The Make blog reports that Evenfall Studios’ Woodworks Library has a growing collection of over 175 free books available in HTML and PDF formats. These scanned books (files can be very large) are United States public domain, and anyone in the U.S. can read and distribute them. Many are older books from the late 1800s and early 1900s, but there are also more recent books like the USDA Wood Handbook pictured above. The books cover a gamut of topics: furniture, finishing, upholstery, pattern making, hand tools, machine tools, welding, metal work, carving, turning, and more. If you can think of it, there’s probably a book in this library about it.
You can now pick up older books, like the one shown below, for less than its original cost of 10¢!
This is a great resource for both the wood worker and the history buff.
The Evenfall Studios Woodworks Library [Manufacturer’s Site]
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8 Responses to Free Woodworking E-Books
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{ Dead dead dead.... still dead. } – Aug 10, 2:17 AM
{ Will be sure to check it out. } – Jul 30, 4:27 AM
{ Almost 5 years of death and counting. } – Jul 24, 10:48 PM
{ Where can I purchase a set of the Dowel Rounding Planes or just the 1/2 inch one? I volunteer at an 1800's period national park... } – Jun 06, 9:49 PM
{ Is this available anymore, I have one getting worn out had for so long can't remember where I got it } – Jun 04, 9:30 AM
{ Sage words } – Jun 03, 8:06 PM
Love old books, alot of this still applies and there is never wnough material to get the creative juices flowing,,,,,
ShopMonger
I skimmed “Mind and hand: manual training, the chief factor in education” By Charles Henry Ham. This guy can really wax poetic about tools and the ‘arts’. Chapter 2 is The Majesty of Tools. Just perusing I found this passage that should touch the heart of every toolmonger:
Great Find, Great Resource!
My brother bought me a great book years ago. The title is “Understanding Wood” by Bruce Hoadley. It is a well written tome and a good reference for everything from timber to v-lams.
Holy frijoles, what an amazing resource!
This is way cool. There are some real classics here. Just browsing, I came across a great description of the process of finding out how to flatten steel plates on page 15 in Practical Blacksmithing 1. This is a great resource for anyone interested in craft. I’m planning on printing some of these out and binding them, by hand!
I have purchased the ASME as ASABE (I forget at this point) wood books, they were a 4 book set and are absolutely great for looking up obscure information. Pull out strength, load capacities, suggestions of if wood will creep over time depending on conditions, how much you can load a 16p nail… Great information if these books are similar.
just spent a few min looking over the books available! wow what an amazing post, i have some reading ahead of me!