Advice/Suggested Books for Small Projects?

[dkerfoot]

Being self employed for the last five years, I have found that work can be too all-consuming, especially since I work out of my house. This whole woodworking thing is turning out to be a pretty good hobby for taking my mind off of work, so I am looking to expand my horizons a bit.

To date, I have mostly built shop cabinets and the like out of big box plywood. I am thinking that the next logical step would be to build some small projects such as jewelry boxes out of high quality hardwood. I have always leaned toward function rather than form, so this will be a stretch for me.

Questions:
1. Does this approach make sense?
2. Can you recommend a good book? Preferably one that you have actually used successfully.

Oh, I'd also like to avoid buying any more tools for a while. It is time to master what I have. I do not have a band or scroll saw. I might consider getting a scroll saw, but really don't have room for even a bench top band saw at this point. Just adding this so people don't suggest books that focus on band sawn boxes, etc.

Thanks!

[gwyneth]

While I don't have any specific books to suggest, I have two suggestions/thoughts.

The first is that if you're thinking of projects with an eye to selling them, the current problem of lead paint in imported toys could mean a lot of opportunity for people who make old-fashioned wood toys.

The second is that older books may be better to mine for small projects than newer books. You might even check out Google books (searching for, say, "wood toy plans".) Some of these have full text available for viewing on line.

Your library also may have an abundance of older ww books, especially if it has an easy way to borrow books elsewhere in your region (with ours, it's almost easier to borrow one from another--there's a terminal for public use and you just order it up.)

Amazon sellers--those third-parties who sell used books and can be accessed by links with the 'starting from prices' also have more oldish books than you can imagine. I've gotten some terrific ww books from the 40s and 50s that way.

[eezlock]

small projects

Doug, might want to try something that I did a while back. I started building some useful jigs for my tablesaw, and router. The good point to this is....
they will be useful for a long time and will also give you some points to think about that also apply to other projects as well. A well constructed jig...especially for hinge mortising on small craft/jewelry boxes makes the project look better and helps to make the fitted parts work better also.
If you have a tablesaw, you might want to make a corner spline jig or box joint jig, these items give the eye appeal to a project like nothing else!

Just a couple of ideas that you can think about, while deciding what project to start on next. eezlock

[Pappy]

Not sure of the exact title, but there is a book called 'Scrap wood Projects' or something similar. I saw it when I was in the WW Book Club but don't remember if I bought it or not.

[dkerfoot]

Thanks for the suggestions.

No eye to selling. My last hobby has turned into a profession, this is just for fun. My goal is simply to become more skilled. If I am able to create some pieces that are nice enough to give as gifts, great.

I have built a few jigs and will continue to. At this point though, I want to start working towards finished hardwood pieces. I want to stick to small projects to keep costs down and limit the waste when I screw up.

[Red88chevy]

Hey Doug, don't know of any good small project books, but I do know of a small project for you to consider. I have made a couple of small clocks that are not a big deal, but they are pretty easy and family members I've given them to seem to like them. Most folks I've read about get their clock components at Klockit. I looked at their webpage and had them send me a catalogue. I use the basic descriptions of size and the pictures to make something close to the kits they sell. The little clocks (5"x7") just use small battery powered insert clocks. The first couple of ones I did took longer than they should have, but now I have a sample to work from, additional clocks have gone much quicker. The cherry wood ones look real nice. Makes great Christmas gifts and just uses a couple of chunks of wood.

Gook luck,
Doug C.

[DonHo]

For Boxes any of the books by Doug Stowe are good. Some of the titles are "Basic Box making" this is usually in a set with a DVD about box making, "Simply Beautiful Boxes", and "Creating Beautiful Boxes with Inlay Techinques". Another book you might like is from Popular Woodworking called "Boxes, Clocks, Lamps and other small projects".

You might also want to look into the Woodworkers Book Club as a place to buy. They have a joining special where you get 3( I think) free books when you buy 1. I've found them to be a little cheaper than WoodCraft and other local book stores + they have free shipping if you pay when you order instead of having them bill you. Just an FYI incase you do decide to join, the usual book club deal of them sending you a selection card ever month and you have to accept or decline will be the normal procedure. I don't like this way of doing business so I contacted them (after I had already joined) and ask to be put on "order only" basis which means they don't ship unless I place an order. I've had no problems in doing business with them.

DonHo

[MikeMcCoy]

This isn't a book recommendation and it isn't free but..... I don't remember the exact price but the Fine Woodworking site has information on virtually everything.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/subscription/index.aspx

[LCHIEN]

Thanks for the suggestions.

No eye to selling. My last hobby has turned into a profession, this is just for fun. My goal is simply to become more skilled. If I am able to create some pieces that are nice enough to give as gifts, great.

I have built a few jigs and will continue to. At this point though, I want to start working towards finished hardwood pieces. I want to stick to small projects to keep costs down and limit the waste when I screw up.

I think the categories that might interest you are boxes, tabletop furnishings, and toys, and maybe jigs.

Boxes of course there are books and books of designs.
Toys are for kids (toddlers, and doll houses and all manner of stuff if you have any kids in your life - kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, neighbors) and adults - like puzzles and games.
There's also an area I call table top furnishings which can be anything from lamps to paper towel dispensers, magazine holders, planters, personal organizers, remote control holders, etc. For ideas, I like to cruise home furnishing stores, ikea catalogs, target ads, Pottery barn, etc. Sometimes you can just make thought-provoking items that sit there - art.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

[dkerfoot]

Another book you might like is from Popular Woodworking called "Boxes, Clocks, Lamps and other small projects".

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Clocks are definitely a point of interest, especially since my Dad owned a clock repair shop when I was young. We always had very cool antique clocks around the house and he built a "grandmother" clock from a kit that I covet every time I visit my Mom. Clocks would be perfect heirloom gifts for my kids.

I am going to check out the "Boxes, Clocks, Lamps and other small projects" book. I'd love to build clocks, but my childhood memories give me fairly high-end tastes and I probably won't be happy with one unless I build it from scratch. Unfortunately, I don't really have the skills yet. But starting with boxes and moving on to clocks when I am ready makes sense to me.

Klockit looks like a great source for clock parts once I get to that point.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!