Sgian Dubh
Established Member
This is to try and establish what interest there may be in the forum users here in buying a new book on timber technology. The story, briefly, is that in about 2005 I started creating illustrated texts on the subject with the idea that they could be used as learning aids for the students I teach, as well as perhaps becoming published articles in woodworking magazines. For one reason or another as the text grew I decided I didn’t wish to go down the magazine article route, and the text had grown substantial enough that it would probably best suit a book format. Additionally, once I'd decided to go down the book route, as I was writing I considered how it might be seen when judged against Hoadley's Understanding Wood, a commonly recommended text on the subject. Hoadley's book is very good, but there are parts of it that are dense and without, I believe, adequate explanation of essentials or primary knowledge that would make the text more accessible, and I have tried to address that, and to cover several subjects that he doesn't.
Anyway, eventually the manuscript was finished in June this year and it’s being considered for publication by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA). TRADA seem to be genuinely interested in publishing my manuscript but are expressing some concern about how much they would have to charge, and how many woodworkers, professional, amateur, and others would buy it for them to make a profit on the venture. The manuscript is large I admit, covers a lot of ground, and has a great many images, and the impression I’m getting is that they are thinking the price of the finished book could be in the region of £35- £50, which might seem quite a bit, but over a year that's less than a pound a week.
The question is therefore, would you be willing to pay this sort of amount for a book on this subject, a subject that I believe is very important in our endeavours as woodworkers? If I could get some feedback and it’s generally positive, i.e., "Yes, I think I'd buy it", I can pass this back to TRADA, and that might be just enough to help persuade them to go ahead and publish. To help you make up your mind I have attached a synopsis of the text along with the manuscript’s Table of Contents below my signature.
Thanks in advance for your consideration and feedback, and apologies for the long post. Slainte.
________________________________________
Synopsis for
Trees, Wood and Woodworking:
Wood Know-How for the Woodworker
by
Richard Jones
________________________________________
Trees, Wood and Woodworking is an academically referenced and peer reviewed manuscript on timber technology written by a woodworker for other woodworkers. Most books on wood science are a challenging read because the subject can be very involved and highly complex, and this is surely because almost all the authors are timber technologists writing mostly for their fellow wood scientists or students of the subject. The primary driver for writing the manuscript was to create a text for an international readership that makes timber technology accessible to those without a scientific background, but perhaps with some knowledge of the subject through being an existing professional woodworker, or for those beginning a career in woodworking, along with catering for amateur woodworkers and even the general reader with an interest in the field. Significant effort has been expended to find ways to explain those elements of the subject that are especially challenging through, for example, such means as analogies, explanation of terminology and technical terms where required, and clear examples used in various formulae and calculations.
Core subjects include the physiology of trees, their worldwide distribution; tree felling, calculating log yield, log conversion, seasoning methods and drying faults. The subjects of water and wood along with wood movement and stability are discussed with sample calculations for wood expansion and contraction, along with appearance grading and strength grading, as well as fungi and wood, and insect pests and wood. Characteristics of timber are outlined, e.g., figure, texture, knots, shakes, et cetera, along with issues relating to wood strength and its use in structures and concluding with a section on ecological and environmental issues relating to trees, forests, wood use, et cetera. In addition to tackling these core topics the text also looks briefly at such subjects as socio-political issues, balanoculture, ancient trees and forests, deforestation in antiquity, the effect of The Black Death on forest regeneration in Europe, et cetera, with the purpose of rounding out a woodworker’s knowledge in the subject, supplemented by links through quotations and the bibliography to further reading.
Please see the Table of Contents below listing the main subjects covered.
