Introduction to Furniture Making

the long version

From the Introduction:This book is written for the express purpose of helping those who have acquired a basic knowledge of woodworking techniques and who now want to progress to designing and making their own furniture. It is not its purpose to provide ready made solutions for all problems or to offer completed designs but to present at least scme of the possibilities and their advantages and disadvantages and leave it to the reader to choose his own answer. To this end the book is divided into several parts with the writing deliberately kept to a minimum to make reference easy. The second part is intended as a guide to designing technique. It offers a method of approach to design which can be applied to any problem. By taking a simple example it shows how to get beyond preconceived ideas and find a new solution. It then applies the suggested method to a specific design problem. The remainder of the parts provide readily accessible material to supplement the designer's own knowledge. He can select the joint which best suits his requirements, find the fitting that does just what he wants and the right finish to complete the job. He will be saved from making some mistakes and will be made aware of new possibilities. He will also be encouraged to tackle more advanced work than he might otherwise do. It is hoped that it will provide a very welcome reference book for the amateur craftsman both at home and at school.