Do It Yourself
By Karen Ellis, Director, Taylor P.L., TX -- Library Journal, 6/1/2006
Ambrosiano, Nancy W. & Mary F. Harcourt. Complete Plans for Building Horse Barns Big & Small. Breakthrough. 2006. c.261p. illus. index. ISBN 0-914327-91-7. $29.95. DIY
Keep your horses safe and happy in a well-designed stable. Ambrosiano and Harcourt are back with even more designs and plans in this third edition, about half of which is devoted to in-depth coverage of planning, site preparation, construction and materials, and horses’ special needs. The hundreds of full-color photographs vary in quality, but the design drawings are highly professional and clean. Similar in coverage to Richard Klimesh and Cherry Hill’s Horse Housing but with more design plans, this book contains an excellent collection of horse barn designs with enough variety to meet any need. A great addition for libraries serving horse owners or in rural areas.Ares, José Antonio. Metal: Forming, Forging, and Welding Techniques. Barron’s. 2006. c.160p. illus. ISBN 0-7641-5896-1. $29.99. DIYArtistic metalworking has come a long way since the Bronze Age. A translated edition of the Spanish El Metal, this beautiful book by accomplished sculptor Ares (Sch. of Fine Arts, Univ. of Barcelona) introduces history, tools, and technique, with some sample projects at the end. The layout is beautifully arranged, the instructions precise, and the illustrations excellent. The equipment and tools required are extensive and expensive. More for the serious metalworker than the weekend craftsperson, this lovely and unique book is highly recommended.
Bailey, Anthony. Success with Biscuit Joiners. Guild of Master Craftsman, dist. by Sterling. 2006. c.176p. illus. index. ISBN 1-86108-431-5. pap. $19.95. DIYBiscuit joiners can be vital power tools for furniture making and other projects. Here, Bailey (Routing for Beginners) introduces tool use and general safety and includes a review of products and supplies, the majority of which are not available in the United States. While the instructions and illustrations are clear and consistent, the arrangement is mediocre, as are the sample projects for utilizing the biscuit joiner. The main drawback—the European emphasis—makes this a less-than-desirable book for American audiences. A better choice would be Jim Stack’s The Biscuit Joiner Project Book.
Finney, Mark. The Stanley Book of Woodwork: Tools, Techniques, Projects. Batsford, dist. by Sterling. 2006. c.160p. illus. index. ISBN 0-7134-9003-9. pap. $19.95. DIYThis book, which appears to be a little-changed revision of woodworker and furniture maker Finney’s The Stanley Book of Woodworking Tools, Techniques and Projects (1994), covers the use of hand tools, showing only the Stanley brand. Following introductions to different types of tools are six simple projects illustrating their use. There are gaps in coverage, however, such as the materials recommendations and pictures for step-by-step instruction. Unfortunately, there is nothing special about this book, which is essentially just a catalog of tools with a few uninspiring projects at the end. A marginal purchase.
Jenkins, Alison. Birdhouses: From Castles to Cottages; 20 Simple Homes and Feeders To Make in a Weekend. Reader’s Digest, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). 2006. c.176p. illus. index. ISBN 0-7621-0644-1. pap. $19.95. DIYProlific crafts and DIY author Jenkins (The Handmade Candle) focuses her ingenuity on luring birds into readers’ yards with creative birdhouses and feeders. She opens this charming book with an introduction to basic birdhouse designs, then follows with fun variations. She includes important information on what to feed birds to entice them into your yard and on sizing the designs for different bird species. Step-by-step instructions with accompanying photos are right on target. Admittedly, the birds aren’t going to care if they take residence in a fairy castle or a roadside diner, but Jenkins’s projects are cute. A high-quality production from a reliable publisher—libraries will want this on their shelves. Highly recommended.
Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony with Nature. Schiffer. 2005. c.232p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 0-7643-2183-8. $49.95. DIYFree yourself from chlorine, and surround your swimming pool with plants and a natural landscape. Littlewood (Landscape Detailing) introduces the natural swimming pool system, in which no chemicals are used; ecology and biology instead keeping the system clean. Chapters cover the history, planning, and design of natural swimming pools. A gallery of existing pools illustrates the possibilities. Several nice features include extensive plant charts and plant hardiness maps. This is an interesting book, but it could have been made more useful through better organization, sharper layout and photos, and some step-by-step handholding. The concept, familiar in Europe, could really take off in the United States with more help. A nice introduction where there is interest.
