The Art of Joinery

We've revived the first English language book on how-to woodworking, updated the language and added photos and analysis of this historic text. In 1678, a printer and globe maker named Joesph Moxon began publishing a series of pamphlets that explored the tools and practices of six trades, including the joiner. When assembled, these pamphlets became "The Mechanick Exercises" - the first English language account of the trades. Today, 330 years later, Moxon's description of joiners is still important to woodworkers who incorporate hand tools into their craft. That's because many of the practices and procedures of early craftsmen have been lost - we still don't know exactly how they produced such beautiful work so rapidly and with such simple tools. For the woodworker who is exploring hand work this book is essential. Moxon's chapters on woodworking offer important clues about the tools and how to use them. So we decided to reprint Moxon's writings on joinery, offering a plain-spoken explanation of Moxon's original text with added commentary and more than 40 photos that explain early woodworking practices. The result is a 93-page book that is smythe sewn. It is hardbound with a navy blue cloth covering that is stamped in gold. It was printed in the United States (Maryland, to be exact).