Toolemera Blog

Australia and New Zealand Printing Services

After a very long passage of time, I now have active printing and shipping services in Australia via Lightning Source/Ingram. The contracts are signed where they are supposed to be signed, the online short run order form is active and all is good.

If you live in New Zealand or Australia you can order direct from the Toolemera Shop and your books will be printed locally and shipped direct at local costs. No more UK shipping costs. No more waiting for UK shipping times. No more UK shipments disappearing into the cold, dark depths of the ocean.

Now if only there were a few Australian books to reprint that were copyright cleared...

Till next, Gary

Some suggested new book reprint topics

Just a few of the topics suggested by readers:

1. Blacksmithing, some time post-Agricola, and
2. Basic fabric i.e., spinning and weaving.
3. Handyman books
4. The Book Of Trades variations
5. Modern Practical Carpentry by George Ellis
6. Woodworking for Secondary Schools by Ira Griffith
7. More cabinetmaking, less carpentry and joinery
8. Candle making and soap making
9. Musical instrument making
10. The Practical Man’s Book of Things To Make And Do
11. Every Man His Own Mechanic
12. Australian Home Handyman
13. The Handyman’s Complete Self Instructor
14. Wood carving
15. Boys Own Workshop by Abbott and similar titles
16. Holtzapffel and similar technical books
17. Make A Chair From A Tree by Jennie Alexander
18. Swedish Carving Techniques by Willie Sundqvist
19. Green Woodwork by Mike Abbott
20. Leather working
21. Whip making
22. Saddlery
23. Agriculture
24. Blacksmithing
25. Bookbinding
26. Loom based weaving with loom plans

And from yours truly:

1. Bee Keeping
2. Brewing
3. Cookery, Civil War period
4. Canning
5. Cabinet Makers Recipes
6. Wood Carving
7. Marquetry
8. Chip Carving
9. Wood Turning
10. Kite Making
11. Bird House Making
12. Toy Making
13. Farming guides
14. Tree Farming (If I can afford it)

Keep those cards and letters coming folks. All of these are great ideas and indicative of where we could be going. Please don't fee as if this is it. If you have an idea of a topic or a book, please chime in. Military, farm, science, you name it.

My thanks to all who have given this some thought so far.

Gary

What Early Craft or Trade Books Do You Want Reprinted?

I tried to figure out a reasonable poll thing but nothing reasonable worked.Therefore, or therefor, depending on which "for" or "fore" you wish to use, I am putting it to you, intrepid reader, to pitch in either in the comments section or by email.

Various people have requested books on topics other than woodworking, in particular beginning woodworking. While there are a few more titles in the works on that subject, I have some ideas on other early trades and crafts. But, and this is the but of the matter, I would like to know what you are thinking about.

So give me your thoughts, yearning to be free! What early or not so early crafts or trades would you like to see returned to print? Feel free to be as specific or non-specific as you wish. Textiles or weaving, Toys or kites, Agriculture or butter-making, whatever you wish.

You may or may not have a title or author in mind. That's quite all right with me. No time limit, no number limit, no limit limit.

Till next, Gary

On Sale Now: Carpentry & Joinery For Amateurs by James Lukin

It's a pretty cover. Not to fussy. Not full of all sort of tools and woods and shavings and all those things woodworking publishers seem to think woodworkers expect should be on the covers of their books. Or at least that's the theory I selected as the one to rail against with this cover.

We have Aldus Manutius' sigil which is not from the cover of one of the Hot Chili Peppers CD's. We have a nice parchment color for the background. We have Big Caslon as the font of the day and a cropped selection from a cabinet card from deep within my collection of old photographs. This one was entitled "Daddy" by someone who I can only assume was this woodworkers child.

The tool box on the back cover is typical of what James Lukin would have recommended for the serious amateur of the nineteenth century, replete with a nice bit of moulding along the base. He does give specifics for the construction of the chest. Alas and alack, you'll have to buy the book to get those details. I'm nothing if not a cut-throat running dog lackey of the capitalist, starch-collared, cigar smoking money-mongers of wall street. Or not.

For more on the book, including a sample PDF, albeit in low resolution, go to the Toolemera Shop and if you are so inclined, order up a copy. Just for now, only Paypal is up and running for this one. You might find it listed on Amazon if you search by the ISBN. In due time, Shop Woodworking and most other online book sellers will offer the title as they update their Books In Print files.

If I don't return here before then,

Have a Happy New Year!, Gary

Always Time For One More Tweak

A last minute tweak or two, including adding the famous Aldine Leaf at the instance of Wesley Tanner who is not to be argued with and there it is, the first Toolemera Cover replete with photograph! Don't you feel those eyes following you?

Many thanks to Wesley for the new book logo and for pushing me to use the Aldine Leaf. If you wonder who or what that is, Aldus Manutius is someone you should know of. Now. Right Now. If not for Aldus, words might not look as they do today.

Till next, Gary