Muir's Original Log Home Guide for Builders and Buyers Review

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(More customer reviews)Anyone planning on building a log home that does not invest in this book is making a serious mistake! You'll find information in this book that you can't find in the monthly periodicals.
The Millenium Issue of Muir's Orginal Log Home Guide contains no advertising. I believe this adds to the validity of the views and opinions contained with in the book.
This book reveals the best log building systems, corner styles and everything you'll ever need to know about settling.
The Muir's are on a crusade to develop some building standards within the Log Home Industry. Until they accomplish their goal, you can count on the Log Home Guide to provide the information you'll need to prevent a disaster as build your dream home.
I was amazed to find out how little I really new about the Log Home Industry and the many building systems that are available. With the information contained within the Millenium Issue I feel I'll be better prepared to make the biggest investment of my life.

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Building the Alaska Log Home Review

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(More customer reviews)I have read at least a dozen of the latest log cabin building books. Unfortunately, most of them do not go into enough detail on the scribe-fit building technique. This one, however, is the first that really does. This book includes many USEFUL pictures and doesn't ramble on about unimportant subjects. This book is focused, to-the-point, and in the amount of detail that is necessary. As a result, this is a good companion to any other log cabin building books that you may already have, since it fills in the missing details that the other books seem to overlook. I definitely recommend it.

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"This thorough book on traditional hand-hewn log construction has a warm, friendly text and 192 pages of full-color photos of work at some amazing home sites" ("Washington Post"). "A unique and valuable guide."--"Country Living Magazine." 210 color photos. 41 drawings.

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Finish Carpentry (For Pros By Pros) Review

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(More customer reviews)Being new to carpentry, I purchased this book to get aquainted with finish work. Previous reviewers spoke of this book being outdated and I agree. However, as an apprentice, I found useful methods including tips for scribing and fitting interior finishes. Putting these methods in the back of my mind has facilitated my work.
The organization of material is haphazard at best. This is not a textbook, but a collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with some basic techniques and universal situations in finish carpentry, this book will be a decent start. For the experienced carpenter, look elsewhere.

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The For Pros By Pros titles are compilations of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, selected by the editors of the magazine and organized by subject. New articles from recent issues of the magazine have been added to this edition of Finish Carpentry. Updated and redesigned throughout, this book gives builders the very best current information.

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Installing and Hanging Doors (For Pros by Pros) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book has the well deserved reputation as being considered the authority on the subject of hanging doors. Written by Gary Katz, recognized as one of the top finish carpenters and teachers in his field, the easy to follow, step by step instructions, covers practically everything from A to Z, that one might run into when working with doors. A "must have" for any finish carpenters library. (It's actually become a cult classic among carpenters.)

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Trim Carpentry Techniques: Installing Doors, Windows, Base and Crown Review

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(More customer reviews)I am currently in the middle of a massive remodeling project in my house. I bought this book to learn some simple techniques for installing the molding that was so easy to rip out, but is a pain to put back in. I read the book from cover to cover and I found that the book lacked on illustrations/pictures. Most of the explanations are only given in paragraph form, and was hard to follow for me. This is the only do it yourself book that I regret buying from Amazon!

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Finish Carpenter's Manual Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is outstanding. It has already paid for itself many times over. If you're doing a finish carpentry project or even contracting one out, then this should be required reading.
This is a well-written manual that covers all aspects of finish carpentry including pricing your work. The advice is sound and this book has saved me from making a number of mistakes. The best part is that Mr. Tolpin is a fine writer and he even manages to make this an interesting read.
If you're interested in finish carpentry this is a great book for you. I read this book while a contractor was building a house for me -- I learned enough to get him to correct some framing and drywall problems that would have hurt me later. I also learned what to do before the drywall went on to save myself time when I added the chair and crown moldings.

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

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(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.

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

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

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(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.

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Building with Logs Review

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(More customer reviews)I was able to use this book to aid in building a log home here in Michigan, found it to be sufficient to show me everything needed for building the home that we built. I also found it to be very thorough in its content. The Home worked out just as we wanted, and the owner is very happy with just how it was done.

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