After years of publishing woodworking information, you often hear that there is nothing new in the craft. Everything has been done before, written before and fully figured out.
I used to believe that was true, until I read the manuscript that was to become “Mouldings in Practice” by Matthew Sheldon Bickford. This books explains how to make mouldings in a simple way that I have never ever encountered – either in print or from an instructor.
The book turns a set of complicated mouldings into a series of predictable rabbets and chamfers that guide your hollow and round planes to make anything – anything – that has been made in the past or that you can envision for your future projects.
During the last several months, we had many proofreaders edit this book and the universal reaction was much like this:
“Well crap. Now I want to buy some of these stupid planes.”
During the past 14 months, Matt and I have been working to make “Mouldings in Practice” into a book that is accessible for even the beginning hand-tool woodworker. It uses more than 200 color illustrations and dozens of photos to explain how to lay out, prepare for and cut any moulding you can draw.
The first half of the book is focused on how to make the tools function, including the tools that help the hollow and round planes – such as the plow and the rabbet. Matt also covers snipes bills and side rounds so you know their role in making mouldings. Once you understand how rabbets and chamfers guide the rounds and chamfers, Matt shows you how to execute the mouldings for eight very sweet Connecticut River Valley period projects using photos and step-by-step illustrations and instruction.
The book has a full index by Suzanne Ellison (the saucy indexer for “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest”), plus appendices on fixing up old moulding planes, building a sticking board and how to capture moulding profiles in the wild.
This book is, by far, the most complex thing we have published here at Lost Art Press, thanks to the hundreds of illustrations, photographs and geometry involved. Like all our books, “Mouldings in Practice” has been produced entirely in the United States. It has color illustrations with black-and-white photos, and it is printed on #60 white uncoated and acid-free paper. The pages are Smythe sewn to last a long time. And the book is hardbound and covered with cotton. Old school.
You can buy the book now for $37 with free domestic shipping from now until the book arrives from the Michigan printing plant in early August. After the book arrives in our warehouse (read, basement) the book will be $37 plus shipping.
As a bonus, everyone who orders this book through Lost Art Press will also receive an instant download of E.J. Warne’s book “Furniture Mouldings.” We acquired an excellent copy of this hard-to-find book and created a top-notch scan. The book is a collection of full-scale mouldings from historic furniture pieces. It is the perfect companion to “Mouldings in Practice.”
After you check out you’ll get a link to download Warne’s book.
To order the book, click here.
— Christopher Schwarz
P.S. I forgot to mention: The book will be available in ePub, Kindle and leather-bound editions later this summer. More details to follow.
Great news! I’ve been waiting for this, just ordered it. I’ve met Matt at several events, and he does a great job.
Very excited about this book. So glad it’s done. Thanks to all you guys at Lost Art Press.
Is this going to be available in ebook form at some point?
Yes. It will be available in ePub and Kindle editions (and a leather edition) later this summer.
Don’t feel like you have the time to sit and take ten minutes to rest, just because you have unloaded a bunch of boxes of books. Quickly put mine in what I am assuming is a box “pre labeled” with my name and address, and run to the post office. No time to rest my friend.
Will you be chaining Matt to the wall in your basement (ahem, warehouse) to autograph our copies?
I’m afraid not. That would add a crazy amount of complications and logistics to an already crazy project.
Are you going to make it available in Canada? Sure would love to buy it direct. Oh, and get that free download as well.
Lee Valley will be selling the book in Canada. Other vendors who have signed on are Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Tools for Working Wood and Classic Hand Tools in the UK.
I’m afraid the download will be available only for Lost Art Press customers in the United States.
Denied! It’s a good thing your products are so good, or I would be in a serious funk. 🙂 Thanks for the quick reply.
Got mine ordered! Looking forward to receiving the book as with all of your previous and future publications!
Thanks,
Kim
Congratulations on what I’m sure will be another successful launch of another successful LAP publication. This one is much anticipated, almost as much as the (hopefully) soon to be relieased Roubo translation. Now, I really, really need to get to work on those Jefferson style bookcases…no, seriously.
