Books
January 27, 2010
DIY Books Recalled
The publishing company Oxmoor House is recalling a number of electrical how-to books due to the fact that they contain, "errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard to consumers." There's no more information available as to exactly which drawings contain the bad advice, which is too bad because some of these books have been on the shelves since 1975. Thankfully though, there have been no injuries resulting from the errors.
One of the books, Complete Home Wiring, is sitting on our desk right now. We even reviewed it way back in the first month of this site's existence. In that review, we applauded the book for its, "helpful pictures and charts." Apparently what we should have written was, 'deadly pictures and charts."
If you have one of the books, listed below, you are to visit www.sunsetrecall.com for instructions on how to return it for a full refund.
An article on the recall is here, the recall press release is here, and, again, if you have one of the books, go here to return it.
The books are:
- AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook
- Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair
- Lowe's Complete Home Wiring
- Sunset Basic Home Repairs
- Sunset Complete Home Wiring
- Sunset Complete Patio Book
- Sunset Home Repair Handbook
- Sunset Water Gardens
- Sunset You Can Build -- Wiring
A big thanks to reader Dar for bringing this to our attention.
January 25, 2010
Insulate and Weatherize - Review
If you read the site with any regularity, you know that our 1915 farmhouse has some insulation issues. And when we say 'insulation issues,' what we really mean is that large portions of it simply aren't insulated at all. Over the past few months we've been trying to tighten things up, but our efforts have been a bit random and unfocused. Thankfully, though, Taunton recently sent us a copy of Insulate and Weatherize which we immediately read cover to cover. The bad news is that our situation is way worse than we thought, but the good news is that we now have an informed and comprehensive plan of attack.
It's tough to characterize what's in this book, but it goes way beyond insulating and weatherizing. The best way we can explain it is that it's a complete guide to efficiently conditioning the air and water within the four walls of your house. The book takes you through all of the major areas of your house (attic, basement, living space) as well as all of the major systems (water, heating, cooling) and describes every possible way that heat can be lost as well as how to contain that heat. The whole time it's a great split between hands-on tutorials and big-picture thinking. If you want to know the best way to insulate the ceiling of your basement, it's in there, but if you're just looking to understand how heat transfers from one material to another, it's also in there.
So when you read the title of this book, don't think that it's all 'R-values' and 'rigid vs fiberglass.' It's not. It's much, much more and anyone looking for a deeper knowledge of the way that their house works would be well served to read it.
And if you're one of those people, like us, who loves leaky, drafty old houses, this book will become an essential part of your library.
At Amazon
September 17, 2009
James Krenov RIP
James Krenov died a week ago yesterday. His Cabinetmaker's Notebook, sort of a Zen and the Art of Cabinet Making, was a book that really hit home with us when we first read it, and still to this day, it provides inspiration and clarity.
Around originality there is no doubt a law of diminishing returns; nowadays there has to be. Though maybe we are drowning not so much in the original as in the imitation, in just things. For many of us originality is a pressure; we are being pushed around by people wanting something new, different. Then there's the other pressure of doing the new without borrowing too much from the old, or at least without getting caught at it. Students are forever running to libraries to get various books - on peasant art, Scandinavian modern, Shaker, Colonial, Indian - one this and one that. They fill their heads with all these images, and then frantically try to come up with something of their own. As though you put these ingredients in a kettle, add water, stir, and cook for two hours. What do you get? Pottage. Pea soup.
There's a nice rundown of his life over at Fine Woodworking (here).
Cabinetmaker's Notebook at Amazon
August 21, 2009
Northern Tool 2009 Fall/Winter Master Catalog
Finally, a tool catalog so badass it has to be delivered in a cardboard box. And it's freakin' hardcover! To us, the Northern Tool catalog marks the seasons more reliably than the solstice. Even though it's still about 97 degrees where we live, the fact that the Fall/Winter catalog just hit means that it's time to start thinking about the first stages of buckling down for the winter. Should we pick up a generator this year (after being without power for six days last December)? Is it time to get one of those tent vehicle enclosures? Should we stop wearing white, now that the Fall/Winter catalog is here? These are some of the thoughts prompted by the arrival of one of the best tool catalogs out there.
And it's not just tools. In fact, power tools only take up 27 of the 591 pages here. The rest is packed with automotive, heating, storage, hydraulics, and on and on and on.
Order your free catalog here.
June 22, 2009
Outside the Not So Big House - Review
If you're thinking about some landscaping projects this summer, you might want to check out Outside the Not So Big House by Julie Moir Messervy and Sarah Susanka.
