Basic Beginning Woodworking; Introduction To Furniture Making

Professional craftsman Jack Abbott is the host and instructor for these two programs on working with hardwood. Basic Beginning Woodworking begins at the beginning...in the forest. Abbott explains the various types of wood, their properties, and shows what happens to the wood in a mill. He covers the fine points of what to look for when shopping for wood, and then invites viewers to his garage/workshop for a tour of the shop. Abbott demonstrates the basic tools required for working with wood: the saws (from hand saw to band saw), the sanders (both elbow-grease type and belt sanders), clamps, framing squares, a drill press, and important safety equipment. The remainder of the program is devoted to making a 4-shelf bookcase from cutting the necessary pieces of wood to applying a finish. Introduction to Furniture Making offers a more exhaustive tour of Abbott's shop including extended explanations of the circular saw and power drills. The project is to build a beautiful sofa back table, and Abbott takes viewers through each step with clear, easy-to-follow instructions and a handful of good general woodworking tips to boot. A little pricier than similar fare, both of these tapes are good woodworking programs, suitable for beginners. Recommended. (Available from: Instructional Video, Inc., 727 "O" St., Lincoln, NE 68508; 1-800-228-0164.)