Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're planning on building any of the hard parts of a house like footings, foundation, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, stairs, masonry or shingles, you will want this book so you can figure out how to make them plumb, square, level, and evenly distributed. (I think that covers most of the carpentry sections)
He shows a few options for arriving at each layout, typically mathematically, from charts, and from pictures, so if you have trouble with one of them you can try another.
Octagons aren't very popular in my neighborhood, but if those (or other polygons) appear in yours, you'll find he has good information on them too.
I'd recommend a read through the book for suggestions when you first get it, (I did that in a long evening) and if you're a really good student you can follow along with all the examples. (I wasn't). But keep it by your side and read the chapter you need as you build. It will pay for itself in saved time and straigher work on the first job.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide

-- Provides simple techniques for accurate measuring using a number of basic tools

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide

Read More...

Log Construction Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Building Handcrafted Log Homes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just finished reading this book, and I have to say that it is head-and-shoulders above every other log home construction book I've read. The illustrations are superb, and the tone of the text is very objective and factual. In contrast to books with the "this is how I've been building log homes for XXX years" attitude, Chambers' approach is "I didn't invent it, but so far this is the best way I've found to do this particular task. If I find somebody else doing it a better way in the future I'll start doing it that way." Chambers not only isn't afraid of not-invented-here ideas, he positively embraces them! There is even a chapter on the structural engineering of log trusses, written by a structural engineer (fancy that).
Chambers also covers the subject comprehensively, from the highest-level ideas (his chapter on settling is fascinating) to the lower-level details (proper chainsaw stance for cutting the lateral groove, for instance).
Let me contrast this a bit with Mackie's "Owner-Built Log Home". Mackie's book is a good read, because he's a terrific wordsmith and he really conveys the pleasure of building your own log home. But his illustrations aren't nearly as clear as Chambers', and he tends to write for an audience that already understands a lot of wood joinery terminology and procedures. "Then we did this, and this, and this," and I'm like, "whoa, did you skip a few steps there?" I often found myself re-reading a page several times because I just couldn't envision what he was doing in my mind's eye. Chambers never leaves you wondering.
I think both books have a place on your bookshelf, but if you really want to learn the most hands-on information in a single book, this is the one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Log Construction Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Building Handcrafted Log Homes

Click here for more information about Log Construction Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Building Handcrafted Log Homes

Read More...