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My book was written for you, in response to the many questions and suggestions made by viewers just like you over the years!

The New Woodworker Handbook

Written for you!

Text & photos by Tom Hintz

Posted 5-25-2007

Update 4-14-2008: The New Woodworker Handbook has taken second place in the Books category in the National Association of Home and Workshop Writers (NAHWW) 2008 "Golden Hammer" Writing Awards.

Since launching NewWoodworker.com, hundreds of visitors have urged me to put NewWoodworker.com LLC in book form. Much of the content within The New Woodworker Handbook was inspired by those suggestions and the thousands of questions sent to NewWoodworker.com.

The New Woodworker Handbook is not designed to make you a master woodworker. Rather, it is meant to help get you started safely and make the best use of the available tool budget. Along the way we look at laying out a shop, buying tools, setting them up, using them, basic joinery, fasteners, finishing and even build 6 projects that make use of the core set of skills covered earlier.

The New Woodworker Handbook has 253 pages, over 300 color photographs.

Tom Hintz, Publisher
NewWoodworker.com LLC

What the pros are saying...

"His ease with the subject matter, the lack of pretense, and the structured way he lays everything out...I wish I had this book when I started." - Scott Omelianuk, Editor, This Old House magazine

"Tom Hintz covers all the basics in The New Woodworker Handbook , from setting up your shop to applying a finish to your project. His passion for woodworking and his desire to help others learn are evident on every page." - Randy Johnson, Editor, American Woodworker magazine

"Tom presents an easy-to-read and down-to-earth approach to woodworking. I can recommend it to those who love the craft." - Rob Johnstone, Editor, Woodworker's Journal

"This book is packed full of useful information for both the new as well as the experienced woodworker. It should be reference material for all those wanting to increase their skill and mastery of this great hobby." - David Venditto,   Infinity Cutting Tools - March 20, 2007

A woodworker for 30 years, Hintz writes that his 254- page book is based on the questions, comments and suggestions that flooded in during the first five years after he launched NewWoodworker.com - a source of information for new woodworkers.

That said, Hintz guides the reader methodically though the process of planning a workshop area, buying tools, tool setup, alignment and maintenance, working safely, selecting and preparing wood, understanding adhesives and fasteners, joining wood, and finishing. He ends with six skill-building projects including a hinged box and a coffee table. His style is straightforward, delivering information that is easy to understand, complemented by 300 color photos, tips, and helpful charts and sidebars. - Sharon Hambrick, Woodcraft Magazine - July 26, 2007

If you don’t already have a copy of The New Woodworker Handbook, you will want one. Tom Hintz explains tool selection, safety, wood selection, joinery and finishing—just to mention a few topics. The book includes several projects for novices, as well as a few for more experienced woodworkers. Filled with color photos, this is a great addition to any woodworker’s library. - Troy Griepentrog,   Mother Earth News - August 24, 2007

A well-done beginner's manual, this book lays out all the possibilities, and clarifies some of the more confusing questions a novice might have. Hintz concentrates on safety and shop setup, how to buy tools and what the many choices are, and how to prepare and use materials. He has an excellent section on making adjustments to, and aligning different power tools, which is a subject most woodworkers need advice or reminders on.

The author covers adhesives and fasteners, basic finishes, and types of joinery. He explains what all the tools are, why and when they are necessary and offers advice on what to buy when starting out.
One advantage to this beginner's manual is that it includes ten well illustrated, step by step projects with tool lists and a difficulty level of skills needed to complete each one. Sidebars of information tell things such as how to use a marking system for parts, how to use a router table for making cuts in increments rather than all at once, or how to properly install hinges. From a simple tote box to a shop cabinet or a coffee table, these skill builders will be enough to get any beginner addicted to woodworking, with plenty of safety reminders to encourage a good experience in learning. Mr. Hintz included a full glossary of terms, and the book is well indexed. - Barb Siddiqui, Wood Central's Book Review - May 22, 200

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