Ramsey, Dan & The Fix-It Club. The Home Owner’s Manual. Quirk. 2006. c.224p. illus. index. ISBN 1-59474-103-4. pap. $15.95. DIYQuirk continues its line of little owner’s manuals with this title by Ramsey (Doors, Windows and Skylights). A short and stocky book, it features heavyweight paper that will supposedly stand up to repeated use. Stylized cartoons that contain hidden jokes effectively pepper the book with humor. Coverage is purposefully cursory; house systems are described very concisely and authoritatively. Simple repairs are never illustrated, just via instructional text. Though the book offers some useful information, it is not an essential purchase. Turn to Reader’s Digest’s The Complete-Do-It-Yourself Manual instead.
Ripley, John. Ceramic and Stone Tiling: A Complete Guide. Crowood Pr., dist. by Trafalgar Square. 2006. c.144p. illus. index. ISBN 1-86126-777-0. $35. DIYTiling is one job you want to do right the first time. Debut author and professional tiler Ripley tackles common tiling problems in this very smart book for beginners that contains a lot more detail than other tiling books, as well as insightful tips and preparation guides. Photos demonstrate how different lighting conditions show tile-laying flaws. This is not a tiling idea or design book, but it could go hand in hand with one. For a British import, it holds up pretty well; metric measurements are not translated, but it doesn’t matter, as much of the instruction is on techniques. Recommended.
Robinette, Kurt M.. Greg Woodard’s Art of Bird Sculpture: Wood, Bronze & Clay. Sterling. 2006. c.160p. photogs. index. ISBN 1-4027-1158-1. pap. $17.95. DIYGreg Woodard’s sculpted birds leap out from the medium, a mere second from flight. While falconer and sculptor Robinette, a friend of the artist’s, gives some step-by-step instruction, this is not a book for amateur sculptors—there is no handholding on tool use or medium. The text is limited, but it does divulge Woodard’s methodology. The sample carvings illustrate special technique, and it is here that the photos become mixed in quality (e.g., closeups are fuzzy). This is especially disappointing because Woodard’s skill is in his detail work. Elsewhere, the photos are superb, and the gallery of birds is stunning. This beautiful book is recommended for larger collections.
Spence, William P. The Home Carpenter & Woodworker’s Repair Manual. Sterling. 2006. c.540p. illus. index. ISBN 1-4027-1055-0. pap. $24.95. DIYCraftsperson Spence provides detailed instructions and insights on various home carpentry repairs (e.g., fixing roofs) and renovations (e.g., adding closets). There is some crossover from his Encyclopedia of Home Maintenance and Repair, but the focus here is on carpentry (the section on furniture repair is especially interesting), so plumbing and electrical work is excluded. Unfortunately, the illustrations do not meet the quality of the instructions, and the layout suffers from poor editing, which gives the book an unfocused appearance. Spence’s expertise is not well represented in this package. Not as complete as the standard DIY home repair manuals, Home Carpenter is suitable for larger collections only.
Vally, Norma. Chix Can Fix: 100 Home-Improvement Projects and True Tales from the Diva of Do-It-Yourself. Viking. 2006. c.240p. illus. index. ISBN 0-14-20050-7-X. pap. $14.95. DIYWhen the sink backs up or the toilet won’t flush, women don’t need to call a man for help. In this book on repair and empowerment, Vally, star of the Discovery Home Channel’s Toolbelt Diva illustrates her can-do attitude with motivational narrative and instruction. While a bit philosophically top-heavy, the instructions are clear and basic. Unfortunately, the line drawings are a disaster—embarrassingly amateurish in quality. Vally’s expertise is poorly represented in this book, which doesn’t come close to the style and finesse of Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet’s Dare To Repair, one of the ultimate female-friendly introductions to household repairs. Marginal, but there may be demand.
