When you order a book from us, you are supposed to receive an email when the book has been received by the shipping company. When the shipper scans the book – beep – that sends the message to our store’s software. And our software sends a message to you with tracking information.
Sometimes, USPS isn’t very good about scanning packages in a timely manner. Sometimes they don’t get scanned. And so you don’t get an email. But you will get your book.
We have complained (a lot) to USPS. They are overworked so I doubt this will change.
So apologies for the delayed emails or emails that didn’t come.
So this week I sat down with my image consultant and he had some harsh words for me: “You need a ‘thing’ to set you apart from other woodworking bloggers, podcasters and television personalities.”
I asked: “A thing?”
“Yeah. Charles Brock has that patchwork hat. Roy Underhill has his hat and suspenders. Scott Phillips has his similar hat and suspenders. Norm Abram – tool belt. David Mark has tattoos. Tommy Mac has his muscle shirts., and….”
I say: “I have a beard.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Unless your beard is equal to or greater than Peter Follansbee’s, then it’s just hardscrabble. Plus, he has cornered the market on the tie-dye T-shirt and shorts thing. So don’t even bring those up”
“Ugh,” I said. “What do you recommend?”
“You could wear a cape,” he suggested. “Maybe array tools on the interior?”
I countered. “What if it gets caught in the jointer or the table saw? That could be dangerous.” I paused. “Look, I don’t like to have my face appear on the blog or on video, what about a mask? Like a luchador?”
The consultant had a good point: “In this day and age, dressing like a Mexican wrestler will get you excoriated by the liberals or deported by the conservatives.”
We locked eyes.
“Fancy wristwatches?”
“Mario Rodriguez.”
“Unusual fingernails?”
“David Charlesworth”
“A vicious temper?”
“I’m not touching that.”
“Large mammaries?”
“Look, I already said I’m not touching those.”
“Copious body hair?”
“Hmmm. How much body hair do you have?” the consultant asked. “Do you have to shave your back?”
“No. I pluck three hairs from my right shoulder,” I said. “Two from my left.”
“A huge afro?”
“Bob Ross.”
“Bob Ross is dead!”
“But Bob Ross’s afro is so awesome it has been retired.”
And that’s where my time was up with the image consultant. His recommendation: Mount a Kickstarter campaign to raise enough money to perform a statistically significant survey of what my gimmick should be.
Maybe a huge rodeo belt with a pterodactyl holding a carving gouge….
I try not to make this blog about personal stuff, but ever since boyhood I’ve tended to fixate on things. It might be an object. It might be a task. But I won’t sleep (literally – ask Lucy) until I scratch that itch.
Today it was this three-legged stool. I woke at 3 a.m. (typical) and began working on the next phase of this design until my wife woke at 5:50 a.m., showered and turned on her hairdryer. Something about her hairdryer puts me back to sleep – it’s why I am still conscious now.
After six hours in the shop – three of it just staring at the stool’s component – this is where I am. I still need to add the chamfers to the seat and clean off all the sawblade marks, but I’m pretty happy with the direction this is headed.
The mass of the legs, stretchers and seat are more balanced. I’ve added curves to make the seat less jarring. And the stretchers are now tapered octagons, like the legs.
My daughters will be selling their soft wax and stickers at our storefront on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. We’ll have them set up to take cash, check and major credit cards.
The stickers are $5 for a set of three. Wax is $12 for a 4 ounce tin (or two tins for $20). We’ll also have some wax out for testing if you’d like to give it a try on some sample boards.
Note that this is on Saturday only. Maddy has class on Friday and Katy has other obligations.
This is my mistake. I thought our warehouse had finished shipping all the copies of “With All the Precision Possible: Roubo on Furniture.” In truth, the last of the orders were boxed up yesterday and go out in the mail today.
Apologies for the error. And personal apologies to Meghan, who has been fielding a lot of your questions because of my error.
Your book is on the way. It won’t be long now.
Additionally, some of you have been asking where your copy of “Roman Workbenches” is because our software has reported your order as “fulfilled.” This is a software glitch (Yay! Not my fault). This book is on press now and should be shipped in April.
When you order a book from us, you are supposed to receive an email when the book has been received by the shipping company. When the shipper scans the book – beep – that sends the message to our store’s software. And our software sends a message to you with tracking information.
This is my mistake. I thought our warehouse had finished shipping all the copies of “With All the Precision Possible: Roubo on Furniture.” In truth, the last of the orders were boxed up yesterday and go out in the mail today.