All packed and ready to go!

The new book is finally finished, at least at my end of things. I sent out 3 DVDs on Saturday, with all the text, instructions, process photos, etc., and will have UPS pick up the boxes (33 plus 6 variations) on Tuesday to pack them and ship then out out to Fox Chapel.

Just in case you were wondering, it's my responsibility (and cost) to make sure they get there safely. For the first book, I was tempted to drive out to Pennsylvania and deliver them myself, given the hundreds of hours of work invested, but reason prevailed. So, Tuesday morning, the folks from the local UPS store will come to my house and take them to the store for packing.

When the project is submitted, it's unpacked and organized, and the editing process should begin in February. I've already gone through about 4 rounds of edits, and each time I catch more errors, but I think I've taken it as far as I can.

And I finally get my dining room table back! When I'm cleared to "go public" with the projects, I'll post pictures of everything all lined up and ready to go. They're such fun projects--I can't wait until the book comes out!

Old items, new uses

As I continue editing the manuscript for the new box book, I'm struck by the way we get locked into using tools and materials conventionally.

For example, baking parchment, which is silicon treated, is a good alternative to wax paper for keeping clamps from sticking to wood during glue-ups. If you can get the heavyweight kind, it will last almost indefinitely.

And, for getting epoxy into small holes, a #3 cake decorating tip works much better than a toothpick. Use plastic wrap or a glove to protect your finger, and push the epoxy right into the hole. Drop the tip into a small amount of acetone to clean it when you're through.

LI Woodworking Show

I spent yesterday at the LI Woodworkers Show, talking to people, and showing bowl construction to anyone not familiar with the technique. As always, it was a lovely show, and highlighted the projects made by the many talented members of the club.

LI Woodworking Show

I'll be appearing at the LI Woodworking show this Saturday, and will be at the Advanced Machinery booth doing demos and signing books. Check out this link to their site for more info. Should be a lot of fun.

http://www.advmachinery.com/default.aspx

Tight, but it fits!

With colder weather, and in accordance with my condo's rules, the car has to be garaged overnight in our one-car garage. We put all the tools on mobile bases, and although it's a tight fit, it works. Shows what you can do when you're really desperate for your own shop.

Professional photo shoot

I had the really neat experience this week of having process photographs for an upcoming magazine article taken by a pro. It was actually a lot more work than taking the shots myself, since I needed to have the project ready to shoot in various stages of completion.

I'm pleased to say that although my own shots are not as photographically polished as the pro's, I think are just as clear for teaching purposes. Since I now have all the work done for the new box book, (33 projects proposed, with 10 to 25 shots per project) I feel confident that my very low-budget photos (often taken with one hand on the wood and the other on the camera) will do the job.

Bowl class at Norwalk, CT Woodcraft store

Well, yesterday was my all-day bowl class. Of my four students, one had never used a scroll saw, one had a little experience, and two were beginners. I am pleased to say that by 4PM, everyone had completed and sanded a decent looking bowl, including the brand new scroller.

I was exhausted by the end of the day, since except for the 30 minutes I took for lunch, I was constantly helping someone with one thing or another, and I'm not used to being "on" for such a long period of time. But I'm glad that I did it, and would do it again--but not for a while!

Preparing for class

I'll be teaching an all-day bowl-making class at the Woodcraft store in Norwalk, CT tomorrow. Although I've done demos, this will be the first group I've taught where they will be doing the work, not me. I have no idea whether anyone in the group has tried making bowls, so it's sure to be an interesting experience for all of us. I even washed my shop apron for the occasion!

Watching the grain

When you make bowls that use two, or even three sets of rings, be sure to keep the grains in alignment. This is particularly important if there are differences in color from one side of the board to the other. This piece of padauk was used for the second try at a stacked ring box. For the first attempt, I accidentally switched sides on one of the pieces. This resulted in a box that was darker on top on one side, and lighter on top on the other side. It was an interesting effect, but not at all what I had in mind, so I bought some more padauk and did it right this time.

How do you price your work?

Last week, while visiting friends in southern Vermont, I brought some of my bowls to the owner of a really high end crafts store in Brattleboro. I've not yet sold any of my work, but my house is getting very crowded, and something will need to be done pretty soon.

I took home all their paperwork, which gives commission rate, policies, etc., and there was nothing there that was objectionable, but my biggest stumbling block is how to price my work. Since pricing ultimately depends on what people are willing to pay, I've always been stumped by how to figure this out. Sometimes I'm tempted just to give things away to people who like them. That's why writing books and articles is so pleasant for me--I can make stuff, get paid for my work, and don't have to worry about sales.

It can't be rocket science, and obviously other people have done this, but it's always been an issue for me.