Woodshop library

COMPLETE GUIDE TO WOODWORKING WITH BOB CHASE, is a nine-disk DVD set featuring more than eight hours of instruction for woodworkers of all levels. Included are complete plans for building a workbench, and step-by-step instructions for other projects. DVD 1 features instructions on how to use basic shop equipment such as table saws and jointers, glue and clamps. DVD 2 instructs viewers on how to make dovetails, pocket holes and joints. The remaining disks teach viewers how to make face frame cabinetry, doors and drawers, as well as decorative millwork techniques such as fluting, crown molding and corner cuts. Chase has run a successful custom-cabinetry business for many years, and also has traveled to many Third World countries to help build schools, orphanages, churches, medical clinics and missionary homes. The DVDs were originally created as teaching instruments for inhabitants of these impoverished nations, and are now being sold to help with further educational endeavors. The nine-disk set sells for $99.95. Contact: Chase Cabinets, 3330 S. Wehr Road, New Berlin, WI 53146. Tel: 262-521-2214. www.completeguidetowoodworking.com

TURN YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS - THE RIGHT WAY, by John Alan Cohan, features helpful tax and legal tips for small business owners to avoid IRS problems, as well as many case studies of hobbies-turned-businesses. The first few chapters cover the following topics: A businesslike approach to starting your business; Creating a business plan; Operating your business; Advertising and promotion; Home office deductions, and How to handle an IRS audit. Other chapters focus on tips for individual types of businesses, such as art and photography, agriculture, automotive, sports, collectibles and consulting. The tips are intended to help the reader assess whether he thoroughly knows the subject he's pursuing and lend insight as to whether he should invest in a business. Cohan is an attorney who has written numerous articles and essays on taxes and dealing with the IRS, including how to avoid penalties and audits, with a focus on small businesses and businesses derived from personal hobbies. The 182-page softcover with CD-ROM sells for $24.95. Contact: Self-Counsel Press Inc., 1704 North State St., Bellingham, WA 98225. www.self-counsel.com

AMERICAN COUNTRY FURNITURE, by Nick Engler and Mary Jane Favorite, features plans for 50 projects from the workshops of David T. Smith. Projects include a dry sink, Shaker candle stand, pencil-post bed, pie safe, ladder-back chair, trestle table, spice cupboard and more. Each project includes clearly illustrated diagrams and step-by-step instructions detailing how to cut and assemble each part. The book describes common woodworking techniques and offers insight on how the furniture was used. Of particular interest is the finishing section, highlighted by instruction for achieving an antique or distressed appearance. Engler made traditional American musical instruments before he began to write about woodworking. Favorite is a woodworking artist best known for her furniture designs, hundreds of which have been published in woodworking magazines and books. The 328-page softcover sells for $24.95. Contact: Fox Chapel Publishing Co. Inc., 1970 Broad St., East Petersburg, PA 17520. Tel: 800-457-9112. www.foxchapelpublishing.com

HOMEOWNER'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE CHAINSAW, by Brian J. Ruth and Jen W. Ruth, is an instructional manual that shows readers how to safely and confidently handle trimming branches and felling trees to splitting and stacking wood. Using hundreds of photos, illustrations and step-by-step instructions, the authors cover a gamut of topics, starting with selecting an electric or gas-powered saw. Readers will then discover what type of saw is best suited for their cutting needs, how to stay safe with protective clothing, and the best methods for starting a saw and holding it correctly. Special instructions explain how to ensure a tree falls in the right direction. Another section covers service, maintenance and sharpening. The authors are the owners of Masters of the Chainsaw, a limited group of the nation's top professional chainsaw sculptors, dedicated to promoting and preserving the integrity of the art form. The 208-page softcover sells for $24.95. Contact: Fox Chapel Publishing Co. Inc., 1970 Broad St., East Petersburg, PA 17520. Tel: 800-457-9112. www.foxchapelpublishing.com

This article originally appeared in the August 2009 issue.