"AArDvarK" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<jqgnc.17261$k24.1114@fed1read01>...
> I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
> hand tools and no* power tools, covering small & simple
> to moderate projects, the only power tool I will be using
> is a small drill press, even then mostly an old handcrank
> drill or a bit brace. Any recommendations?
You've gotten good suggestions here. I'd also add Aldren Watson's
book: _Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings_. It's not a project book
per se, but it goes into a good bit of detail on using handtools and
discusses applications that are useful. He also has a good companion
book to that one whose name escapes me at the moment (_Furniture
Making_?). It is a combination technique and project book, and is
well worth checking out.
Chuck Vance
Chuck Vance responds:
>"AArDvarK" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:<jqgnc.17261$k24.1114@fed1read01>...
>
>> I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
>> hand tools and no* power tools, covering small & simple
>> to moderate projects, the only power tool I will be using
>> is a small drill press, even then mostly an old handcrank
>> drill or a bit brace. Any recommendations?
>
> You've gotten good suggestions here. I'd also add Aldren Watson's
>book: _Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings_. It's not a project book
>per se, but it goes into a good bit of detail on using handtools and
>discusses applications that are useful. He also has a good companion
>book to that one whose name escapes me at the moment (_Furniture
>Making_?). It is a combination technique and project book, and is
>well worth checking out.
You know, back in the middle '90s, if my time sequence memory stands up, I
busted my butt trying to sell publishers such a book. A project book based on
hand tool use for the projects, keeping the projects relatively small so as to
make them good learning experiences. Interest was so minimal that I got a
response from only one publisher and that amounted to a basic "no thanks" in a
tone that also said "drop dead".
Wonder if enough market is seen as being out there, now? My hand tool skills
have pretty much slacked off a bit, but it might be worth the work to get them
back. And it just might be fun.
Charlie Self
"In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence
is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of
office." Ambrose Bierce
> You know, back in the middle '90s, if my time sequence memory stands up, I
> busted my butt trying to sell publishers such a book. A project book based on
> hand tool use for the projects, keeping the projects relatively small so as to
> make them good learning experiences. Interest was so minimal that I got a
> response from only one publisher and that amounted to a basic "no thanks" in a
> tone that also said "drop dead".
Why not make the book into a .pdf for sale as download or on a cdrom, from
your ("a") new website? Example, Dan Collucci sells "a lens collectors vade
mecum" from his site and on eBay: http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/ , just
an idea....
Alex
AArDvarK asks:
>> You know, back in the middle '90s, if my time sequence memory stands up, I
>> busted my butt trying to sell publishers such a book. A project book based
>on
>> hand tool use for the projects, keeping the projects relatively small so as
>to
>> make them good learning experiences. Interest was so minimal that I got a
>> response from only one publisher and that amounted to a basic "no thanks"
>in a
>> tone that also said "drop dead".
>
>Why not make the book into a .pdf for sale as download or on a cdrom, from
>your ("a") new website? Example, Dan Collucci sells "a lens collectors vade
>mecum" from his site and on eBay: http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/ , just
>an idea...
Well, because...actually, I'm currently working on one book for that kind of
sale (as a few people may recall, on birdhouses). I've discovered a number of
things while doing that book, including the fact that QuarkXPress is fairly
complex when you don't use it for a couple years, that an editor does more work
than I ever would like to admit, and that I'm an absolutely awful proofreader.
Add to that a few personal problems (well, life problems, not really personal,
such as the basement fire we had the end of June last year that kept us out of
the house for several months, and our upcoming move, plus the necessity for
restructuring my writing business, plus a couple other things) and writing and
producing a book of good quality is simply not as easy as all the tales seem to
tell.
Too, a trade publisher pays an advance which goes into things like supplies for
projects, new photo gear, etc., that help produce a better book. When
everything comes out of the writer's pocket, in addition to the time to write
the book, some things tend to get sloughed off. Add to this finished book
distribution. Trade publishers currently are still the hot set-up for getting a
book produced, out and seen and sold. They've got the contacts with printers,
the editors are right there waiting, they sell to the same bookstores and
libraries regularly, they pay for the copyright registration, they take care of
ISBN numbers...the list goes on. Selling from a web site is only one aspect.
