This books seems to be a variation from a 4 volume set of books published by the author. The book is pretty complete and is well illustrated. Some of the projects listed are a bit dated (the 4 volume set was originally published in the 1920s). For example, one chapter details airplane construction, back when airplane frames where primarily constructed from wood. However, dated projects can provide some interesting ideas, such as a wooden framed aquarium.
One of the best contributions of this book is to give great detail on the use of the Stanley 55 combination plane and how to properly tune it. I own a Stanley 55 and have had some trouble learning how to use it but the description in this book provided detail that far exceed the information provided in Stanley's own product manual.
The book also provides a good explanation of joints and the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of joints as well as situations were a particular joint is commonly used.
The first comparison that should be made of this book is one to the author's original 4 volume set entitled The Practical Woodworker. I have spent some time trying to compare the two version to get some idea of the differences. This copy of The Complete Woodworker was published by Ten Speed Press and has a copyright date of 1980. The 4 volume set of The Practical Woodworker is a recent reprint of the original set published by Popular Woodworking Books. It seems that the Ten Speed Press version has not only condensed the text down but has also rearranged the images and in some cases modified the images. However, these modification are not necessarily the work of Ten Speed Press. All this to say, if you would prefer a more details and examples then the 4 volume set of The Practical Woodworker might be a better option for you. If you like the idea of 400 pages of text instead of 1600 pages and are willing to sacrifice details and extra examples then this edited down version from Ten Speed Press is probably a better option.
Nearly a quarter of this book focuses on hand tools and how to use them which is also the subject of Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings, however, I feel like this book explains the usage of tools more in the contexts of how they would be used.
Another quarter of this book is focused on various types of joinery which is also the topic of the book: Woodwork Joints as well as many other books focused on this topic. However, The Complete Woodworker seems to explain the advantages of the various joints and occasionally mentions situations in which one would use a particular joint.
Finally, The Complete Woodworker covers tools, joinery, and some fundamental cabinet and furniture making skills. If you are new to woodworking The Essential Woodworker also covers these topics with more of a focus on teaching these skills.
As mentioned I would recommend this book especially if you prefer the short length and are willing to sacrifice details and examples as compared to the more comprehensive 4 volume set of The Practical Woodworker. I would probably also recommend this book for owners of the Stanley 55 combination plane as this book seems to contain the majority of the extensive chapter for the original 4 volume set.
Pages: 416 Publisher: Ten Speed Press ISBN-13: 978-0898150223