The Solution at Hand

by Robert Wearing

This is a book you’ll find yourself turning to every time you think, “Someone must have had this problem before.” Based on a selection of material originally published in Woodworker magazine by the author of The Essential Woodworker, it provides descriptions and explanations of 157 jigs, fixtures and devices designed to make handwork easier and more accurate. With a straightforward style and clear line drawings, Wearing explains a range of holding appliances for planing and sawing, marking aids and hand-tool accessories, and the problem each one addresses. He also provides detailed instructions for crafting a few hard-to-find hand tools yourself, including a jig for shaping circular frames, a dowel-making plate, and clamps and vises for various purposes. The author’s original terminology and British regionalisms are presented intact; a glossary covers the more unusual terms. A practical reference book, packed with solutions for some of woodworking’s most common frustrations. Hardcover, 6" × 9", 200 pages, 2019.