I wanted to check with the pro’s to see what you all feel is the best ‘Finishing’ reference book. I have a nice bed side stand project coming up that I am going to make out of cherry. I have never really tackled the finishing stage of any project with great success and I don’t want to screw this one up. I browsed through Taunton’s list and found the following that I liked. I realize that not any one reference will always be the sole source of information but I am looking for a good comprehensive text. Thanks in advance for your help.
The New Wood Finishing Book by Michael Dresdner
or
Great Wood Finishes by Jeff Jewitt (I’m leaning more towards this one)
Replies
I'm not a pro, but I'd like another book to be compared: Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing. I found it very informative.
The Flexner book has always come up in almost any finishing discussion I've seen and it's second on my list of must have books.
The Woodfinishing Book by: Michael Dresdner
Both excellent, as is Bob Flexner's book. The latter goes into chemistry and theory a little more than the other two, and I like Dresdner's writing a little better, but any of the three would be a good pick. You might try a local library to see what catches your eye and try out all three.
/jvs
Bob Flexner's book Understanding Wood Finishing reminds me of a text book and is very informative, especially regarding the science of finishing. Jeff Jewitt's books, Hand Applied Finishes and Great Wood Finishes are more like a "How To" guide with the techniques taking the lead and the science backing it up. All three are well worth having as a handy reference.
On his forum, Jeff Jewitt has been providing some samples from his newest book due to come out next month and it looks like it's going to be very informative/comprehensive.
I have some videos by both and find them a good resource also.
Paul
Personally, I would recommend two books. The first is "Understanding Wood Finishing" by Flexner. For the second get either the Jewitt or the Dresdner book. I like Jewitt's better as it is a better "how to". The Flexner book is the reference for most.
I'll chip in with a "second" for "Understanding Wood Finishes"! Tremendous resource and reference book. I actually bought it! Usually I just breeze through the books at the store, get an idea or three and leave it there for someone else to pay for! Enjoy!
Mack
Personally, I would choose Ralph Mayer's book; "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques". This book is not specific to woodfinishing but it gives a thorough analysis of the basic chemistry and the resprective advantages and disadvantages of all types of coatings and their additives. A good study of it and a few years of experience will get you qualified to design your own special finishes (something that I now do regularly). It also covers a few other things that can be handy for woodworkers, like gilding.
The books already mentioned by other posters are all very much worth reading.
"Adventures In Wood Finishing" and "Wood Finishing with George Frank" are both excellent. "Adventures" is written as a memoir and is fun to read, but it's also very informative. In it, George Frank recounts his personal story as a finishing professional from the time he came to the U.S. from Europe in the 1920's.
Many of his "old time" finishing methods and terminology may not be familiar to the uninitiated, and some of the techniques he used in the old days would probably elicit gasps from OSHA, but overall he has a lot to teach, and both of his books are valuable additions to the libraries of contemporary finishers.
Experimentation on test pieces is the hallmark of experienced finishers. I encourage you to experiment as much as you can - documenting your experiments as thoroughly as possible so you'll be able to replicate your successes and avoid repeating your mistakes.
Good luck,
Paul
Edited 1/27/2004 4:48:39 PM ET by jazzdogg
Another good book for the "old time" genre is Sam Allen's <u>"Classic Finishing Techniques."</u> This book has thorough coverage of French polishing techniques, history of finishes, and historical finish recipes. Very handy reference for replicating historically accurate finishes.
Paul
Thanks for refreshing my addled memory; you're right - it's another good one.Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Well, I've been finishing for a couple decades and until a couple years ago I never even looked at a finishing reference book, much less owned one. I just did what the oldtimers taught me to do until I got to the point that I had a sufficient basis from which to strike out on my own and figure stuff out for myself. But, a couple years ago I got to looking thru several finishing books at a nearby Barnes & Noble bookstore. I ended up purchasing Jewitt's "Great Wood Finishes." It's a fantastic book IMHO. He has a gift for writing in a way that doesn't leave you feel like he's talking down to you... which I think is the most important aspect of being able to "teach" somebody something that they didn't already know.
I think Jewitt's books are really ideal for the less experienced finisher. They don't go into a great deal of the highly detailed technical mumbo jumbo which some of us might actually enjoy. But, for the beginner I think Jeff's approach is perfect.
"Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud" - Sophocles.
All,
As always, you all have been a great help. Thanks again...
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