Wood Identification & Use

By Terry Porter

Every woodworker, professional or amateur, needs this unique and visually dazzling handbook, which brings together a remarkable amount of practical information on today's most important lumbers and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1861083777
• ISBN13: 9781861083777
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Guild of Master Craftsman Pubns ltd
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 2.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.8" x 1.0" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Handy guide to own

I am very pleased with this book. It gives all of the critical information about using eash species of wood which is very helpful in choosing your materials. I've found that not everything is listed here, but it does list most woods that you will commonly come across in the U.S. The compact size makes it convenient to pack in your toolbox or knapsack. It's a good buy.

Great Resource Tool

In the personal property appraisal field this book is a very helpful tool in the identity of woods used to create antique furniture. Recommend it to anyone who needs to view broad cross sections to match grain. For folks who work with wood it also identifies the pluses and minuses of wood selections and related health issues.

Good reference but left some out, too.

I am a woodcarver/wood sculptor and I use a good many exotic woods in my work (hobby, actually). I am regularly receiving small pieces and mill ends that others have simply forgotten the names of. This book helps quite a bit in identifying the majority of them but it is somewhat limited in scope. There cannot be a complete list of trees and their woods yet stay affordable, but this one covers the ones that most woodcarvers are likely to encounter. A few of the local species are left out; however, they are mostly local or regional and not of commercial value on a larger scale. The color illustrations seem quite accurate for those woods I have checked - possible two dozen. The basic facts, including the specific gravity, appear accurate, also, all of which are quite helpful. For the price, I couldn't let it go by. I find it handy and a good reference -- even interesting to just pick up and browse through when I have few idle moments. It has resolved more than one disagreement among my fellows, but then we can really come up with some truly rare woods at times. The safety and health considerations were very general in most cases and seemed to always exaggerate on the side of maximum safety. Many of the woods that they identified as having health threats are those I have used extensively without difficulty while using only minimal precautions. (I should point out that I am Asthmatic and, therefore, am extra careful, specially when making fine sawdust.) This is not a matter of inaccuracy, but more a matter of being too general to be very helpful - after all, they do not claim to be doctors or health experts - this is a wood book. Anyone having health or breathing problems should do more research specific to their condition. I know I certainly do; and, if you are here, you must have the internet available. It's out there -- just go get it.

Great update.

This edition adds so much more information and pictures not included before. It's a great resource for both the novice and professional wood worker. This book, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Encyclopedia of Wood," makes for an impressive wood working library.