During the last few months we’ve all been working on a lot of projects behind the scenes that haven’t gotten much attention here on the blog. Here’s a quick update on all of our active projects.
‘Carve the Acanthus Leaf’ by Mary May
Meghan, the page designer, and I have been working on finalizing the design for Mary’s book. It’s a complex piece of work – there are so many art and text elements that we are having to rethink how we design our books to get it right. Expect this book in the late spring.
Copperplate Engravings from ‘The Anarchist’s Design Book’
Last year we promised we would sell handmade copperplate engraving prints from “The Anarchist’s Design Book” that were made by Briony Morrow-Cribbs. But then my calendar went to crap and I got bogged down in revising “Handplane Essentials” for F+W Media. On Feb. 1 we will offer all of the plates from “The Anarchist’s Design Book” for sale. And if you order the complete set you’ll receive a handmade book box from Ohio Book to hold them.
New Titles in the Works
In addition to the books coming about John Brown and by Jögge Sundqvist and Bill Rainford, we have some other titles in the works that we haven’t talked much about. Megan Fitzpatrick is finishing work on Peter Follansbee’s new book (tentatively titled “Joiner’s Work”), and I am thrilled to announce we will be publishing a boundary-pushing book by David Savage titled “The Intelligent Hand.” I’ll be writing more about all these titles in the coming weeks.
Letterpress Posters from ‘The Anarchist’s Tool Chest’
I’ve found a significant cache of these posters in a box high on a shelf at our storefront. We’ll try to get there in the web store in the coming weeks.
Letterpress Book on ‘Roman Workbenches’
We are closing in on getting this book to press. We hope that it will be $77 for the letterpress version. The pdf version will be much less. And the standard offset version (due later this year) will be expanded and reasonably priced.
Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event March 10-11
If you attended the Lie-Nielsen event in Covington last year, then you know it was one of the best hand-tool events of 2016. This year we are participating in the event again at Braxton Brewing. We’re also arranging an event at Rhinegeist Brewing that will involve barbecue, beer and (wait for it) Hammerschlager. Details to come.
As always, we don’t have updates on books that aren’t in our hands. So you’ll have to wait longer on Andrew Lunn’s book.
— Christopher Schwarz
P.S. Sorry for all the product updates lately. Tomorrow I hope to post an entry on workbenches that will infuriate a lot of people.
Thanks for the update, Chris. I’ve been wondering about the letterpress book on Roman workbenches. I’ll be a buyer for the Follansbee book for sure. When I grow up, I want to be a joiner. As for your next blog, I can’t wait to watch people get infuriated.
Very much looking forward to “The Intelligent Hand.” Don’t know exactly what it will be, but it sounds like something I’ve been thinking about lately. Oh, infuriate away.
Any Information on Freddy Roman’s book?
(After two months) I’ve already converted my English workbench to a clothes holding and folding table, storage for orphaned items, don’t have to be shop related, and occasional silk screen exposure frame holder when called upon to do so. I didn’t know this thing would be so handy when I built it. It also has this leg thingy with a big yacht steering wheel on it that no one can remember what it was for anymore. I don’t know if I can be infuriated.
“…Tomorrow I hope to post an entry on workbenches that will infuriate a lot of people.’
You’ve finally embraced 38”?
Just because you have so little going on in your life I am sure you would love some unsolicited advice on a new book…
The Anarchists Finishing Guide.
You could talk about BLO, Milk Paint, Beeswax, Linseed Paint, and all the other non chemical finishes that have been lost to time
I know enough about finishing to do it competently. But writing on it requires a lot more.
The good news is that Don Williams is writing the book on historical finishing techniques. And in the meantime you can read Stephen Shepherd’s “Shellac, Linseed Oil & Paint” (Full Chisel).
http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?page_id=1964#!/Shellac-Linseed-Oil-&-Paint-Traditional-19th-Century-Woodwork-Finishes/p/6514105/category=1576107
I’m still waiting for the ultimate tome on avian domiciles. Until that, everything you do is feldercarb. Oh, and that Roman workbench is nowhere near 38″ tall. 😉
Hi Chris,
I know you have a great number of projects in the works, and this is probably a long shot, but I wonder if you might consider an English verison of âTraite Theorique et Practique de Charpenteâ by Louis Mazerolle published in 1866. Though the book essentially applies to carpentry it uses an ancient form of drawing to create some of the most unique structural forms seen in Europe. There seems to be a great interest in âLâ Art du Trait on the web. Several web sites have devoted much space to the subject such as âThe Carpentry Way (a Japanese furniture maker) SBE Builders, (Sim Ayer and the Roof Framing Blog) and Historical Carpentry (Patrick Moore, the first North and South American carpenter to be received as a Compagnon Passant Charpentier (Passed Companion Carpenter) in France and who completed his masters with the esteemed Association ouvrière des compagnons du devoir du tour de France). A great deal of the book deals with applied geometry or âstereotomyâ. I have found the subject endlessly fascinating and perhaps Lost Art Pressâs readers would too. Besides Lâ Art du Trait is a lost art.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
Paul Austin
Stamford, Vermont
Paul,
We’ve been asked several times to translate that book. I’m afraid we are out of our depth on that one. It’s much more of a text for carpenters, and so we don’t have the expertise (or, to be honest, burning passion) required for something of that scale.
There are lots of great texts out there on carpentry, lutherie and green woodworking, and so I encourage others who are interested in these books to do what we did: Start a company to bring these to light.
All best,
Chris
Any news is good news. Workbenches can wait a few days, after all the wood should reach equilibrium 😉
Can’t infuriate those who haven’t bought their lumber yet! Hoping it’s a doozy so I feel better about my procrastination…
Can’t wait for each and every one of these things! I’ve played Hammerschlagen at the Germantown fest here in Louisville. Did you also know there’s a traditional German song, “Der Schnitzelbank,” which is interchangeably a drinking song, or a children’s song to teach the german language. A schnitzelbank is a shaving horse!
Looking very forward to the letter press version of “Roman Workbenches.” You’re starting to inspire me so much to the point where I can’t put your books down Chris.