Illustrated Cabinetmaking: How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works (Fox Chapel Publishing) Over 1300 Drawings & Diagrams for Drawers, Tables, Beds, Bookcases, Cabinets, Joints & Subassemblies Paperback – April 1, 2008

I feel like most everything I want to say has already been said. But I don't think it'll hurt to recap.It is such a joy just to open a book to a random page and be able to absorb and internalize the presented material. Obviously such a book would have to meet the reader on his experience level by presenting the material in a well organized and informative manner. It would have to open the door for the reader to extend his own creative impulses. And this is just what Mr. Hylton provides for us in his Illustrated Guide to Cabinetmaking. This book immediately sets out to appeal to a much wider audience with different styles and tastes and it succeeds on every level.I often find myself reviewing, from the first pages of the book, the nomenclature of the different methods of joining wood. I honestly believe he covers every means known to the wood worker. (Well, there is that thing I like called confirmat screws that he doesn't mention.) His presentation of topics is easy to understand and comprehend. For example, his discussion of wood expansion and contraction and how to accommodate this in furniture construction is truly a God send.The second and larger part of the book is a compendium of various furniture assembly illustrations encompassing simple end tables to large and complex armoires. The illustrations go as far as to describe the recommended joinery method for the individual pieces. (Note that I use the word 'recommended' because the first part of the book gives the designer a complete choice of other available joinery methods.) The illustrations do not include measurements which is, perhaps, my only angst with this book.Some people may be taken a-back by this book. It is a collection of illustrations/assembly guides for different types of furniture and different styles of the highlighted piece. It doesn't give the reader a step-by-step guide to build from scratch, even though it does provide references to more detailed plans and drawings. (To me, this is enough.) However, by giving you all the necessary joinery background and alternatives, any semi-experienced wood worker can run with it and let his own creative mind take over by adding personal and artistic changes. What book can truly rise to this challenge?It also needs to be made clear that this is not just a book covering the topic of cabinets and the 'cabinetmaking' in the title is misleading. It goes so much further by giving the wood worker a complete and unhindered view of furniture design and assembly. I highly recommend this excellent book to any intermediate to experienced woodworker who wants to expand his furniture horizons.

I’m not sure why the book is called Cabinetmaking, but this is an excellent reference book for furniture making. It’s an anatomy book on furniture. It discusses all different types of tables, desks, chests, cabinets and beds.If you’re looking for plans with detailed measurements, this isn’t the book for you. It does provide references for where to get plans. It discusses general measurements such how high and wide a table, desk, or cabinet should be and how to size a dining table top for how many people you want it to seat.Ever read about how you have to take seasonal wood movement into consideration when building a piece of furniture and then wonder how? It’s in here.This book also shows you every conceivable type of joinery and explains where and why it’s used.This isn’t a book you pick up and read front to back. As I stated earlier, it’s a reference book. When you’re designing a project, look up whatever you’re building in this book.

Not saying this is a bad book, but it's really just an overview of the different kinds of wood furniture, cabinets, drawers, doors ect. Covers just about everything you can build with wood. And some history of the pieces.But there are no how-to's or any plans, and not many dimensions. While it is quite detailed, I would have liked to see more dimensions. Such as, cabinet face frames are usually so wide, type of thing.For me it's more of an idea book, or for more details of the different parts of wood items.If you want to know all the parts or pieces of different wood items, this will help. It would be a nice addition to a woodworking book collection, but not the first book I'd buy.Kind of on the fence if I am happy I bought it. 4 stars for the effort that has gone into it. Less for lack of details.

This is a great companion to other books. Those books tell you HOW to make stuff, or what tools to use. This one gives you lots of ideas for WHAT to make other than endless layers of workshop accessories and retreads of the same box/chest/table design. Lots of variety and practical help.What it's not is purely cabinetry. Some other reviews bought this looking for cabinets and regret it. I skipped this book for a long time, intending to make furniture. And now I regret that. This is a great book to have on your shelf when you're cooking up plans or asking SWMBO what she wants.Update: This is one of those books I keep turning to for design and planning help. It's one of those rare books that's both a great introduction and reference. It belongs in the shelf of anyone who makes furniture.

One of the best books on cabinetry.

muy bien

This book would be a great textbook for Introduction to Cabinetmaking. It explores history, basic joinery, and presents several different examples of end products for the basic styles of cabinetry and furniture.Although the book has very recent publication dates (2003, 2008, 2010), the end products illustrated in the book were popular several years ago. In other words, don't expect to see plans for any of the end products in the next edition of Wood or Fine Woodworking magazine which I subscribe to.If you're looking to recreate furniture that was popular 30-50 years ago, you've got to have this book in your library. If you're looking for examples of modern cabinetry incorporating drawer slides, casters, and soft-closing concealed hinges, look elsewhere.Again, the book presents a great overview of cabinetmaking techniques, but falls short in showing `How to Design..." furniture for today's homes.