52 Boxes in 52 Weeks: Improve Your Design Skills One Box At A Time

Arrived and given as a gift. Receiver was pleased.

This book succeeds on several levels. It shows how Matt's design process evolved over the year that he spent building the 52 boxes, which are quite diverse in form and function. He incorporates a variety of techniques (i.e. milk paint, kumiko) that I've not seen in previous books. He goes into a great deal of detail on wood selection and grain which, in my experience, many people overlook (if I could just find out where in God's name I can buy apple wood I'll die a happy man). And the book is beautifully photographed and each box is presented at multiple angles.The book is light on technique which is understandable given the title (DESIGN? - read the title). If technique is an issue for you, pick up a book by Doug Stowe, check out the Fine Woodworking website (Matt has one there on milk paint for example), or view one of the hundreds of videos on YouTube (e.g. how to build and use a shooting board for tight miters) related to box building.

This is a tough book to review. I love the boxes and I love the idea of building 52 boxes in a year. Immersing yourself in a concept or idea is a great way to learn and improve your skills. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Kenney however the book is a bit light in the education department. I wasn't expecting, nor do I want, a book on how to do woodworking and this isn't one; however there are good tips about using color, resawing and matching grain, making incremental changes in a design, and trying new materials. This isn't really a woodworking book, it's a coffee table book for people to flip through and see beautiful boxes they will probably want you to make for them (or you will want to make as a gift to someone). To me, the important thing is the story of Matt Kenney making 52 boxes in a year and how his process and aesthetic evolved in that time. The boxes themselves are wonderful and there are ideas here I wouldn't think of myself except maybe if I spent a year making boxes.

If someone gives my wife their favorite recipe for a pie (or anything for that matter), she never actually follows the exact recipe even once. She starts by making changes guided by some mysterious, internal voice. I suspect this would be Matt Kenney's reaction if someone gave him a project plan for a box (or anything for that matter). Kenney could have written a book with 52 project plans; thank goodness he didn't. Instead, he devotes a year of his life and the 52 box challenge to a thoughtful, introspective exploration of his design process. This goes way beyond deciding that you like this style, or don't like that one. As you read through this book, I suspect your creative juices will start to bubble, as mine have. This is an important book, but it's importance has little to do with box making. However, the book does contain some helpful practical advice on technique too.

Es un libro como para tener una idea del que hacer, mas no esta especificado el como se hacen, esperaba que mostraran el priceso o lo más importante... lo compré usado.

I really appreciate the overall concept of this book. By making a box each week, Matt’s creativity and skill improved. It really shows that we learn by experience and also pushing ourselves to do more. I have started building boxes because of this book. I normally build speaker cabinets, but I have really enjoyed the artistry of small boxes. My latest box is my favorite because of the tight miter joints I learned to make from Matt’s book. It took several boxes to dial it in. It is really fun when you get it right.I do recommend this book to designers that are not Woodworker’s too. Matt’s philosophy on design will help any designer. I highly recommend this book!

This is a book about designing boxes (and things in general), not a book about making boxes. Buy this if you want inspiration, not if you want instruction.The book is beautifully made, and so are most of the boxes. The photos are good too.If you like this book, you'll probably also like "The Art of Kumiko" by the same author. That one is a bit more instructional but can also serve as a design inspiration.

I have made a few boxes similar to the ones in this book now. It's very helpful to look through for inspiration and ideas. This is not a how-to book as some people in these reviews seem to have expected, the construction is fairly simple. It's more geared to iterations in design and aesthetics.The idea of using milk paint and fabric on parts of the box can really turn a utilitarian box into something you want to display.I wish more woodworking books were like this one and didn't have the usual 30 pages in the beginning about how to use a tape measure.

Ótimas explicações e projetos maravilhosos...Super recomendo este livro, assim como todos os outros deste autor, que tem uma excelente didática e um ótimo bom gosto.

If you are in to designing and making anything out of wood this book takes you beyond - how to cut a particular joint. Matt Kenny discusses how to structure design decisions when considering height, length and width. How this should influence thickness of your final piece and then not just the size and shape of components but their angle.It is well illustrated and full of sound advice.The book is aimed at box making but everything he talks about is equally aplicable to fine carpentry and specifically furniture making.

It’s a great book. I use it to inspire me and explains some tricks and cool stuff to build really nice and beautiful wood boxes

Everything about the book is excellent. My only dilemma is finding a shoe big enough to store it on my wall.

für Fortgeschrittene. Anfänger werden enttäuscht sein, denn das Buch enthält keine detaillierten Pläne oder Anweisungen. Für mich sind die 52 Beispiele sehr inspirierend, um eigene Arbeiten zu entwerfen.