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253291 paul womack <pwomack@p...> 2015‑01‑29 Modern Cabinet Work, Furniture & Fitments
Long ago (2006) I posted a review of this book.

http://swingl
eydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=160966

Recently, whilst reading a newly acquired Woodworker annual
(1952) I found a review of the new 6th edition, which made
interesting reading on the status of editions 1-5.

Herewith:

START QUOTE

It was some 43 years ago that the original work
was published, when it rapidly established itself
and the foremost book on the subject, and literally
became the "Cabinet-maker's Bible." There was
no other book in its class available, and its value to
both student and tradesman was at once realised.
With a few minor alterations and additions it continued
until the fifth edition of 1938. It was then
realised that, although most of the general practice
was sound, it did not include the many developments
which recent years had brought, and some of the
designs had dated. The time for a complete revision
had come, but the outbreak of war made this impossible.
Now Mr. Hooper has been able to complete his great
task, and we are able to welcome an old friend
in completely new array.

   We should like heartily to congratulate the author
on his achievement. This new edition seem even
fuller of information than the original work, and it
includes a great mass of new designs, as well as
some of the traditional designs which the years do
not alter.

   Taking briefly the chapters, there is an introduction
in which modern technique is explained, and one on
shaping, forming and veneering. There follows a
large section of furniture types - bedroom furniture,
dining and sitting room items, tables, cabinets of all
kinds, clockcases, chairs, and utility furnture. There
are also sections on church furniture and panelling.
Drawing is an important section, as might be
imagined, and includes elevations, perspective,
geometry, and the general practice of a drawing office.
Other sectionss are on joints and their application,
the various veneering processes, metal fittings, and
so on.

   The book measure 10 in. by 7 in. and includes
some 378 pages of general text and illustrations, and
nearly 60 photographic plates, and a large number
of special folding plates of designs of various kinds,
details of joints etc. There are also some coloured
plates. It is well printed and has an attractive blue
binding.

   We anticipate a great future for the book, and
we recommend it to all men in the trade, whether
as students, instructors, draughsmen, foremen, or
craftsman at the bench. Published at £2 10s net by
B.T. Batsford Ltd., 15 North Audley Street, London
W.1.

END QUOTE

It may be noted that some glowing reviews in Woodworker
may be a "tad" influenced by many of the book sharing a
publisher (Evans) with the magazine, but that is not
the case here.

    BugBear
253301 galoot@l... 2015‑01‑30 Re: Modern Cabinet Work, Furniture & Fitments
Quoting paul womack :

> Long ago (2006) I posted a review of this book.
>
> http://swin
gleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=160966
>
> Recently, whilst reading a newly acquired Woodworker annual
> (1952) I found a review of the new 6th edition, which made
> interesting reading on the status of editions 1-5.
>
review snipped, but note that Bugbear's 2006 review mentioned plans...

I have not read all 516 pages yet, but the 1922 edition is available in 
a variety of electronic formats at
https://ia802604.us.archive.org/31/items/moderncabinetwor00well/modernc
abinetwor00well.pdf">https://ia802604.us.archive.org/31/items/moderncabinetwor00
well/moderncabinetwor00well.pdf

Guess what I just downloaded to read at leisure?

Esther

who congratulates Chris!
253307 Brent Beach <brent.beach@g...> 2015‑01‑30 Re: Modern Cabinet Work, Furniture & Fitments
I too have been sniffing around the net ... and discovered 2 additional 
sites you may be interested in and have a short review.

On 2015-01-29 16:29, galoot@l... wrote:
> Quoting paul womack :
>
>> Long ago (2006) I posted a review of this book.
>>
>> http://swi
ngleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=160966
>>
>> Recently, whilst reading a newly acquired Woodworker annual
>> (1952) I found a review of the new 6th edition, which made
>> interesting reading on the status of editions 1-5.
>>
> review snipped, but note that Bugbear's 2006 review mentioned plans...
>
> I have not read all 516 pages yet, but the 1922 edition is available in
> a variety of electronic formats at
> https://ia802604.us.archive.org/31/items/moderncabinetwor00well/moder
ncabinetwor00well.pdf">https://ia802604.us.archive.org/31/items/moderncabinetwor
00well/moderncabinetwor00well.pdf

1 Better copy

This file is about 34MB (big but not enormous) and produces a readable 
image. However, some of the figures are a little fuzzy from compression.

There is another version of this file that is 8 times as big here:

http://catalog.hathitru
st.org/Record/100191770

At the end of the citation it has a button Full View which takes you to 
something like

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t3126j18t;view=1up
;seq=7">http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t3126j18t;view=1up;
seq=7

which lets you read one page at a time.

On the left side is a button    Download whole book (PDF)

If you click on that it tells you it is going to make the PDF for you 
(takes 5 or ten minutes) then you get a copy on your computer. It is big 
- 250MB or so. Adobe has no problems with this size of file.

The smaller version is probably ok if you don't want really good 
versions of the figures.

2 Very long review

Finally, and perhaps first, there is an excellent review of the book and 
the author's works

http://www.woodwo
rkinghistory.com/manual_author2.htm

This review compares the various editions of the book, including the 
1955 edition. Also well worth reading.

3 Mini review

A final tidbit - the book can be a little contentious.

Almost the first thing the authors do is explain the importance of the 
cap iron in directing shavings up out of the mouth of the plane. They 
recommend a setting back 1/16" from the edge for wooden fore planes.

They also say that the size and design of planes has been "settled by 
long usage and proof".

They also say that "American planes are lighter, and flimsy in 
construction compared with those of English make, and are consequently 
cheaper, but they do not produce such a fine surface, nor last as long."

Very interesting book though.

No mention of broken totes and the causes of same so far.

Brent
-- 
Brent Beach
Victoria, BC, Canada

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