Great! Mine is on order too. Any chance of an early post recommending a starter set of moulding planes? I’m sure Patrick Leach, Jim Bode and The Best Things are going to be inundated with requests. I’d like to get in line early. (Also, any recommendations on any other sources?)
Congratulations on the book.
Dan Ballard
You can always order a set from Matt. He makes them for lefties, too.
I’ll join the chorus and express my excitement for this book. Its always exciting to order your QUALITY products and I look forward to adding this to the LAP shelf. I’m curious as to if the sharpening process for molding planes is covered at all. If not, a DVD simplifying this process as much as you have done for straight blades would be greatly desired by many I am sure.
The book absolutely addresses the sharpening process.
I am so stinking glad that I was able to beat everyone to the punch on this. A year and half ago, as I was begging my wife to let me order that complete half set of hollow and rounds, I told my wife that once Chris Swartz starts writing on h &r’s, a person will not be able to come within a half a mile of any complete half sets for under a $1000. Looks like that day is upon us. Did I mention that I have an awesome wife?
I am planning on ordering soon, but I am curious how this book distinguishes itself from the dvd’s produced by LN with Don McConnell?
Chris, your description sounds a lot like Don McConnell’s method he demonstrates on his dvd’s. No? How does Bickford’s method differ?
Pam,
Sorry to be slow in my response. The difference is more one of emphasis than anything. Don focuses on design and the “why.” Matt’s book backs up the conversation for the most remedial among us (myself included). More discussion is here:
http://musingsfrombigpink.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-prequel_19.html
As always, thanks for the to-the-point question.
Thanks to your slowness (kidding, really, I don’t expect anyone to be at my beck and call), I had to loan Wm Duffield my McConnell dvd’s so he can compare with the book. 🙂 William told me you were off giving a class.
Thanks for the blog link. Based on that, I’d agree that Matt is writing for those who haven’t been successful in making moldings; but in my limited experience, I’d say that’s because most everyone starts at the wrong ends of the cuts. It’s all kind of like untangling long hair in that one must start at the end of the tangle and comb back up to the root. And I certainly think he and Don both are correct in breaking up the task into many small problems rather than one very big problem.
No shipping to Canada? 🙁
Really looking forward to getting a copy of this. Hopefully my local Lee Valley will have one soon.
I’m placing my order now. Knowing how much work goes into a project like this – I hope you wake to a pile of orders and that many copies will never spend a minute in your basement.
***Rubs hands in anticipation***
I’ve noticed a bit of an upturn in prices for hollows and rounds on Ebay UK over the last few weeks. You lads in the US are coming and pinching all our tools again, aren’t you?
Don’t forget the makers of new wooden planes, as well. As far as I know, there’s only one in the UK – Philly Planes – but no doubt they’ll be delighted to augment the sudden dearth of antique planes.
Will the book tell you how to sharpen the moulding planes irons?
Will there be a section on how to sharpen the irons on the moulding planes.I just bought a lot of 10 planes and need to know where I can learn this
Sharpening Profiled Hand Tools by Larry Williams is a great source for sharpening molding planes. it is a dvd and can be found at Lie Nielsen and other places. great video for all sharpening but does have everything you need to know for profile planes.
Sigh.
Is there a problem with the web page? I have tried to order the book using explorer and google and cant connect.
Sweet. Done Deal!
First new “geek shipment” to the new house (and new shop). Woohoo!
I had a chance to see the book at Lie-Nielsen at their open house over the weekend. On a dollars per pound or page basis this book is cheap. There is a mountain of information in this book. Meeting Matt was great and you could tell he is passionate about his planes and passing his knowledge on to others. Can’t wait for my copy to arrive.
I thought this book was going to be coming out with a spiral bound workbook also? did that plan get scrapped?
Reblogged this on Village Custom Furniture and commented:
I am so excited about this new book coming out that I purchased an advanced copy less than one hour after the Lost Art Press post came out.
Order placed… am I crazy or was there going to be a book on making these planes as well?
Ordered. Can’t wait.