Shaker Books

[TimW]

Looking for suggestions on best shaker style furniture book interest in some how to and enough detail to attempt to build piece with main interest everything but chairs I have no lathe. Will use mostly hand tools.

Thanks 

Tim

[wmickley]

Looking for suggestions on best shaker style furniture book interest in some how to and enough detail to attempt to build piece with main interest everything but chairs I have no lathe. Will use mostly hand tools.

I recommend John Kassay's book without reservation. Careful measurements, detailed drawings, joinery details, even finish details.  He has a broad selection of pieces.

John Shea's book has poor construction notes and sloppy dimensions, might be worth looking at if you were already familiar with Shaker methods and style.

Thomas Moser's book will tell you how Moser makes furniture, not how Shakers make furniture.

[hbmcc]

Two for Kassay. 

I am the biggest fan of the public library for book sources, information, and subject ideas. You can also glean a lot from woodwork magazine articles. Becksvoort has many years with Fine Woodworking. I've not seen his latest book from Lost Art Press.

Kerry Pierce also delved into some shaker work. If I recall. Moser's is one I bought with a bunch of other stuff from Pop Wood and you will find him a bit disappointing if you seek authenticity. He did modernize functional aspects of the style. But you can always modify an idea. Few of us need a dining hall table or bench for 10. Just know that a coffee table is NOT Shaker, nor modern kitchen styles calling themselves that.

[Hank Knight]

"Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture" by Kerry Pierce, Published by Popular Woodworking Books has wonderful photographs, measurements, drawings and construction notes. It focuses exclusively on the furniture at Pleasant Hill Shaker Village near Harrodsburg, KY. It's available from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Pleasant-Shaker-F...B002QGSZIK

"The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture" by Timothy D. Rieman and Jean M. Burks (Harry N. Abrams, Publishers, New York) catalogs shaker furniture from most (all?) of the various Shaker villages. It has hundreds of great photos but, except for basic measurements, very little construction information. There is a chapter early in the book entitled "Tools and Technology" that gives some general information about construction details and tools used by the Shakers, but the construction information is not specific to any particular piece and not very helpful if you're trying to copy one of the pieces in the book. I think this book is out of print, but it is available second hand. Google the title and you'll find a number of sources.