Old Ways of Working Wood The Techniques and Tools of a Time Honored Craft

Here is a newly updated and revised edition of Alex Bealer's classic guide to woodworking methods that have been refined and developed over thousands of years. It teaches and preserves techniques and historical information that were lost when modern woodworking technology, dedicated to mass production, displaced the craftsman. Every woodworking operation-chopping, splitting, using the workbench, sawing, hewing, boring, chiseling, shaping, planing, turning-is described in detail. There is also information on the role of various tools in the evolution of wood products, the types and characteristics of wood, the preparation and maintenance of tools, collectible tools of antique value, and instruction on the subtleties of the craft, from rabbeting to molding. The professional woodworker, the hobbyist, the collector, the antiques dealer, and the craft enthusiast will discover valuable information in this definitive work. It is reference, guide, and history all in one volume. Over 200 line drawings by the author illustrate old, yet fascinating, ways of working wood. Book jacket.

Alex W. Bealer was an advertising executive in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a collector of old tools, an expert on old crafts, and a skilled woodworker and blacksmith