My Dilemma, Your Gain
Yes, I admit it, I have a book problem. But my wife and I can’t agree on exactly what that problem is. For me it’s the continual challenge of finding places to put more of them, and for her it’s the unending flow of them through the front door.
The only time I ever had all my books where I could easily put my hands on them was when we lived at the beach. The bungalow we rented was just too small for everything so we ended up renting the one across the drive from us. Besides a 6 foot drawing table the only thing in the rooms was books. Every room was floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
My wife said recently, “You have to get rid of some of these books.” I said, ‘O.K., I’ll give some books away.” Notice I didn’t say I’d give any of my books away.
Lost Art Press
Lost Art Press was started in 2008 by Lucy May, Christopher Schwarz and John Hoffman to publish books which would help woodworkers rediscover the lost art of traditional hand tools and building techniques. Schwarz was the former editor at Popular Woodworking magazine as well as Woodworking Magazine and has been one of a small group of key individuals who have brought about a hand tool renaissance. Traditional tools and methods which were thought to be inferior to modern methods are reshaping both the woodworking and the tool making communities.
The company has released 11 books so far and has six more scheduled for release in 2014. Their first effort was an excellent annotated version of the 17th century book The Art Of Joinery by Joseph Moxon, the first English language book on the topic. The book soon sold out and copies fetched over $100 on Ebay. They have recently rereleased a newly edited and updated version.
The Kind Of Books They Don’t Print
What Lost Art Press doesn’t publish are junk books. What’s a junk book? Here’s an example; about ten years ago a builder on the East coast “published” a series of design books which were basically just bad scans out of period design books and pasted them up into thin, jumbled perfect-bound pamphlets which were selling for over $30. Junk. That’s not what Lost Art Press puts out.
Besides the fact that their books are traditionally bound sewn-signature volumes on quality paper, the editions, some reprints of classic books and some original, are written by authors who clearly know what they are talking about. And most of these books, while written with woodworkers in mind are incredibly valuable and informative even if you never plan on picking up a saw.
Selfish Motives
So, to keep my promise I’m giving three digital versions of their books away for purely selfish reasons. I want companies like Lost Art Press to be around a long time and the more people that know about them the more likely they’re going to keep pumping out great books. Chris, John, keep them coming, please.
The Loot
If you’re a winner you get to pick one of the following books:
By Hand & Eye (digital version)
I reviewed this book in an earlier post and think it’s an important book for designers. The should be part of your main reference library along with a fifth edition of Architectural Graphic Standards and a copy of McKay’s Building Construction.
With The Grain (pdf version)
If wood is a complete mystery to you then you should get this book. It simply and clearly explains the basics of wood and its use in furniture making. There are chapters on wood movement and how to calculate it in furniture construction and the characteristics of different species of trees.
To Make As Perfectly As Possible – Roubo On Marquetry (pdf version)
This book is the result of over six years of work and is the first english language translation of the classic book by Andre Roubo, originally publish in the 18th century. Lead by Donald Williams, a former head conservator for the Smithsonian Institute, the book is far more than a reprint. Williams spent years recreating the techniques described by Roubo as well as reconstructing most of the tools he describes as typical of the Menusier in France. An absolute must-have if your interests include period furniture. A second volume on furniture construction is due out next year.
Door Making And Window Making (hardcover)
Here’s another must have for your reference library. Since most everything we draw is custom, it helps to understand door and window construction when you’re creating those full-size details. This book is a reprint of two English joiners manuals which explain the process.
How To Enter
There will be three winners. Basically all you have to do is take a guess at the number of books in my personal library, kind of like guessing the number of gum balls in the jar. As a hint, it was over fifteen years ago when they could fill a 550 square foot bungalow.
You can either post a reply with your guess (and your book choice if you’re a winner) to this post or send your guess to:
designbookcontest@gmail.com
Deadline is midnight on Friday, December 6. Please, only one entry per person. Ties will be decided by picking a name from a hat by Coco the Psychic Bunny.
Winners will be notified on December 7 and sent a link where they can download their book. If you want the Windows And Doors book, it is only available in hardcover and will ship in late December.
I hope that if you win you’ll buy a hardcopy version as well and a digital copy for a friend. And if you don’t win I hope I’ve enticed you to spend your own cash on what are truly terrific books.
6,427 soon to be – 3 three of course.
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11,040 books!, By hand and eye
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I guess 6,472 books. I would like a copy of “To make as perfectly as possible”.
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8,269
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to make as perfectly as possible
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7240 guessed by Larry Denning
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Assuming this does not include digital books, I would say 3200. Nothing wrong with losing the sofa to place a bookshelf either…
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Ooops, “By Hand and Eye”.
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9541 books: Door Making And Window Making (hardcover)
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7,777 Door and Window Making (I already own the rest)
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I guess 5821. Doormaking and window-making
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1676 books. window and door making. Thanks for supporting Lost Art Press!
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7500 books, window and door making
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4814 – By Hand and Eye
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Well, we have close to 4K and they only fill one room, so I guess 14,000.
