Declan O'Donogue has designed and produced commissions for a large number of international firms and has run his own highly successful furniture workshop since 1980. He is also a part-time lecturer in furniture making.

1 The Home Workshop; Location and size. Layout of the workshop. The workbench. Safety, noise and dust extraction; 2 Hand Tools; Measuring and marking tools. Chisels. Planes. Fettling edge tools. Sharpening edge tools. Bench saws. Assembly tools: clamps and cramps. Assembly tools: hammers and screwdrives; Gatefold 1. Tool Directory; 8-page fold out featuring Directory of Tools, including some specialist tools and innovations in convenience tools for amateurs, arranged by function and category; 3 Power Tools; Bandsaws. Table saws. Planers and thicknessers. Routers. Portable saws. Milling, drilling and mortising. Sanders. Combination machines; 4 Basic Techniques; Timber selection. The first step in preparing timber. Machining edges and cutting to width. Marking out for accuracy. Hand planing surfaces and edges. Using handsaws accurately. Using chisels. Hand planing across end grain. Machining to length. The router as a machining centre. Drilling, milling and mortising. Shaping. Laminating and bending; 5 Fittings, Hinges and Handles; Handles and pulls. Door stops, catches, latches and hinges. Fitting butt hinges. Fitting self-closing surface hinges; Gatefold 2. Design Inspiration 8-page fold out featuring Directory of inspirational examples, design principles, styles, historical influences, modern design criteria, alternative materials, making in batches; 6 Finishing; Safety. Preparation. Lacquers, oils and waxes. Colour and texture; 7 Joints and Jointmaking Projects; Halving joints. (Project: Glass-topped coffee table). Dowel joints and biscuit joints. (Project: Compact disc storage box). Mortice and tenon joints. (Project: Workbench). Mitre joints. (Project: Mirror/Picture frame). Housing joints. (Project: Bookcase). Dovetail joints. (Project: Tray); 8 Design and Drawing; An introduction to design. Sketching and drawing techniques. Two sample briefs; 9 Veneering; Basic tools and equipment. Preparing and laying veneer. (Project: Side table with decorative parquetry top). Methods of pressing veneers. Finishing; 10 Woodturning; Turning tools and equipment. Faceplate and spindle turning. (Project: Turned wooden bowl). Timbers and woodturning tips; 11 Woodcarving; Tools, equipment and timber. General carving techniques. (Project: Scallop box). Finishing your work; 12 Woods and Materials; Characteristics of hardwoods and softwoods. Seasoning and conversion. Sawing methods and choosing wood. Buying wood. Timber defects. Wood storage. Board materials. Veneers. Glues available to the woodworker. Environmental considerations; Gatefold 3. Timbers of The World 8-page fold out featuring an international selection of woods - a brief A-Z of commonly used and widely available timbers and veneers around the world; 13 Project Plans: Scale Drawings, Templates and Grids; Glossary