The Internet has opened a whole new world of availability for products and tools that we never had access to before. However, one of the things I dislike about online purchasing is the problem of buying site unseen. This is never more true than when buying books, especially woodworking related books. So in this article I’d like to bring a website to your attention, just in case you are not aware of it. The website is called Google Books and it is another great service from search engine giant, Google.

Google has scanned over 10 million books and converted them into searchable text. Clicking a result from the Google Book Search opens an interface in which you can view the book and its pages. Depending on the individual book you may be able to read the whole book or get a limited preview, the majority being in limited preview. However, I have found that the limited preview is usually more than adequate to get a good sense of what the book’s content is like, allowing you to make your decision to purchase or not.

Here are a few examples of some great woodworking books that are available for preview:

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Master rocking chair maker, Hal Taylor, has released a new version of his book, How To Make A Beautiful Rocking Chair!

I recently had the opportunity to have a look at it and let me tell you, if you plan on making a rocking chair this book is a must have! It includes all of the latest updates and improvements that Hal has made over the last 12 years, both in the construction of the rocking chair and in the methods used.

Hal Taylor has been making beautiful rocking chairs for the past 15 years (to date he has built around 300 of them!) and this book is a culmination of his rocking chair building experience. It is the step-by-step guide to building his world famous rocking chairs.

With about 230 pages this new book is almost 100 pages longer than the previous version and includes sections on alternative back brace construction methods, rocker theory and grain matching techniques as well as new jigs and fixtures for cutting the headrest, arms and legs.

Continue reading 'How To Build A Hal Taylor Rocker'