After a long dry spell of new books, I am pleased to announce that we are now shipping our reprint of Joseph Moxon’s “Mechanick Exercises: Or the Doctrine of Handy-Works” – the first English language book on woodworking.
If you are a hand-tool enthusiast, Moxon is basically where it all begins. His clear descriptions of tools and processes point out a fundamental truth of our craft: Not too much has changed in the last 300 years in woodworking.
Yet, even though I’ve been working with hand tools my entire career, there is always something new to learn from reading Moxon. His nuanced description of using the fore plane is a ray of bright light in a modern world that is obsessed with smoothing planes. And even his description of sharpening will give you something to think about.
Our reprint is based on the 1703 edition of Moxon’s book. And it includes all the original chapters and plates, including the sections on carpentry, blacksmith work, turning and making sundials. We made our reprint using a copy from the Early American Industries Association. And proceeds from every copy sold will go to benefit this important organization.
Creating this reprint has long been a goal of mine because I wanted to help preserve this knowledge in a high-quality, durable book. We have designed this book to last many lifetimes. The acid-free pages are gathered into signatures, which are then sewn and glued together, with the book block reinforced with a fiber-based tape and then wrapped in cloth-covered boards. The book was produced and printed entirely in the U.S.
This book will endure many, many readings without the pages falling out. And like all of our books, it will resist floods, dogs and even babies.
We also worked hard to keep the price reasonable: $24. We did this by carefully selecting the paper and the press, which is one reason this book took six months to print. We hope you’ll consider adding “Mechanick Exercises: Or the Doctrine of Handy-Works” to your collection (it is one of the backbones of our mechanical library). Or perhaps order it for a budding hand-tool woodworker to give them a firm grounding in traditional practice.
— Christopher Schwarz
P.S. Several people have asked what is the difference between this book and “Art of Joinery.” Our new book, “Mechanick Exercises: Or the Doctrine of Handy-Works” is the complete and original text, with chapters on blacksmithing, carpentry and turning. “Art of Joinery” is merely the chapters on joinery and includes commentary from me, exploring the practices described by Moxon.
How does the subject matter and historical relevance of this book compare to Mechanic’s Companion? Are they similar, or do they serve different purposes?
Peter Nicholson’s book builds upon Moxon’s. It was intended as a “sequel” or expansion of Moxon. I refer to both. But I am a nerd
Who was Moxon’s editor? I hate to speak ill of the dead, but it’s pretty crappy when they couldn’t get the spelling on the front cover right.
When the book was published, such spellings were correct and acceptable. even some of the “letters” had a different form than in use today – not unique to English.
Will there be a pdf version?
Any chance of a sample? Does the book include Chris’s excellent commentary?
What is the size of the book? How many pages?
It is 400 pages. 5.5″ x 8.5″.
I have a copy of the Toolemera Press “Facsimile Reprint of the Third edition, 1703”. Is the LAP content similar, or is it translated into modern American/English and typeset more cleanly? I’m buying one whatever your answer, just curious.
This new book is a facsimile. So no.
“Art of Joinery” has the section on joinery entirely re-set in fresh type. And gently transcribed into more modern letterforms.
I’m always struck by the paucity of quality writing on blacksmithing in the craft, both historical and contemporary. The price is a steal! I’ll have to add it to my library.
If you’re looking for a book on “old fashioned” type blacksmithing,
There is a book called ‘Practical Blacksmithing’ edited by M.T. Richardson.
There is currently a reprint available on that “giant shopping website”, and thru that “major bookstore chain that still has numerous shopping locations”(routinely available in store in the low priced book section).
The edition is published by Chartwell Books.(acceptable paper, sewn binding, plastic covered hardcover)
It covers old fashioned type blacksmithing, with everything from making your own tools, to building a forge, to using “antique” type tools, both hand and machine tools like lathes from 150 years ago.
-“A Collection of Articles Contributed at Different Times by Skilled Workmen to the Columns of “The Blacksmith and Wheelwright” and Covering Nearly the Whole Range of Blacksmithing from the Simplest Job of Work to Some of the Most Complex Forgings”
The magazine was published from the late 1800s thru the early 1900s.
It’s the kind of material Lost Art Press might republish, except the Chartwell edition gets things like the sewn binding and paper somewhat right so there’s probably no point at the moment.
Understanding and making a sundial is an excellent introduction to celestial mechanics.
Now to put my nerd side back in its cage…
Okay, I don’t know what has happened to our postal system but at 11:14 am EDT on June 30th I placed my order. The book arrived on Saturday, July 2nd before lunch. Wow!!! Great service