Chests of Drawers: With Plans and Complete Instructions for Building 7 Classic Chests of Drawers (Step-by-step Furniture) [Paperback]

1) Fewer projects. With the exception of "Desks," which also has seven projects, the other books have from 8 to 11 projects each. This isn't a huge deal, except for the fact that many of the projects are virtually identical (see below) and there is not much coverage of the many design options that a reader could use, going forward, to make his or her own, unique chests of drawers.

2) Projects advertised on the cover aren't in the book -- a real problem, in my mind. The back cover says "The projects range from a Shaker four-drawer dresser to a chest-on-frame or chest-on-chest." Well, unless I'm missing something the book does not contain a four-drawer dresser in any style (although one or two, because they have simple lines, could be seen as Shaker-influenced) and there is no chest-on-chest at all. (However, there is a brief, two-sentence reference in the opening chapter on the use of molding to keep a top chest in place on a lower chest.) There is a Queen Anne-style chest-on-frame, but one out of three advertised projects is a terrible percentage. Perhaps the cover was written before the book was completed; the author himself admits, in the "Acknowledgments," that he wrote this at a very slow pace.

3) Minimal project variety. Of the seven projects in the book, four are more or less variations on the same theme. With the exception of the above-mentioned Queen Anne, the Pennsylvania Dutch, and the bow-front cover chest, the rest are simple boxes with very little unique detailing or methods: one each of a "contemporary," double, triple and tall dresser. The tall dresser goes a bit further than the other three, with some raised frame-and-panel construction and stylized hardware... but they're really just variations on the same theme.

(Now, one could argue that chests are very simple objects, just boxes in boxes. But the same argument of "simplicity" could be made for tables, beds, desks, bookcases, etc. -- yet this didn't seem to stop the authors of those books from choosing unique and interesting projects that provided new learning opportunities and a variety of styles to choose from. Further, Taunton has published another book, "Treasure Chests," which -- although focusing more on chests similar to this book's Pennsylvania Dutch chest -- is chock-full of novel pieces. Note: this is NOT a complaint about the craftsmanship that went into designing, and goes into building, the pieces. There's just very little variety.)

4) Somewhat sloppy, poorly edited writing. Burr-under-the-saddle phrases such as "It's got"; references for further information that either take you to the wrong page or -- when you get there -- don't provide you with the information you expected to find; and instructions that read "Decide how you'll join the corners of the inlay," without explaining the advantages and disadvantages -- if any -- of the subsequently offered methods, are fine in a first-draft document. In later drafts and the final, published version, these sorts of errors and inadequacies should have been corrected and/or edited away.

Again, I'm fairly distressed at having purchased this book and at feeling compelled to write this review. The rest of the books in Taunton's series are excellent, well-written and offer many design styles and project levels to choose from. I purchased this book, "Chests of Drawers," on the strength of that series, and I'm sure others will, too.

In the future, or in a re-issued version of this book, Taunton should not only make sure that the cover promises are fulfilled in the book itself, but it should also go back to what made the other books so successful: crisp, solid writing and great projects in a variety of styles and skill levels. Taunton generally does a great job of providing great information and education for woodworkers at almost all levels; it just fails to do so here. I'm still deciding whether or not I'll send the book back.

1. Intentional difficulty-It almost seems as though the author tried to come up with the most complex solution to any joinery problem. For example, is there not an easier way to do the joinery for the Contemporary Chest (a beautiful piece, by the way) besides making 180 loose tenons and 8 dozen mortises? The triple dresser is gorgeous but I am not sure that could be made to the same quality outside of the Thomasville factory.

2. Lack of variety-I am sure that many of these projects can be modified but if I wanted to substantially modify them, I would just design something myself (something I don't feel comfortable doing yet on a project of this magnitude) and wouldn't need the book. The Pennsylvania Dutch chest, though nice (I mean, I am Pennsylvania Dutch) probably isn't something that needs to take up space in a book called Chests of Drawers. Something in the Arts and Crafts style would have been nice as well as a true Shaker project. Beyond that, one or two variations of a simple, but well constructed chest would have been helpful.

I was disappointed in this book and cannot recommend it. I probably would have given it one star, but most of the projects are truly beautiful. I am sure someone can make 'em!

1. Most of the projects in the book are for the very experienced craftsman. The projects seemed complicated just to be complicated. I'm not saying they should be super simple either but I think Taunton missed the mark on these.

2. These projects are for the woodworker who has a full set of power tools in their workshop. I also purchased Tauton's "Tables" book and loved the fact that many of the projects where done with minimal power tools. In this book the concept of "hand cut dovetails" are dovetails done with a jigsaw and a router. Way too many expensive jigs, routers, biscuits and pocket joints.

Since my next project is a chest of drawers for my son, I was really hoping to find inspiration in this book based on my other purchases of Taunton's books. Unfortunately I found none in this book. The ultimate test for me is to show my wife projects from books to see which one(s) she likes. She also found nothing in this book that we would want to build. Hopefully further book's released by Taunton can avoid these mistakes and make a book which most woodworkers can enjoy.