Category: To Make as Perfectly as Possible, Roubo Translation

“To Make as Perfectly as Possible: Roubo on Marquetry” is now available for download in the Lost Art Press store. The cost is $19 and the file is in PDF format. Click here to order.

International customers can order the download by sending $19 to john@lostartpress.com via PayPal; a download link will be sent to you.

We chose to use the PDF file format because of the graphics-heavy nature of this book. So far, we have yet to find an ebook conversion service that can provide a file that we think is acceptable. We will keep looking.

As always, all of our files are completely free of “digital rights management” hoo-ha. No passwords. No keys. You can even extract pages from this PDF. The reason we can do this is we have an honest customer base; fraud has been almost insignificant.

I hope you enjoy Roubo on the go in your portable device.

— Christopher Schwarz

Domestic customers can purchase the book via this link.

International customers should send an e-mail to john@lostartpress.com

Being a tad  old fashioned in many respects, I need a physical piece of paper to read and write on when editing, revising and annotating “To Make As Perfectly As Possible: Roubo On Furniture Making,” or as we call it here, R2 (as opposed to a local luminary, RG3). I am nearing the three-quarter mark of working my way through the raw transliterations for the first time as a serious venture, as opposed to the merely voyeuristic jaunts as they would arrive from translator Michele Pagan.

Today I printed out the final chapter of R2, titled whimsically (?) by Roubo as “Of Whole Cabinetry or Assembly in General,” which is another way of saying, “All the stuff about furniture making that I could not figure out where else to put.” To suggest that this single chapter is eclectic and substantial is to damn it with faint praise.

I generally format these working manuscripts to approximate the finished size of the printed book; not exactly, but it does give me a sense of the immensity of the tome. I will probably avoid contact with John Hoffman when the day arrives for him to start mailing a mountain of books twice as hefty as the 4-1/2 pound R1.

Among my 258 pages (!) of working manuscript for this chapter alone are included the odd mix of discussions on tools necessary for accurate assembly, making and using spring-pole lathes, screw-thread cutting, fluting of columns, drilling, making and using a ripple molding cutter, locksmithing, filing, hinge-making, tilt-top tables, building a printing press, the renowned folding book stand, and the design and construction (but not use) of a fancy French “necessary.” And those are just the topics I can recall off the top of my head.

After the intense run-up to the release of TMAPAP:ROM I had little opportunity to revel in the grandeur of the project. By the time I arrived in Cincinnati for the premier, to paraphrase BB King, the thrill was gone. Chris’ comments of wanting to light it on fire did not miss the mark by much.

Now that R1 is no longer resting on my neck, and believe me it was heavy, I am finding a bit more spring in my literary step.

Yes folks, the thrill is back!

— Don Williams

After sending out all of the copies of “To Make as Perfectly as Possible: Roubo on Marquetry” to customers, we have 85 copies remaining to sell.

We will sell these on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at noon EST Monday, Nov. 11, 2013. For U.S. customers, we will post an item in the store allowing you to purchase the book for $400 (domestic shipping is included in the price).

For international customers, please send an e-mail to John Hoffman at john@lostartpress.com after noon EST Monday. The cost will be $400, plus actual shipping costs. Please be advised that shipping this book overseas is quite expensive when it is properly insured and accompanied by a tracking number (as much as $70). E-mails ordering the book before noon EST on Monday will not be acknowledged or fulfilled.

We do not like to brag, but this is a fine, fine book. If you would like a second opinion, please read Jameel Abraham’s blog about the book at the Benchcrafted.com blog.

— Christopher Schwarz

John Hoffman says that – except for a few international orders – all of the pre-ordered copies of “To Make as Perfectly as Possible: Roubo on Marquetry” are in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service.

That means if you ordered a deluxe or standard copy of the book before the book was released at Woodworking in America, your book is on its way.

We apologize for the time-consuming process. John and his son, Jacob, have been personally packing every box since the minute John returned from Woodworking in America. For the deluxe editions, we had to use a special box and packing materials that required some custom cardboard fabrication (thanks, band saw).

John and Jacob are now shipping out all the other orders that have come in since WIA, including T-shirts.

If you have had a problem with your shipment and have not reported it to us, please let John know at john@lostartpress.com. If you have reported it, we ask for a little patience during this busy time of year.

Speaking of busy, “The Art of Joinery: Revised Edition” is on its way to John’s garage as I type this.

I should probably send them a case of Red Bull and vodka.

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. If you want to make the publisher happy, rip the plastic condom off your deluxe edition and start reading it. The book is tough enough to withstand even the sharpest gaze.