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Wood
is one of the world’s most important natural resources. In the
development of civilization, wood has been instrumental as a
material used to build or create things that are beneficial or
decorative.
In
his book "Nick Engler’s Weekend Projects Plus,"
woodworker Nick Engler has brought together 40 great woodworking
projects for items in and around the home. Joining Engler in this
compilation are the entries of 17 people who have contributed their
favorite woodworking project.
These
"weekend projects" are designed to, in the words of
Mechanics Illustrated’s Harry Wicks, "show readers examples
of efficient craftsmanship. Woodworkers shouldn’t have to
compromise good design to build a project in a weekend. They just
have to work smart." This is the theme of Engler’s book —
to offer a wide variety of projects that can be completed in a short
period without compromising quality. Efficient craftsmanship,
according to Engler, "becomes doubly important when you work
wood for pleasure because then time is more precious than money. The
time I spend in my shop is often the most satisfying time of my day
precisely because I can get a lot done and I’m proud of the
results."
The
book’s projects are divided into nine broad categories:
Cooking/Eating, Storing/Keeping, Display/Entertainment,
Reading/Writing, Sitting/Passing Time, Dressing/Sleeping,
Yard/Garden, Celebration/Decoration, and Child’s Play. Each of
these categories contains three to five different projects for the
weekend woodworker. The projects include many handy and beautiful
items for the home, including tables, desks, shelving, frames, beds
and chairs. There are some delightful projects unique to this
collection that are not usually found in standard woodworking books.
Cooking/Eating
offers a project for a spoon rack, a beautiful reproduction of a
historical 19th-century piece.
In
Storing/Keeping there are plans for a cigar humidor that is
"fashioned after a classic keeping box" of the 18th
and early 19th century.
Sitting/Passing
Time has one of the more distinctive and unusual projects: a pouting
chair. Engler explains that it’s called a pouting chair
"because it looks like a child’s chair, and tradition has it
that this is where children are sent to think about their bad
deeds." The beauty of this piece is that it’s not really a
chair — it’s a footstool with a long back that serves as the
handle to prevent stooping over when picking it up.
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this review]
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The
practicality of wood is illustrated in Dressing/Sleeping’s ring
holder. These simple holders are tiny turned stands with a shaped
neck that is cut slightly smaller than the ring finger.
One
of the most interesting outdoor projects is Yard/Garden’s
butterfly house. This slender, rectangular structure fastens to any
tree and protects butterflies from predators and the elements. It
also serves as a hibernation box and is constructed with a hinged
top for interior observation.
Rounding
out the book are two charming projects found in Child’s Play — a
marble race and a stegosaurus. The marble race contains ramps,
ladders and bases that can be configured in virtually any pattern.
Once the configuration is set up, simply drop the marble in the
highest ramp and let gravity do the rest. The stegosaurus is another
example of the ingenuity that can be applied to create entertaining
wooden toys. This dinosaur comes complete with a friendly face and
curved spines on its back and tail. As it is pulled along, the legs
move back and forth while the head, spines and tail bob up and down.
"Nick
Engler’s Weekend Projects Plus" is a great addition to the
woodworking books available on the market. The projects include
step-by-step instructions and are supported by numerous
illustrations and precise measurements. Helpful tips are located
throughout, and each project contains at least one time-saving
feature.
Engler
is a qualified spokesperson in the field of woodworking. In addition
to over 20 years experience in woodworking he has been a university
instructor, founder of the magazine Hands On! and has written nearly
50 woodworking books.
This
book is recommended for anyone who enjoys working with wood or is
interested in learning how to work with wood.
For
more information, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217)
732-8878.
[Richard Sumrall, Lincoln
Public Library District]
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