A lot of landscape books are simply portfolio pieces, little more than pictures of what other people have done. But the authors here understand the simple fact that every house is different and has different 'needs,' so along with the stunning photography showing you how nice things can look, they also provide a lot of information on how to think about your specific property to better improve it. It's like stepping into the brain of a very good landscape architect.
Their goal here is to bring all of the aspects of your property into a single idea and theme. To show us how this can be done, the authors walk us though a wide variety of successful projects, representing a wide array of house styles as well as landscapes. In doing so they discuss how to gain a new vision of your property and how to design a landscape that flows seamlessly from the interior to the exterior.
It's impossible to cover even a fraction of the ideas presented in this book, and there's no question that, after reading it, you'll have a completely new view of your house in relation to its surroundings. It's far headier than the average landscaping book, but well worth the effort to read and consider.
At Amazon ($15 paperback)
April 23, 2007
Setting Up Shop - Review
Our workshop used to belong to someone else, so when we moved in, we pretty much kept things as they were; the workbench is against the same wall and the lumber racks are in the same place. We made a few changes and built some shelves, but nothing too severe. Well, we just finished Sandor Nagyszalanczy’s Setting Up Shop and now we’ve got some work to do. This book has opened the door to such a large array of possibilities for our workshop that we don’t even know where to begin the renovations.
Nagyszalanczy makes that point that every shop should be different in order to match the working style of its owner. But even with this difference, there are a lot of universal considerations to take into account before rolling in the table saw and having at those oak boards. This book is about those universals, some big and some small, that all come together and create the functionality of a workspace.
Continue reading: "Setting Up Shop - Review"
April 3, 2007
Renovating Old Houses – Review
If you’ve ever owned an old house or even known someone who has, you know that the effort involved in keeping them going is huge. The process of fixing one thing usually leads to fixing something else and who even knows where to start when everything needs fixing in the first place? It's enough to make you jealous of Sisyphus and his boulder; at least he knew what was coming at the end of each day.
But old houses are filled with a personality and a feel that you simply can’t get with a new home and, for some, those characteristics far out-weigh the time and effort needed to keep these old warhorses afloat. But, there’s also no doubt that the process can be intimidating and, from time to time, overwhelming, even to the experienced builder. What should you tackle first? How will fixing this problem affect that other problem later on? Is that sagging old roof going to fall in on me while I’m sleeping? All these questions need answers, and thank the Lord for George Nash and his book, Renovating Old Houses, because he has all the answers.
Continue reading: "Renovating Old Houses – Review"
March 25, 2007
March 6, 2007
What we're reading right now...
At the moment we've been chewing through George Nash's Renovating Old Houses
and, so far, we're loving every minute of it. It's packed with useful information, whether you own an old house that needs immediate attention or a newer one that you just want to get better aquainted with. For the reader facing a renovation, the book educates on how to proiritize a renovation, the fiscal considerations, and, if you're not tackling it yourself, how to handle contractors and architects. If you are doing it yourself, this book has a lot of detailed information on what to do and how to do it.
There's plenty more, but we'll cover it all in a full review once we're finished.
February 27, 2007
Complete Home Wiring - Review
UPDATE: This book has been recalled after nine years on the shelves. More information here.
With Complete Home Wiring
, Sunset Books and editor Scott Atkinson have put together a solid reference for any one attempting a home wiring project. From a brief course on electricity to troubleshooting complicated problems, virtually every topic is covered.
The information is conveyed with clear writing, easy to understand drawings, and helpful pictures and charts. Topics covered include:
Low voltage wiring
How and where to run wires
Planning new circuits
Recessed lights, ceiling fans, and wall sconces
Electrical tools
The correct way to strip a wire
And on and on...
Because it is so thorough, it is a great reference to have sitting on the shelf for use when needed. There are a lot of basic electrical guides out there and we think this one stands a bit higher than the rest.
February 26, 2007
Building the Timber Frame House - Review
If you've ever driven through Vermont and wondered how that 200 year old barn could, not only still be standing, but how it could have a perfectly straight roofline with no sag, then you need to get Building the Timber Frame House
and read up on the art of timber framing.
Tedd Benson's first, and in our opinion, best, book on the subject is a detailed examination of the history and the construction techniques behind these magnificent structures. Even if you don't ever have any intention or will to build a timber framed house (and how many of us are that lucky), the book is a valuable resource on the general structure of a home, proper and complex joints in woodworking, and the all around concepts needed to build something that is going to stand the test of time.
All of this great information is displayed in an easy to understand manner, accompanied by amazing illustrations. This is really a great book.
Check out his other books
as well.
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Rockwell SoniShear - Review
