During the last few months we have released a lot of material, including two books, a chore coat and the return of five T-shirt designs. We never intended all these new products to come out at once (with more in the wings).
This happened because we don’t operate like a typical publishing business that releases books timed with the seasons of the year. Instead, we release books when there is nothing more we can do to them to make them better. As a result, we have both dry spells and this current deluge of excellent material, including our latest book.
We have just sent off “Cut & Dried: A Woodworker’s Guide to Timber Technology” by Richard Jones to the printer, and it is scheduled to ship in mid to late May. This book was a massive undertaking by Richard, who sought to explain everything a serious woodworker needs to know about wood in language and terms intended for the artisan.
There are, of course, lots of excellent scientific papers and tomes available that explain wood as a construction material. Most of these resources are written for wood scientists. Others are written for project managers at large construction firms. Still others are aimed at the large cabinetshop that deals with sheet goods almost exclusively.
“Cut & Dried” is not like that. Richard has spent his entire adult life as a professional woodworker in the U.K. and the U.S., and has worked at the highest levels of craftsmanship. His goal with “Cut & Dried” was to explain an extremely complex and technical topic – wood technology – in terms that any serious woodworker could easily grasp. And he skipped the stuff for making buildings, bridges and plywood boxes.
This book is massive – 9″ x 12″, hardbound, with 336 pages on heavy coated stock. The entire book is in full color with a full-color dust jacket. As a result, this book is $65, a price that includes domestic shipping.
If you order during this pre-publication period, you will receive an instant pdf download of the book, which is searchable and (of course) portable. After the book is released, the pdf will cost $32.50.
“Cut & Dried” is intended to become a reference for any shop that deals with solid wood. It is carefully organized so you can find the answers to problems at the bench, or questions at the drafting table.
Here is the detailed Table of Contents, which makes that point better than any blog entry from me:
As always, all our books are produced entirely in the U.S., using the highest-quality materials. Our books’ signatures are sewn for longevity – we don’t offer glued-together pages spit out by a print-on-demand copier. We work with printing plants that care deeply about the survival of the printed word in this age of cheap information.
One more point: We keep our books in print as long as authors are willing to do so. Every standard book we’ve released in the last 11 years is still in print. So even if you can’t afford “Cut & Dried” today, it will be here in 18 months (unlike a traditional publisher) for you to purchase at that time.
— Christopher Schwarz
P.S. Numerous retailers, including Lee Valley Tools and Classic Hand Tools in the U.K. have expressed interest in selling this title. So look to those retailers if you are in Canada or the U.K.
I’ve been really looking forward to this release. It fills a significant gap. I’ve referred to Bruce Hoadley’s book many times over the years, but it was never a book aimed at us. It’s a reference book, and I could never love it.
Thanks for publishing this.
Thanks Richard and Chris.
Chris, I’d be curious to know what you’ve taken away from this book. Did it teach you something new about wood movement that you are planning to use in the shop? Some insight into how you pick wood at the lumberyard? Just a thought.
Thanks Richard and Chris.
Chris, I’d be curious to know what you’ve taken away from this book. Did it teach you something new about wood movement that you are planning to use in the shop? Some insight into how you pick wood at the lumberyard? Just a thought.
Add me to the list of curious. Do I need this book if I have Hoadleys and why. I’m desperately trying to find an excuse to buy it. Thanks for all you do.
I ordered a copy this morning and have had a chance to peruse the .pdf. I do own Hoadley’s book and have read it cover to cover. Hoadley is a great reference book, but not really something I want to read for enjoyment.
Cut & Dried sits at the intersection of reference and enjoyment. The author is a bit more of a story teller and the book is aimed squarely at furniture builders. So I will enjoy reading this book, and because of that I will read it cover to cover and likely mutliple times. Doing so will allow me retain the information.
Do you need the book? For $65 you should really really want it.
I thinker Flexner’s book on finishing is a good comparison. I am sure there are a ton of books on how to boil oil and resin to make varnish. Bob’s book focuses more on leveraging scientific knowledge to give woodworkers an objective voice on how finishing work, and he delivers the information with some personality. I consider it the bible on finishing. Cut & Dried is similar and will occupy the same space for furniture makers.
Order my copy this morning. I did not need any excuses to buy another quality book. With a PDF file included it really makes it a very good value and can start reading tonight. All BS aside you run a class business.
Sounds like a good read, maybe I can see if the library or the wood department can order it. I’m a wood tech student in Morrisville State and the more I learn about wood science the more I start to notice the woodworker equivalent of broscience in forums, blogs, etc.
I have been looking forward to this book since first reading about it along with David Savage’s book on drawing skills. Will the free PDF be available to folks who preorder through Classic Hand Tools when available?
Speaking also of chore coats, any timeline on when those are available? I preordered and the weather here is perfect for breaking it in!