If you ordered “The Stick Chair Book Early Adopter Digital Package,” you should have received an email with an updated link.
I found an error on page 530 of the book – two missing mortises – that we repeated in the full-size patterns. So we fixed the mistake and issued new pdfs for the book and the full-size patterns. It’s not a huge error. A drawing earlier in the book shows the mortises correctly. And the text is correct. I suspect most of you would do the layout correctly and might not even notice.
It has been one of those weeks where everything feels like it is spiraling down the toilet bowl. Last week while making divider legs, an end mill self-destructed – destroying the fixture that holds our dividers’ legs and damaging the mill’s chuck. Estimate: No dividers for three weeks.
And the chair on my bench is fighting me every step of the way. I trashed two shoes yesterday before settling on something that might work. But I’m looking at this chair as I type this, and I suspect this one might be a burner.
There is some good news: Megan and I finished sharpening up a batch of finished dividers and sent them to the warehouse. So we will have some dividers in the store to sell shortly. And our machinist thinks he might be able to fix the damaged fixture in the mill.
Still, it’s one of those weeks where I fantasize about switching places with a friend who is a third-shift security guard at a factory. The place is so quiet and automated that he spends most of his time writing songs in the control room.
— Christopher Schwarz
That last bit reminds of an old saying from my past profession: The factory of the future will have two employees–a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching any of the machines.
Now I am picturing Chris taking off a shoe and beating the tar out of the chair a la the Office Space printer scene
Believe me when I say I feel your pain. In my line of work, I see the security guard every day. Many, many days I have longed to switch places with them.
I don’t know if this provides any consolation, but I find it helpful to hear that accomplished makers such as yourself experience frustration and disappointment with projects, too. Rationally, I know this must be the case for everyone; however, often, it can be difficult for me not to feel as if I am the only person who feels like they are fighting just to cross the finish line (pun intended) sometimes.
This is all just to say, I condole with you, and at the same time thank you for your candour.
It’ll pick up! Hopefully no one was hurt on the mill. Shouldn’t be too bad to redo/repair a fixture-people are sometimes harder to repair…
😬
It’s good insight (and sorry to hear all that) but really? You started doing this to get away from being controlled by others. You still haven’t quite converted me to staked furniture btw so don’t give up yet.
So, you’re a songwriter, too?
🤔
Ya. Was in several bands until we had kids.
Thanks for the updated link. Stop re-reading your book. You’ll just find more little things to annoy you.
LAP, is the book going to have a chair that is good beside a chair that is not good? So the laymen can seen the differences? The chairs that you say you will start a fire with, I would sit in it any day all day .
Sorry, the book doesn’t compare and contrast bad chairs vs. good chairs. Mostly, I talk about what good chairs should be. That, I hope, will be guidance enough.
If it does I missed it (Stayed up till midnight reading) But it does have one of the first chairs he ever made that he doesn’t like today. The kids’ hobbit chairs are missing unfortunately.
Hi Esther,
A “Good, Better, Best” book of stick chairs would be a fun thing to do.
The hobbit chair is such an unholy mess I couldn’t bear to include it in the book. But I will revisit the form shortly. I recently had a lightning bolt that showed me a path forward on that design.
“It has been one of those weeks where everything ..”
Um, ah, how do I say this? It’s only Monday.
Still time, to turn things around. My tool of choice is Courvoisier.
It’s times like those I feel the universe tapping me on the shoulder reminding me to lighten up.
is 2.0zip the latest corrected file?
Got it Thanks
Now that I’m back in the office, I have more of those days. Or, at least, I feel them more. My shop is my refuge. Even if I don’t get much done, I can explore new ways of learning with my hands. LAP has been an inspired resource in my refuge.
It’s all unicorns and rainbows as a third shift security guard until someone breaks in and steals the Rembrandts.
Got the updated, thanks! I’m on 242 so have a ways…you’ve got me convinced to make one of these before I make my Galbert and Buchannon chairs…