The Essential Wood Book: The Woodworker’s Guide to Choosing and Using Lumber

This is a truly great wood book because it presents an exceptionally useful range of wood facts in an interesting and pertinent way. The subtitle: The Woodworker's Guide to Choosing and Using Lumber, is fully met by providing "Quick Takes" on each tree, with more detailed information on growing region, a bit of history, a bit of tree lore for each species, and often a bit on the complexities of identifying and buying the wood. Trees are broadly grouped in American and Exotics, including bamboo. Some advice on finishing each wood, grades available, wood care and preparation all add up to the single most useful wood book that I have in a sizable collection. The book further benefits by having multiple writers who present the kind of expertise no single individual author is likely to possess. Highly recommended.

Hey guys, if your new to woodworking or you need to review on wood technology, then this book must be in your book shelf. I was unsure at first because I saw a book online (understanding wood) but some peoples reviews explained that it was difficult and too scientific to comprehend. This book is definitely a great book that will teach you about wood technology. It's nice, organized, and we'll written. I wish I can thank the author.

after getting the book i have catching myself using it more than i thought a great book to learn about trees

If this is "the Woodworker's Guide to Choosing and Using Lumber," why isn't there any discussion about what woods to choose and use based on sustainability of the species? This book has nothing to say about restricted, endangered or protected species. Every woodworker should be concerned about where our wood comes from, whether the tree and/or lumber used is covered by an international treaty, and whether the harvest of the woods we are using is sustainable. It is outrageous that a book that is supposedly about helping use choose and use lumber doesn't discuss the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or the IUCN red list. How short-sighted can an author be?Apart from that grave shortfall, I enjoyed reading the book. The information is useful and accessible. But unless woodworkers, (and the authors and lumber suppliers who peddle to us), start to take seriously the issue of sustainability, the world (and specifically trees and forests, in this instance) will continue in decline.

Nice gift for woodworker.

Good resource

A great resource for identifying woods and uses.This should be in every woodworker's library.

Did not cover how board feet is calculated. if its an essential Wood Book, should have at least briefly covered it in my opinion. I know how to do the calculation, was just surprised it was not in the book. Also, did not mention allot of common exotics (Padauk, etc) Not a bad book though, the title is just a little misleading.

Just started reading it but so far i am impressed. not overly statistical or overly worded. have been working with wood for years and am finding out i was correct on a lot of things but finding new and interesting things thst wil help me from now on. plus i have it as a referance.

This is like an encyclopaedia for buying wood for woodworking ..... GREAT book

The text is too small and it goes blurry if you enlarge it. Too bad.