Making Furniture Masterpieces: 30 Projects with Measured Drawings

By Franklin H. Gottshall

This clearly written how-to book by master craftsman Franklin H. Gottshall allows woodworkers to construct handsome, useful furniture in the most highly regarded antique styles. Characterized by beauty and richness of design, each of 30 different projects -- all replicas of actual rare furniture -- can be completed by ambitious beginners as well as skilled crafters for only a fraction of what vintage originals would cost. Woodcrafters can choose from pieces spanning a wide variety of styles -- from a simple dovetailed box to an elegant Philadelphia Chippendale highboy. Included as well are directions for constructing a Dutch cupboard, refectory table, gateleg table, shelf top corner cupboard, Queen Anne hall table, Pennsylvania Dutch painted chest, and other distinctive pieces. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions are accompanied by photographs and drawings as well as front and end views and detailed sketches of parts and procedures. Decorative skills such as woodcarving, upholstering, finishing, and wrought-iron work are also fully described and related for each piece.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486293386
• ISBN13: 9780486293387
• Release Date: February 1997
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.4" x 11.9"

Customer Reviews

Excellent resource for advaned projects.

As with most of Gottshall's books, the projects are not for the beginner. Good knowledge of woodworking processes are necessary to build these beautiful period pieces. The finishes advocated in the book are dated but are completely appropriate for the pieces involved. Pieces of this quality deserve finishes that are reversible by our heirs and that would exclude a lot of the modern water-based and polyurethane finishes.

A valuable addition to your collection

Excellent book and a valuable reference for anyone interested in reproduction furniture. The section on finishing techniques is a bit dated, but the real value is the detailed drawings of reproduction pieces he built. Not for the beginner. The instructions are straight forward, but they require you to be comfortable with woodworking techniques. Great book.