "to buy" list.

[brian-bailey]

Jim,

The Forest Products Laboratory has the Wood HandBook, Drying Hardwood Lumber, and Kiln Operators Manual available at no cost.

Here are the links:

Forest Products Laboratory -- Forest Service -- USDA

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr118.pdf

Dry kiln operator's manual


I have the older version of Fine Woodworkings, "Wood and How to Dry it." It is just a collection of articles published in the magazine on wood and drying it. There is a lot of good information there.

[jmischel]

Brian,

Thanks for the link to the Forest Products Laboratory. Lots of cool stuff there.