The Complete Manual of Woodworking

*We may earn a commission for purchases made using our links. Please see our disclosure to learn more.

The Complete Manual of Woodworking: A Detailed Guide to Design, Techniques, and Tools for the Beginner and Expert is a book by Albert Jackson, David Day, and Simon Jennings. Originally published in England in 1989, the book covers vast woodworking knowledge.

Readers can buy the 1996 version of the book on Amazon, where it has a 4.7/5 stars score (1,182 ratings). Additionally, the book has a 4.2 score on Goodreads (319 ratings).

The Complete Manual of Woodworking: Key Features

The book covers a wide range of woodworking knowledge. Here are some key features that crafters can expect from The Complete Manual of Woodworking

  • Wood: Jackson and Day’s book kicks off with a chapter on wood, starting from its growing and harvesting phase, to its preparation for woodworking use. Essentially, the book aims to help woodworkers in their wood selection process.
  • Furniture Design: The book tackles furniture design and discusses function, safety, and appearance, as well as wood characteristics.
  • Woodworking Tools: The book covers the essential woodworking tools, which includes hand tools, power tools, and woodworking machinery. Basically, this is vital for woodworkers who are planning to establish their own woodshops.
  • Wood Handling: The more advanced parts of the book covers wood handling including veneering, marquetry, carving and finishing, to name a few.
  • Other Issues: The book also discusses other related issues including working with non-wood materials in woodworking, among others.
  • Photos: Lastly, The Complete Manual of Woodworking offers over 1,800 drawings, diagrams, and photos. This key feature will immensely help woodworkers in absorbing clear and detailed information.

Other Related Titles

Albert Jackson and David Day have published several books together. Here are some of their available titles as a duo:

Avatar photo

John Friedenbach

My initial goal, to provide a selection of tools, education and plans to the Beginning to Advance Woodworker has not changed. I continue to search the web to find new products and services. To bring those products and services to your attention.


More to Explore

Woodworking for Dummies

*We may earn a commission for purchases made using our links. Please see our disclosure to learn more. Woodworking For Dummies is a book that focuses on teaching ...