But it is a thought, when I've got some time and money to spare, because I'm
told that the income is quite good even if you sell far fewer copies. Right
now, I have enough work to keep me reasonably busy, more coming in, and a move
coming up in about 3 weeks that will return me to a real woodworking shop with
space for decent photography as well. And I do have that first book to do if I
can work my way around the interruptions and find all the old files on one of
my hard drives.
Charlie Self
"In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence
is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of
office." Ambrose Bierce
Charlie Self wrote:
> Chuck Vance responds:
>
>> You've gotten good suggestions here. I'd also add Aldren Watson's
>>book: _Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings_. It's not a project book
>>per se, but it goes into a good bit of detail on using handtools and
>>discusses applications that are useful. He also has a good companion
>>book to that one whose name escapes me at the moment (_Furniture
>>Making_?). It is a combination technique and project book, and is
>>well worth checking out.
>
>
> You know, back in the middle '90s, if my time sequence memory stands up, I
> busted my butt trying to sell publishers such a book. A project book based on
> hand tool use for the projects, keeping the projects relatively small so as to
> make them good learning experiences. Interest was so minimal that I got a
> response from only one publisher and that amounted to a basic "no thanks" in a
> tone that also said "drop dead".
>
> Wonder if enough market is seen as being out there, now? My hand tool skills
> have pretty much slacked off a bit, but it might be worth the work to get them
> back. And it just might be fun.
It definitely should be fun. And if you don't find any interest
from traditional publishers, you could always do something like Jeff
Gorman does, and "publish" it as a website.
I wouldn't be surprised if there is more interest these days. If
the hand tool market is any indication, a lot of folks are "discovering"
unplugged tools these days. I don't know if it's reflective of a
general trend in society or not (i.e., a "back-to-our-roots" movement
headed by the boomers). But if you think about how much money goes
towards hobbies, it's logical that recreational woodworking itself is
seeing a renaissance. Along with that, it would make sense that neander
woodworking is making a comeback too.
As an aside, when I was participating in the Oldtools group, I was
struck by how many of the regulars were in jobs that were extremely
high-tech. Maybe it's not really surprising that they would look for
the opposite extreme in their hobbies.
Chuck Vance
In article <jqgnc.17261$k24.1114@fed1read01>,
AArDvarK <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
>hand tools and no* power tools, covering small & simple
>to moderate projects, the only power tool I will be using
>is a small drill press, even then mostly an old handcrank
>drill or a bit brace. Any recommendations?
>
>Thanks all,
>
>Alex
>
>
If you've got a Borders Books nearby, they've got Roy Underhill's
"The Woodwright's Shop, Exploring Traditional Woodcraft"
on the bargain shelf, at $7.99.
Hi, Barry,
http://www.geoffswoodwork.co.uk/basic_tool_kit.htm
Should sort you out.
Cheers
Frank
"B a r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 8 May 2004 19:10:36 -0700, "AArDvarK" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
> >hand tools
>
> I found this at my local book bargain warehouse (Barnett Books,
> Wallingford, CT):
>
>
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806971428/qid=1084103230/sr=
1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-3328127-7409403?v=glance&s=books>
>
> I picked up this at my local library's used sale:
>
>
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1558218742/qid=1084103125/sr=
1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-3328127-7409403?v=glance&s=books>
>
> Both are useful, but are not project books.
>
>
> Barry
>
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On Sat, 8 May 2004 19:10:36 -0700, "AArDvarK" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
>hand tools
I found this at my local book bargain warehouse (Barnett Books,
Wallingford, CT):
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806971428/qid=1084103230/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-3328127-7409403?v=glance&s=books>
I picked up this at my local library's used sale:
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1558218742/qid=1084103125/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-3328127-7409403?v=glance&s=books>
Both are useful, but are not project books.
Barry
>>I would like to get a book for beginners on the use of all
>>hand tools and no* power tools, covering small & simple
>>to moderate projects, the only power tool I will be using
>>is a small drill press, even then mostly an old handcrank
>>drill or a bit brace. Any recommendations?
>If you've got a Borders Books nearby, they've got Roy Underhill's
>"The Woodwright's Shop, Exploring Traditional Woodcraft"
>on the bargain shelf, at $7.99.
I am not a violent man by nature, but I'd like to take that guy out
behind the wood shed........
==
Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant
that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it. -- Thomas Sowell