The Table Saw Book

I can't put this book down. I also bought "The Table Saw Book : Completely Revised and Updated" by Kelly Mehler. Mehler's book is visually appealing but this book is "Meat and Potatoes" and gives the novice a firm foundation to effective table saw use.

I am new to woodwooking and wanted something to let me use my table saw without investing a fortune in custom jigs and fixtures. I saw this book along with several others at the local library and checked them out. Most of the other books just had one or two jigs that looked interesting so I copied them. I read this book for two weeks and figured I'd have to do a lot of copying (everything looked great) so I just bought it. If you only want one book, this is it.

Excellent book. He covers a lot of ground, including small items like types of blades and just about every type of cut imaginable with a table saw. Lots of good safety tips as well. For beginners, an excellent start. For advanced woodworkers, lots of great jigs and ideas from which to get great ideas.

I was lucky enough to buy this book before even shopping for my first saw. He doesn't actually recommend one model of saw over another (that would date the book very quickly), but instead explains the strengths and weaknesses of the various features.With the knowledge I gained, I was able to make a smart purchase. I wish I'd had a larger budget, but with this book in hand, I was able to align and tune my cheapish purchase to perfection. Taking his advice, I made a few choice accessory purchases (such as the Ripstrate) that improved accuracy and safety remarkably.Two years later, this is still the only table saw book I own, though it's dog-eared by now. Mr. de Cristoforo is excellent at describing techniques, and the many accessory and jig plans he provides help turn my fairly-good machine into a precision device, good for just about anything 'cept mitering expensive 8' trim sections (as I found out today to my chagrin...)A final testimony: I'm trying to switch my career to finish carpenter/cabinetmaker, and am now avidly in search of his out-of-print book "Woodworking For Beginners." I'm not a beginner any more, but I'm sure this man can teach me things I don't know.

I received this book for Christmas 2 years ago. It is the most useful how-to book that I have. The jigs are very easy to make and many can be made from scrap wood. I am a novice to woodworking and found the instructions clear and the final product accurate, cheap, and good for years to come.