Lost Art Press

‘You Can’t Judge a Book by its…’ – Oh, Shove Off

Posted on by Lost Art Press

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The covers of our Lost Art Press books are important to me, even though we don’t sell our titles in bookstores, which is where the cover can make or break a book.

I don’t want our covers to say “buy me.” I want them to say “open me.” There’s a difference. I’ve had many non-woodworkers tell me that the cover of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” was so oddly compelling that they had to open it and see what was inside.

As I am closing in on the end of the writing for “Campaign Furniture,” my lizard midbrain is turning its attention to the cover. The concept is to make the cover itself look like a campaign chest. There will be ogee (or ovolo or straight bracket) brasses on the corners of the cloth-covered hardcover. In the center will be a pull. It’s my favorite campaign pull, which I found on a piece that is likely from the Indies.

I’ve been trying to draw this pull for the last couple weeks. It’s asymmetrical and doesn’t have a straight line in its profile. I’m getting closer.

— Christopher Schwarz

Files and File-Making

Posted on by fitz

file_making

The common file, as every workman knows, is an Implement, the flat or curved surfaces of which are notched or serrated in such a manner that, on being rubbed on the wood, ivory, metal, or other hard substance for which the tool is intended, a surface of more or less smoothness is obtained.

Files are made of bars of steel prepared in a peculiar manner, it being necessary that the file should be formed of the hardest possible metal, or else its working surface would be speedily worn away. The steel is therefore rendered harder than usual by means of a process known as double conversion, the metal thus prepared being said to be doubly converted.
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New Letterpress Bookplates on the Way

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Next week, Lost Art Press titles that I’ve written will feature a new design of signature bookplate.

Designed and printed by Brian Stupayrk at Steam Whistle Letterpress & Design, these bookplates are printed in two colors on Crane & Co. self-adhesive paper.

If you purchased one of our books from another retailer and would like one of these bookplates, you can order one in our store here.

— Christopher Schwarz

On my Other Blog: The Anarchist’s Gift Guide

Posted on by Lost Art Press
Superpowers. Got any?
Superpowers. Got any?

Many of the woodworking “gift guides” out there are a thinly veiled attempt to get you to buy some new products that are new to the store and are new, new, new.

As someone who was force-fed a diet of new tools for 15 years, here is my advice: Be wary of tools that are new in the marketplace. Let the manufacturer work out the bugs in the manufacturing process first. This advice carries over to new car models etc.

Case-in-point: A few years ago one of the big woodworking retailers came out with some 90° clamping blocks that you would clamp to the inside of a carcase to square it up. This new product was out just in time for Christmas and was in all the company’s gift guides.

But here was the problem: All of the clamping blocks were made at 89°.

Over at my other blog at Popular Woodworking Magazine, I’ve been doing a series called “The Anarchist’s Gift Guide.” These are small, time-tested and thoughtful gifts that you might actually use. I have no financial interest in any of the products. They are simply little things I have purchased and used for years in my shop. Here are the links:

Day 1 is here. Rockler Mini Drill Bit Set
Day 2 is here. Brownell’s gunsmith drill bits
Day 3 is here. Grip mini pry bar
Day 4 is here. Tiger Flakes
Day 5 is here. Gramercy Holdfasts
Day 6 is here. Draft-Matic mechanical pencils

I have a couple more to add this week. But today I am taking a day off to go to Chicago and eat myself silly.

— Christopher Schwarz

Do the Collapse

Posted on by Lost Art Press

pivot_points

A few naughty readers have been attempting to build collapsible tables and bookcases similar to ones I’ve been constructing for “Campaign Furniture” and have run into some trouble.

Instead of being a wiener-kabob and saying “wait for the book,” here is some basic but critical information about mechanical furniture: In these simple constructions, the pivot points have to be equidistant.

What does that mean? Take a look at the quick-and-dirty sketch above. In these bookcases, the center pivot point is on the outside of the bookcase. The top pivot point it 7-1/4” above that — right below the top shelf. The lower pivot point is 7-1/4” below that right above the lower shelf.

Folding_shelves_illoIf the upper and lower points are not equidistant from the center, the bookcase will not fold flat. Also good to know: If the distance between the lower and upper pivot points is greater than the length of one of the shelves, the bookcase will not fully collapse. The two center pivot points will run into one another.

I am almost finished building this bookcase and will post a movie later this week.

— Christopher Schwarz