The University of North Carolina Press

259 pp., 8.5 x 11

Paper

ISBN  978-0-8078-4157-0

Published: November 1986

The Woodwright's Workbook

Further Explorations in Traditional Woodcraft

By Roy Underhill

Roy Underhill is America's best-known master of traditional woodcraft. Creator of the popular PBS series The Woodwright's Shop, Roy has inspired millions--from professional craftsman to armchair woodworker--with his talent, knowledge, and enthusiasm.

Roy returns here with his third book. The Woodwright's Workbook features step-by-step instructions for a selection of projects from his television series. All projects are illustrated with photographs and measured drawings. Included here are plans for tool chests, workbenches, lathes, and historical reproductions of items for the home: a six-board chest, rustic chairs with cattail seats, a churn for the kitchen, and the Rittenhouse hygrometer. Roy also explores building barns, forges, boats, and even colonial fortresses.

A wonderful feature of this book is Roy's own translation of the humorous fifteenth-century poem The Debate of the Carpenter's Tools. He also provides a fascinating and useful 'field guide' to American tool marks that shows how to identify the specific tool used by the marks it left. Whether Roy is an old friend or a new acquaintance, let him be your guide to the world of traditional woodworking.

About the Author

The longtime master housewright at Colonial Williamsburg, Roy Underhill is the leading authority on old-time woodworking techniques. He created The Woodwright's Shop for public television in 1979. The series, produced by the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television, has aired nationally since 1981, with thirteen new programs introduced each year. Roy is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a master's degree from Duke University.