Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing (Complete Illustrated Guides (Taunton)) Paperback – Illustrated, March 4, 2014

I'm an amateur at quality furniture building, but I've set some large tasks for myself and I'm working through the finishing process. My first steps were in understanding the facility that I was going to have to build and tools I needed to buy to outfit for spraying and good sanding. While there are pretty pictures and details about drum sanders I don't own and don't plan to get, there's significant information on the mixing of stains and bleaches, the application of shellac, the care and maintenance of sprayers and brushes as well as the sharpening and treatment of my scrapers.I cannot stress enough how useful these details are to the novice, but want to also tell any other novice coming from my level of expertise to use the introductions from the other Tauton books here. You can't start here and expect to do everything in the book in your first pass. You can start here and build up skills in each of the tools demonstrated, but there's an indication, almost a prescription for how to employ each base skill. Example, there's a careful tutorial on French Polish with great pictures and details about each step. The materials used are specifically called out as well as the techniques. You can start here, but you have to have a stain you're proud of already in place.Another thing I like about this book is how the side bars and details are almost as useful as the specific instructions sets. Somehow I've never heard about an anti-skinning spray. Apparently this product of semi-inert nitrogen and CO2 lets you close up your products and reduce oxidization. Combine this with a few web searches, and indeed, apparently most wood workers have known this for awhile. Me, the do-it-yourselfer with a not insignificant baseline of college Chemistry had no idea.Absolutely great book.

At over 300 pages of superbly illustrated information, this book is the new bible on wood finishing. The words "Complete" and "Illustrated" in the title tell it all.Just about everything you need to know about finishing from basics to advanced is covered. Every topic is illustrated with full-color photos and line drawings when needed.Plenty of hints, off-page references and guidance.Topics are covered in anywhere from a half-page with three photos to whole chapters. Jeff and his wife, Susan, the photographer, have gone out of their way to show every process and product talked about. Every chapter is organized the same way, which may be the way of Taunton's new, "Complete Illustrated Guide to..."If you are only going to buy one book on finishing, or if you have a whole shelf full, you need to buy and read this book.Great job, Jeff and Susan!Now that I have a bit more time, I thought the table of contents would be interesting and tell more about the wealth of information in this book:1) The finishing environment2) Tools for surface preparation3) Finishing Tools4) Preparing Flat Surfaces5) Preparation of Curved and Complex Surfaces6) Fixing defects7) Stain Basics and Application8) Glazes, Padding Stains and Toners9) Natural Dyes, Chemical Stains and Bleaches10) Controlling Color11) Filling Pores12) Sealers13) Choosing a Finish14) Reactive finishes (including new conversion finishes)15) Evaporative finishes16) Water-Based Finishes17) Rubbing out Finishes

I love books and this one is well illustrated and a joy to look at.And when a writer, an expert, tries to cover many aspects of a subject, it is by definition difficult if not impossible to be all things to all people.I'm not very knowledgeable or skilled in wood finishing and I really wanted to learn more about polishing wood. I don't know that this book was able to get me there. Some readers might be thinking this is why we have the internet and you might be right. I enjoy and retain information from books better. I wouldn't want to be unfair to the author but generally speaking sometimes an expert glosses over the obvious because they've lost that perspective of the audience's level of skill

Well written, clearly presented, covers practically all major subjects on wood finishing. High end editorial job and top quality printing.I would only like a little more depth in the chemical nature and propeties of the different finishes. Aside of that it's another terrific Taunton contribution and certainly a must for the enthusiast wood worker.

There have already been excellent & thorough reviews of Jewitt's newest book on finishing - but I must 'object' to the quite negative 1* rater who was disappointed that the book did not contain enough information on re-finishing - Jewitt's book is entiled '....Finishing' implying on how to prepare & use finishing products on new wood. There are plenty of other books on re-finishing, and if one is looking for a specific need then a review of the contents of the book or a perusal of the book in a store and/or library would seem a first suggestion. Bottom line - if you need a book on how to finish your 'new' projects, then this is an excellent choice; having said this, I am currently reading the new edition of Bob Flexner's book on finishing - another outstanding contribution to this often confusing area (and let me warn those who are interested in 're-finishing' - only one chapter, so don't apply).

Does not explain the activities very well.

This is a book I should have bought long time ago.It covers all a hobby woodworker need to know about surface finishing.

I have a modest collection of books on woodworking, finishing, and cabinet building. I purchased Jeff Jewitt's book on Spray Finishing last year ... great book. I purchased this book because I was so pleased with previous book by Jeff. I was not disappointed. This is a fantastic book. I would strongly recommend this book whether you're a novice or an expert. Jeff has done a first-class job of writing the newest finishing "bible"!

A great read, providing a wealth of knowledge, although it is a few years out of date and not 100 percent up todate with current products and they're used. It is still an excellent reference book.

Great and exaustive book, clear with beautiful pictures.A must have for beginners and also for experts and skilled wood lovers.