Do it Yourself

By Karen Ellis, Director, Taylor P.L., TX -- Library Journal, 9/1/2007

Elegant wood furniture can be yours for the making. This work represents a compilation of six other books by the authors, all talented craftspeople with previous woodworking titles to their credit. It exhibits 16 lovely pieces of furniture for the advanced woodworker, and despite the patchwork collection of projects, there is no disjoint. The book looks glamorous and luxurious, and the flow is consistent throughout. The projects are highly refined, reflecting a Craftsman or Shaker feel, i.e., exactly the type of furniture for which you would pay top dollar. There is no handholding, however, and the instruction does not dwell on basics or tool use. Recommended for larger collections.

Plumbing is a complex and vital system in any home, and mistakes can be costly. With this in mind, master plumber Cauldwell (Safe Home Wiring Projects) addresses all aspects of home plumbing, focusing on safety and code compliance throughout. The intense depth of coverage spans from piping materials to fixtures. Well drilling and maintenance chapters make this book particularly valuable, especially to rural areas. Cauldwell's wry comments (on, e.g., the narrow sizes of toilet seats and awkward past plumbing mistakes) give the text flavor. The material and its organization are superior. Way more than needed for casual projects, but for a complete understanding of all plumbing systems, this book is invaluable; highly recommended for all collections.

Sun is a renewable resource that willing homeowners can harness to supply their heating needs. First-time author Clive shares his passion for this alternative energy. He bases the book solely on his experience with his own home's solar heating system, so there are no variations from the singular project. Sadly, the instructions are rambling and do not include complete supply lists; the photographs are insufficient and unhelpful; and the electronic schematics are not fully explained—instead, the author gives out his contact information in case any help is needed. This book just screams "amateur" and cannot guide anyone through his or her individual requirements and needs. There is a dearth of useful books on practical solar energy application for interested homeowners, and this one misses the mark. Not recommended.

Revised and updated since its initial 1977 release, this large book encompasses a broad topic well. With an emphasis on preparation, the late DeCristoforo coaches the amateur builder through the process of housebuilding. While lacking in detailed step-by-step illustrations, the solid text compensates: this primer is chock-full of sound advice and instruction. All illustrations have been replaced from the earlier editions, and new construction materials and related techniques have been added. While the reader is advised that systems like wiring and plumbing are best left to the professionals, we nevertheless get layout and overview (also included is a short introduction on green building). This comprehensive book addresses principles and practices of home construction masterfully. Recommended for all collections.

The Grays, instructors and mechanics, revise the 2003 edition, covering more topics and including more illustrations and resources. While geared as a textbook, there is much more to this volume. Learn all about your car's systems and why things work—or don't work. Learn how to be a better car owner. Learn when to fix it yourself and when to take your car to a shop. Great diagrams and sections on how to buy a car and how to clean it make useful additions. Also included is a timely chapter on alternative fuels and auto designs. A very good automobile primer, despite the classroom slant; recommended for most libraries.

Dress up your garden and take advantage of exterior space with outdoor structures. Hylton, with a number of woodworking and outdoor project books to his credit, presents eight projects, ironically starting with the very hardest, a lovely but detailed gazebo. Other projects include arbors and sheds; two are constructions of kit buildings. Detailed photographs show vital stages of construction, but none accompanies the final tool shed project. The organization is flawed throughout, with poor alignment between text and illustrations and a crowded layout. The projects for the most part are lovely, and the instruction is sound, but the inconsistent presentation is very distracting. A marginal purchase.

Anyone would consider getting paid and staying in business important, but not everyone has the training for running a small business. While a tradesperson may be excellent at his or her craft, there is a lot of paperwork to manage. Thankfully, Kramon, a contractor, includes practical and specialized advice on everything from contracts and bidding to insurance and taxes. In this significantly revised edition, he addresses contractors' and builders' behind-the-scenes needs and helps guide them through quandaries like record keeping, disabled workers, and other potential risks and liabilities. Important for any collection serving tradespeople or other small business owners.

Take a trip down memory lane with this nostalgic meandering of projects gleaned from early 1900s Popular Mechanics magazine's pages. These projects and instructions may have been understood by Mr. Wizard but will not be by today's youth. None of the projects has been updated, and most should be supervised by an adult if attempted. Some are magic-trick and sleight-of-hand aides; others involve toys. Still others are highly mechanical or electrical in nature, not to mention completely impractical (however, the editors make no promises regarding feasibility or safety). Filled with quaint illustrations, this book is nothing more than historic fluff. Recommended only where there is demand.

Sewing can save the home decorator a lot of money, and this book introduces some basic techniques and projects. Oddly, it is oriented vertically, so readers must flip the pages up. After an oh-so-brief intro to sewing machines, stitching and machine accessories and tools are discussed. Illustrations are disappointingly sparse, with no photos to inspire or show detail. Some of the step-by-step instructions are quite good, with some valuable sections on finishing details like corner construction. But the projects, which include bed covers, a small variety of curtains, and other decorative work, are a bit lackluster. There are better beginning sewing books available, such as Sewing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Sewing from Creative Publishing and New Complete Guide to Sewing from Reader's Digest. This uneven volume is recommended only for larger collections or where there is demand.

Beautiful wooden boxes can often be more valuable to their owners than any treasure they might contain. The pretty boxes Stowe (Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Box Making) features here are unique, different from those he has presented in his earlier books. The progression through the eight basic projects—each showing a couple of variations—is logical. The layout is consistently good, and the text is warm and encouraging. There is a growing number of wood box-building books, and this is one of the better ones. A great introduction for beginners; strongly recommended for public libraries.