Lost Art Press

How ‘Bout them Metric Horses?

Posted on by Lost Art Press

I’m working on a future money-losing project in my spare time: a nice letterpress card that helps readers convert fractions to both decimals and metric measurements. Sure, you can make these conversions on your phone, but I prefer to see all the data at once, especially when trying to decide what size drill bit I need for a tricky peg.

Plus, it’s a fun graphic design project for that part of my brain that doesn’t get as much use these days.

As part of my research, I bought a bunch of old promotional posters. The things that salespeople would hand out to customers when they came to call. But my favorite find is this 1972 small slide chart from the Slide Chart Corp. 

As the U.S. geared up to switch to the metric system, these sorts of calculators were everywhere. This one was a sample, made to show how you could get it customized with your company’s logo.

The slide chart makes 19 different calculations, plus has a graph that shows the difference between Fahrenheit and Celcius. It’s almost useful. It converts inches and centimeters, which isn’t quite what woodworkers need (I’d prefer inches to millimeters). 

But it’s fun to play with, and I’ll keep it at my desk.

The best part is the little slide window that converts horsepower to metric horsepower. Are metric horses stronger? Look for yourself.

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. I hope to have this letterpress card available for the holidays.

For Sale: Bog Oak Comb-Back Chair

Posted on by Lost Art Press

I have just finished this seven-stick comb-back chair, in 2,000-year-old bog oak, that is set up for dining or use as in an office. I’m offering it for sale here via silent auction. Details are below. First, some specifics on the chair.

This seven-stick chair is made from bog oak that is 2,000 years old that was excavated in Poland. The seat is 16-7/8” off the floor. The back sticks lean 9° off the seat. And the seat is pitched back about 4° off level. So this chair is nice for both dining and keyboarding. If the buyer wishes, I can trim the rear legs to increase the seat tilt. This will make the chair strike a balance between dining and relaxing.

For this chair, I pillowed the hands much like an old Welsh chair.

The chair is 39-1/4” tall. The seat is 20” wide with 19” between the arms.

All the wood is cut from one tree, but the color and texture varies throughout all the parts, which is part of the charm of this material.

All the joints are assembled with hide glue, which is easily repairable by future generations. The finish is a beeswax and linseed oil blend, which is free of toxic solvents and is also easily repairable.

The wood graduates in color from almost black to milk chocolate.

I’m selling this chair via a silent auction. To bid, send an email to lapdrawing@lostartpress.com before 3 p.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, March 22. In the email, please use the subject line “March chair sale” and include your name, shipping address, phone number (this is used for a trucking quote only) and your bid. There is no minimum bid, and the highest bid wins. The winner will be contacted on Wednesday after the auction closes.

On shipping: You can pick up the chair at our storefront, or I will deliver it for free within 100 miles of Cincinnati. Otherwise, I can ship it via common carrier to addresses in the continental U.S. This usually costs between $200 and $300, depending on where you live.

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. The next chair will be sold via a random drawing.

The stretchers are quite low on this chair, which adds to its stability and its old look.
The seat is one single plank. The dark front edge was close to the bark of the tree.

(Improved) Workshop Waist Aprons Back in Stock

Posted on by Lost Art Press
My personal apron, which has been to heck and back.

One of the best things we make, our Workshop Waist Apron, is back in stock. We have 500, so I hope they will last us a while.

The aprons are $50, which might seem like a lot of money for something you can buy at the home center for $5. I assure you that our waist apron has nothing in common with the home center product.

While developing our apron, I bought a bunch of aprons to try them out. The cheap ones lasted a few days. You can literally rip them apart without much effort.

The more tactical aprons were durable. But they were designed for carpenters who carry a 50’ tape and a framing nailer.

This apron is damn near perfect for woodworking. It’s lightweight. It breathes. It is reinforced in all the right places. And it’s not too big or too small. And unlike a full apron, you can wear ours in the summer without sweating your boobs off. This apron is the first thing I put on at the beginning of the day and the last thing to come off before I head upstairs to make dinner.

Of course, we make it in the USA from quality canvas. And, as mentioned in the headline, this run of aprons has been improved. We have added additional pencil pockets on the other side of the apron for left-handed woodworkers (or those who just love pencils). I don’t have a photo that shows the additional pockets (but I will get some of the improved aprons next week). Thank you lefties for your feedback on this.

As you can see from the photo of my apron above, this thing can take heaps of abuse and will last many years. You can order one here.

— Christopher Schwarz

The “before” photo of our apron.

Future Pocket Books

Posted on by Lost Art Press

We now have a dedicated page at our store for our popular pocket book series. You can reach it anytime under the Books menu in the store. You’ll also find other helpful collections of books there. Want to know what are our best selling books? It’s there. (We don’t control what is there – it is determined by sales numbers.) 

Also helpful: A page on the books we recommend for people getting started. Green woodworking. Chairmaking. Plus others.

Megan and I are planning out our next pocket books for the series. Here is a short list of ideas we have. If there are any that you really like (or hate) please let us know in the comments. Or if you have an idea for a topic, please share it. (Keep in mind these books have to be pretty narrow in scope. The pocket book of Universal Furniture Design would be impossible. Or horribly inadequate.)

Thanks for your help! We do appreciate it!

Dovetails: Through, Half-blind, Blind & Secret Miter

Mortise-and-Tenon: The Foundation of Civilization

Saw Sharpening: Backsaws & Handsaws

Finishes that Won’t Kill You: Oil, Shellac, Paint & Soap

Mitered Picture Frames

Hardware: Placement & installation

Treen: Turn plates, cups & bowls for eating

Steambending

Green wood: Felling, splitting & drying lumber

Bench Planes: Setup & Use

Joinery Planes: Setup & Use

Thank You on Behalf of the Hiller Fund & Some Lucky Bloomington Cats

Posted on by fitz

We were simply overwhelmed by your generosity of so many donations in Nancy Hiller’s name to support The Ranch Cat Rescue – a rescue in Nancy’s adopted hometown of Bloomington, Ind. (and that Nancy continues to support in perpetuity with 10 percent of net sales of her book “Shop Tails”). It’s enough to make me well up (which usually happens only when someone accidentally hits me with a hammer). To everyone who donated: You’re so very kind; thank you. Today, I’m mailing a cashier’s check – for $8,770.85!!! – to the rescue’s director/resident human Alison Zook. The raffle winner of Carol Russell‘s fiddleback Tasmanian blackwood cat (I’ll miss this gorgeous little carving!) is Melinda in California; the winner of the book we used as “cover art” for the audio version of “Shop Tails” is Jay in Virginia (both have been notified via email).

Alison asked me to share the paragraph below –

Y’all. To say I don’t have words for this generosity is an understatement. These last few weeks I’ve been thinking I want to do something permanent with these funds, something that really honors Nancy. So I had an idea. While some of your donations will go toward medical care, food and supplies, I’m putting a portion aside and starting the Hiller Fund (working title). This will specifically be used for building projects and improvements made at The Ranch Cat Rescue, with a focus on empowering women and girls to pick up tools and get some sawdust in their hair. While these projects won’t hold a candle to Nancy’s woodworking skills, I know that she would have loved to be a part of them. This way she always can be. Thank you, new friends, for being the beginning of this.

As soon as Alison schedules that first building project, I’m clearing my schedule. I’ll be there.

– Fitz

p.s. You can donate directly to The Ranch Cat Rescue here.