I have all those except the window/door book and will get it soon.
I would like to have “Roubo: To Make as Perfectly as Possible” to give to a friend.
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7861 – windows and doors
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8, 753 books. I would like window and door making, please
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5623 – With the Grain
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750 books
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12,739 books. With the Grain. Long live Lost Art Press!
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5301…. Door Making
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13,186 books – By Hand and Eye
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12322 By Hand and Eye or Roubo.
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9,782 by hand and eye
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7500 Any book would be great
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I’ll estimate 11270 books and request the Doors/Windows hardcover publication. Thanks.
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10,539: hand and eye. Thanks
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3,750 – “By Hand & Eye”.
Thanks
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I figure you’ve got a wee bit more room now.. i’ll go for 12,000 books. Yeah, i’m biased, I work for a bookstore and now how easy it is to fill a thousand square feet+ with books 😉
By Hand & Eye, or WIth the Grain, please and thanks!
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16801
To Make as Perfectly as Possible
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6,235. By Hand and Eye, please.
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4800 books. The door book would be wonderful. Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for your bibliophile generosity.
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7,682
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Since I can relate very well to your “addiction” my guess is a nice round 25,000. If I’m a winner I would like the building doors and windows book because I don’t have that one yet.
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12,037 – Doors/Windows
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I’m guessing exactly 6543! 🙂 I think many of us have this challenge…..
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12,412 building doors and windows
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4,925!
doors and windows
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13,042 – good luck with culling the herd 🙂
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8572 books, With the Grain
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30,000 books. Door making and Window making.
My wife says you really need to give some away or donate them all to the library and then you can borrow them back anytime you want and you won’t have to store them. I said you just need to add on to your house and build your own library!!!! 🙂
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Please don’t let your wife talk to my wife. She’d think that was a great idea! I prefer the ‘adding on the house’ plan.
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9,999 books, By Hand & Eye Please
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7500 Door making and Window making!
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14,000 Door making and window making
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19,999 books on the 19,999 books, take one down and pass it around etc. etc.
Thanks for doing this and supporting a fine company. To make as Perfectly as Possible please.
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1582. Don’t know why that number popped into my head.
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Since this sounds like conceptual estimating, which I would love to be able to perform, I’ll give it a try. 550 sf / 9 = 61.11 x 2.25 = 137.5 lf of book shelves, figuring 5 shelves per = 687.5 lf of book shelves. Calculating the average book width at 1.15″ (687.5 x 12″ = 8,250 li) = 7,174 books in 1998. Assuming 1 new book per month (12 x 15 = 180) we arrive at 7,174 + 180 = 7,354 books on the shelves, not counting electronic versions on your kindle, iPad or other electronic device. Thank you for the exercise and should I be so lucky, I am really not nor ever have been, “By Hand and Eye” if you please and thank you once again.
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16.892 books, Door Making And Window Making
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14.327 books. By Hand and Eye please.
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5000. Doors and windows or roubo
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16000 Books I would estimate. At first I estimated about 7000 books for the bungalow period. Then figured your addiction would simply get worse with time. Door making and window making.
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13,666 – because these are really lucky numbers.
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16,962 — doors & windows please
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10,500 – By Hand & Eye please
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My guess – 14,134 My choice: To Make as Perfectly as Possible
Thank you for the chance!
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As a Rush fan I have to say 2112.
Door Making And Window Making (hardcover)
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– which happens to be Coco’s favorite album to listen to while he chews on the back of the couch.
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Cool bunny!
My golden (aka the yellow rug) likes Hemispheres.
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8569; To Make as perfectly as possible.
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2300 Door Making and Window Making
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3084: With the Grain
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8100 … By Hand and By Eye
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16500 By Hand & Eye
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1227 and any. Book will do
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17,400 , roubo,
have fun counting!!!
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9781 – To Make As Perfectly As Possible – Roubo On Marquetry
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11,007 – To Make As Perfectly As Possible – Roubo On Marquetry
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1153 (you seem to be selective)
– your choice of prize
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18,431 – Door Making And Window Making
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10.000 – “By Hand & Eye”
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15400. Door & Window Making please. Love the blog, keep it up!
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15400. Window & Door making please! Love the blog, keep it up!
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17501 is my guess- I’ll take any!
Thanks!
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15,550 To Make As Perfectly As Possible – Roubo On Marquetry (pdf version)
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6,000 books. With the Grain.
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7,999 By Hand and Eye
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my guess is 14,720. I would choose By Hand and Eye-it’ll look great next to my other Lost Art books on my overcrowded bookshelves. Thanks for the giveaway-whether I win or not.
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I would say around 18,873, and I would choose – “To Make As Perfectly As Possible”.
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14,347 and my choice is “To Make As Perfectly As Possible.”
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13,245 With the Grain
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10,000 as I have none of the books, I will be happy with any of them. Thanks in advance
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8,827 books. I’d like “To Make as Perfectly as Possible” please. Thanks!
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