This is the essential who, what, when, where, and why of hand tools! Not only is the equipment itself beautiful, it’s the classic and most pleasurable way to work with wood. Hundreds of photographs, accompanied by explanatory illustrations, escort you through the traditional woodshop, introducing everything from indispensable clamps and drills to chisels and saws. And not a question goes unanswered in this guide to buying, tuning, sharpening, and operating both antique and contemporary pieces: you’ll find out which tools you really need, which ones are the best, and how to use them most effectively. There’s advice on work surfaces, vises, marking and measuring utensils, edgers, and tools that pull, pry, twist, bore, and scrape. You’ll discover things you never knew before!

This is the essential who, what, when, where, and why of hand tools! Not only is the equipment itself beautiful, it’s the classic and most pleasurable way to work with wood. Hundreds of photographs, accompanied by explanatory illustrations, escort you through the traditional woodshop, introducing everything from indispensable clamps and drills to chisels and saws. And not a question goes unanswered in this guide to buying, tuning, sharpening, and operating both antique and contemporary pieces: you’ll find out which tools you really need, which ones are the best, and how to use them most effectively. There’s advice on work surfaces, vises, marking and measuring utensils, edgers, and tools that pull, pry, twist, bore, and scrape. You’ll discover things you never knew before!