If you are in the Cincinnati area and would like to get your copy of “To Make as Perfectly as Possible” signed by two of the principals who worked on the book, be sure to stop by the Lost Art Press booth at noon today.
Don Williams and Phillip Lafargue will be there at Woodworking in America to sign your copy and discuss the book. I am not sure how long they will stick around the booth so get there promptly to avoid disappointment.
— Christopher Schwarz
After thousands of hours of work, we are finally ready to release “To Make as Perfectly as Possible: Roubo on Marquetry” on Thursday.
The last few pieces of puzzle fell into place today with the deluxe edition arriving at John Hoffman’s doorstep in suburban Indianapolis. Exactly 600 books arrived on six pallets, with only three books to a box (typically we get 16 to 40 books to a box). This is a huge book in every sense.
The entire book far exceeds any expectations I had for the manufacturing, the design and the entire editorial package. It is quite possibly the nicest modern book I have ever held in my hands.
And now you have a chance to judge that for yourself at Woodworking in America later this week when we release the huge deluxe edition, the oversized and very nice standard edition, plus a couple other special items starting on Thursday.
Those of you who have been reading my writing since 1996 know that I am not a fan of the hard sell. I don’t like giving it or taking it. So keep that in mind when I say this: We have less than 100 of these deluxe copies left to sell. Once they are gone, they are gone forever. Once you see one, I know you will want one.
If you want to remedy this, you can still buy them in our store here. Yes, they are expensive. I make no apologies for the price. They are worth far more than we are asking, in my opinion.
Other Fun Stuff
To celebrate the release of this book – the first English translation of A.-J. Roubo’s masterwork – we have a couple other items for Woodworking in America.
The first 300 people to purchase or pick up a pre-ordered book (or shirt, hat or DVD) at Woodworking in America, will receive a Lost Art Press iron-on badge for their shop apron or Italian undies. These badges will be available only at Woodworking in America. And it will be one to a customer. Apologies.
These 2” circular badges feature the Lost Art Press dividers in white thread on a blue background. I’m going to sew one to my leather jacket.
We’ll also be releasing our latest T-shirt design in support of “To Make as Perfectly as Possible.” The shirt features a detail from one of the plates from the marquetry book of two Frenchmen busy at some marquetry or inlay. The rear of the shirt features the slogan: “Getting Inlaid Since 1769.” (That was the year Roubo’s first volume was released.)
The shirts are available in sizes medium, large, XL and XXL. The shirts are 100 percent cotton and made by American Apparel in Los Angeles. The screen printing was done in Indiana (wait until you see the detail we squeezed out of this one).
The shirts are $20 ($22 for XXL). If we have any left after WIA, we will sell them online in the Lost Art Press store.
And this is the part where you call your boss and pretend to be sick.
It is not too late to join us.
— Christopher Schwarz
You can now order my newest DVD “Build a Sturdy Workbench in 2 Days” from Popular Woodworking for $24.99.
The two-hour video show you how to build a sturdy workbench using home-center materials and a benchtop made using solid-wood kitchen countertop from IKEA. It really can be built in two days – I built it in real time in the studio.
I’m not sure when the DVD will be released, but you can pre-order it here.
If you’d like to read more about the workbench, here are some notes on the bench.
— Christopher Schwarz
Because I travel a lot with my tools, every ounce and inch (centimeter and kilogram) is critical.
I usually push the weight limit for luggage, so compact tools can mean the difference between bringing my own underwear and having to purchase some foreign undies that might just lift and separate things that should be neither lifted nor separated on a man (see also: my trip to Italy this June).
So I’ve always wanted a take-down framing square – it’s a standard carpentry tool that separates into two pieces for travel. It’s brilliant for travel. But I’d never buy one online – they have a reputation for being abused and out of square.
While I was teaching this weekend at Roy Underhill’s The Woodwright’s School, I sneaked up to Ed Lebetkin’s tool-porn-a-go-go store and examined three of the take-down squares he had for sale. All three were out of whack. But Roy thought he could fix one of them with a little metalwork.
It took a couple hours of filing, cleaning and peening, but he transformed this Pexto SR-100 into a factory-perfect jewel. The parts click when they slide together. And the cam lock snugs up everything tight.
I can now get rid of the old framing square I’ve had since college. Anyone want it? Come and get it. The only catch is you also have to take two pairs of pink and gray Italian undies.
And thanks Roy.
— Christopher Schwarz
In addition to the campaign trunk with the clocked screws, my dad and I saw some other good examples of campaign furniture in the shops in Charleston, S.C., on Thursday.
Oh, we also found some poopy examples – stuff from the 1970s where the hardware was all applied to the surfaces – not flush like most of the well-made vintage stuff. I didn’t take photos of those. They hurt my eyes like the time the lady next to me in airport security had to lift up her fat folds for the guards to reveal a forgotten fanny pack.
The highlight was a fairly early mahogany chest we found at the 17 South antiques store. Priced at less than $4,000, I wanted to take it home with me to study.
The hardware was beautifully inset, and the skeletonized hardware suggested it was a fairly early chest – before 1830. Upon inspecting the inside, I found lots of overcuts that pointed out the dovetail layout for the full-blind dovetails that attached the top to the sides.
With this particular example, the tails were on the ends of the chest and the pins were on the tops and bottoms. That’s not always the case.
Also cool: a dovetail liquor box and an Anglo-Indian Campaign secretary found at a shop on King Street.
Collectors differentiate between items made in England and those made in the colonies. Piece like this could have been made anywhere in the world, from the Indies to India to China. Usually the construction isn’t as good as with the British pieces, but sometimes it is just as good.
This piece had some weirdness to it, but I really liked the way the writing slope folded out of the center drawer.
Today I leave Charleston (which always depresses me a bit) to teach at The Woodwright’s School in Pittsboro, N.C., for a few days. Then it’s back home to continue work on a campaign trunk I started earlier this week.
— Christopher Schwarz