Civil War Woodworking: 17 Authentic Projects for Woodworkers and Reenactors by null

Civil War Woodworking: 17 Authentic Projects for Woodworkers and Reenactors Reviews

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  TxAnnie

  I purchased this for my husband who’s a historian who often takes part in recreation events, and also does wood working. It has great projects in it along with the history behind each piece. Including printable stencils to recreate the original text that would be on each piece during the civil war. I’m excited to see what he makes!
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  A. Burchfield

  The author spends the first 26 pages of this book advising the reader on how to achieve a period look using modern materials followed by chapters for each project. He even specifies likely used wood types and avoiding modern tool markings and includes pages to copy (I think you'll need to cut those pages out in order to do that) in order to make stencils for crates.
  There are a lot of photographs (including some Civil War originals and some of reenactors showing examples of the items) to show you what each project looked like or will look like as you construct it. You'll also find parts lists, diagrams and a lot of text taking you every step of the way.
  Personally I want that desk!
  Some good ideas for projects here even if you don't want to reenact the Cicil War.
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  A.D. Hopkins

  Civil War Woodworking is a really good read for anybody like me who is really interested in the kind of equipment Civil War soldiers used and sometimes made for themselves. But unless you're very skilled with hand tools and or less obsessed with authenticity, don't expect to actually make any of the projects. For instance, for some projects you'll actually have to manufacture your own boards because regular lumberyards don't sell them in the same dimensions as were common in 1860s. On the other hand, if you DO put up with the difficulties, I believe the resulting piece will be, as advertised, absolutely authentic.
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  LtCol ret E. Kennedy, Jr.

  I like the book but it lacks details in some important areas that the authors assume the average person might know. For those that don't do a great deal of woodworking, the missing information has to be researched online or in other sources. The building materials list is a great help. I wish it was complete to include the number and types of nails, screws, or rivits for each item. I like the stencils but they are very limited and all U.S. I know the Confederates used them and a couple of examples of C.S. stencils would have been nice. Overall, I'd recommend this book to historian and reenactor friends.
• 
  marlin95

  Accurate and detailed instructions and designs for period correct Civil War Camp furniture and other projects. Would highly recommend for reenactors that know their way around a saw!
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  Jason F.

  Bought it for the Field Officer's Desk Plans, found some other good ones, but a bit pricy for fairly simple a woodworking plan. But if on the other hand it is not that pricy for 17 plans, although some of them are so simple that the word plan is a bit generous. It arrived on time, and it is worth looking through if your interested in the War Between the States. Would have been 5/5 if some of the simpler plans were something that would take me awhile to draw on my own instead of completing the whole project in a day without the plan with just a picture. Overall it is worth it though.
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  Teresa Rusk

  I bought this book for my husband and he has been enjoying it very much. As both a history buff and someone who loves to work with wood, this was a perfect fit. He has already made one project and is planning another. One thing I will say is this book is NOT for beginners. Some wood working knowledge is best and you must carefully READ the instructions.
• 
  Matthew

  My family and I are Civil War reenactors. Prior to starting the CW hobby, I also enjoyed woodworking. This book has provided me with the means to confidently create faithful reproductions of furniture and useful camp items which were present during the Civil War time period. When I came home from work and noticed the book had arrived from (2 days after ordering), I immediately sat down and read it from cover to cover.
  
  Two things struck me about this book once I had finished reading it through:
  1) It was obvious that Mr. Hamler had performed a great deal of research prior to creating the plans for the projects in this book. The majority of the projects in the book are accompanied by photographs from the time period showing the items in use in the soldier's camps. The addition of these photos helps to add to the authenticity of the project.
  2) The majority of the projects in the book are items which are unique to the reenacting hobby. There are many exmaples in the hobby now, where reenactors and sutlers alike have latched on to one example of a period correct item and mass produced it to the point that it is over represented in the hobby. Many of the projects in Mr. Hamler's book provide a means for someone to create a period correct, yet unique, item for the persona they represent.
  
  I appreciate the level of effort Mr. Hamler has put into the book and look forward to making my first project!
  
  M. O'Driscoll
  Ruckersville, VA
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  Melissa Shiels

  I bought this for my husband, but haven't given it to him yet. I think he will find it useful, though. There's a lot of pictures and the explanations seem detailed. There are a good amount of photos of camp life in it, and the author clearly states when a photograph is from the 1860s and when it is a modern photo taken of re enactors.
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  Rog F

  Excellent projects, and doable with good instructions. The bonus is the interesting write up on the original making and usage of the items and both the real and re enactments of real events.
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  Darren

  I really like this book. Lots of clear instruction and interesting projects.
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  duncan a curd

  Whilst the individual projects are well chosen and well illustrated, this book's real value is in the author's detailed explanation of the woodworking and wood finishing techniques of the Civil War Era. The author's knowledge is excellent and this book is bound to appeal to the re enactor.