The teen-ager who likes to work with tools will welcome this instructive book. In it he will find detailed directions accompanied by numerous diagrams for setting up a home workshop and developing his skills in wood and metal-working. Remembering the inadequacy of the books on this subject when he was a boy, the author—who has taught many teen-agers—has assembled a wealth of practical material for the beginner and has presented it in clear, everyday language.

There are a basic list of tools, an expanded list, and a fairly complete list—all with average prices—for a boy's workshop. The author discusses these tools, one by one—saws, drills, planes, screwdrivers, etc.—comparing various models and detailing their particular uses. He stresses the importance of keeping them in working order and storing them properly. Instructions for building basic workshop equipment, a workbench, a stool, and racks for tools, are included.

From the very first step, the measuring and marking out of a board, to the final step of finishing the surface of a completed object, the young craftsman is encouraged to be painstaking and to develop pride in his workmanship. Various methods of cutting, shaping, and joining pieces of wood are presented with ample illustration. Several chapters on working with metal cover the same basic procedures as the chapters on working with wood. Special problems like soldering and joining metal and wood are simplified for the beginner so that he can produce useful articles for himself and his family.

The boy who wants to know more about the materials he uses will be particularly interested in the sections on the properties of metals and types of wood commonly used in the workshop. In this book he will learn how lumber is seasoned and cut, how to recognize good and bad grades of lumber, and how to cope with problems of grain and knots.

THE ARCO WORKSHOP COMPANION is a handy guide for anyone aged twelve and up (and this includes Dads who'd like to set up a home workshop).

 —From the dust jacket