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.

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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.

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Taunton Books Arrive For Review

Taunton Press, probably our favorite publishing house, has sent us a few books to review and we’re really looking forward to getting started in on them. The titles we’ll be reviewing are; Unbuilding: Salvaging the Architectural Treasures of Unwanted Houses, Setting Up Shop, and Outside the Not So Big House. Since we’re just about done with Renovating Old Houses, we’re hoping to get to these new books this week. We’re particularly excited about Unbuilding. How can we not love a book dedicated to scavenging, dismantling, and salvaging?

Unbuilding at Amazon.com
Setting up Shop at Amazon.com
Outside the Not So Big House at Amazon.com

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.

Complete Home Wiring - Review

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.

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.

Ted 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.