Section 1 Introduction
Section 2. Tree Distribution
Section 3. Tree Classification, Growth and Structure
Section 4. Roots, Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Germination, Transpiration, Woodland Regeneration
Section 5. Felling, Conversion and Yield
Section 6. Water, Water Vapour and Wood
Section 7 Coping with Wood Movement: Dimensional Change, Distortion, Moisture Cycling and Stress Release (Kickback)
Section 8 Seasoning or Drying of Wood
Section 9 Drying Faults
Section 10 From the Kiln to the User
Section 11 Fungi
Section 12 Insect Pests
Section 14. Wood Strength and Structures
Section 15 Ecological and Environmental Issues
Glossary
Bibliography
Websites
Appendix. Shrinkage Factors for a Selection of Wood Species
Index
Anyway, eventually the manuscript was finished in June this year and it’s being considered for publication by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA). TRADA seem to be genuinely interested in publishing my manuscript but are expressing some concern about how much they would have to charge, and how many woodworkers, professional, amateur, and others would buy it for them to make a profit on the venture. The manuscript is large I admit, covers a lot of ground, and has a great many images, and the impression I’m getting is that they are thinking the price of the finished book could be in the region of £35- £50, which might seem quite a bit, but over a year that's less than a pound a week.
The question is therefore, would you be willing to pay this sort of amount for a book on this subject, a subject that I believe is very important in our endeavours as woodworkers? If I could get some feedback and it’s generally positive, i.e., "Yes, I think I'd buy it", I can pass this back to TRADA, and that might be just enough to help persuade them to go ahead and publish. To help you make up your mind I have attached a synopsis of the text along with the manuscript’s Table of Contents below my signature.
Thanks in advance for your consideration and feedback, and apologies for the long post. Slainte.
________________________________________
Synopsis for
Trees, Wood and Woodworking:
Wood Know-How for the Woodworker
by
Richard Jones
________________________________________
Trees, Wood and Woodworking is an academically referenced and peer reviewed manuscript on timber technology written by a woodworker for other woodworkers. Most books on wood science are a challenging read because the subject can be very involved and highly complex, and this is surely because almost all the authors are timber technologists writing mostly for their fellow wood scientists or students of the subject. The primary driver for writing the manuscript was to create a text for an international readership that makes timber technology accessible to those without a scientific background, but perhaps with some knowledge of the subject through being an existing professional woodworker, or for those beginning a career in woodworking, along with catering for amateur woodworkers and even the general reader with an interest in the field. Significant effort has been expended to find ways to explain those elements of the subject that are especially challenging through, for example, such means as analogies, explanation of terminology and technical terms where required, and clear examples used in various formulae and calculations.
Core subjects include the physiology of trees, their worldwide distribution; tree felling, calculating log yield, log conversion, seasoning methods and drying faults. The subjects of water and wood along with wood movement and stability are discussed with sample calculations for wood expansion and contraction, along with appearance grading and strength grading, as well as fungi and wood, and insect pests and wood. Characteristics of timber are outlined, e.g., figure, texture, knots, shakes, et cetera, along with issues relating to wood strength and its use in structures and concluding with a section on ecological and environmental issues relating to trees, forests, wood use, et cetera. In addition to tackling these core topics the text also looks briefly at such subjects as socio-political issues, balanoculture, ancient trees and forests, deforestation in antiquity, the effect of The Black Death on forest regeneration in Europe, et cetera, with the purpose of rounding out a woodworker’s knowledge in the subject, supplemented by links through quotations and the bibliography to further reading.
Please see the Table of Contents below listing the main subjects covered.
Section 1 Introduction
Section 2. Tree Distribution
Section 3. Tree Classification, Growth and Structure
Section 4. Roots, Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Germination, Transpiration, Woodland Regeneration
Section 5. Felling, Conversion and Yield
Section 6. Water, Water Vapour and Wood
Section 7 Coping with Wood Movement: Dimensional Change, Distortion, Moisture Cycling and Stress Release (Kickback)
Section 8 Seasoning or Drying of Wood
Section 9 Drying Faults
Section 10 From the Kiln to the User
Section 11 Fungi
Section 12 Insect Pests
Section 14. Wood Strength and Structures
Section 15 Ecological and Environmental Issues
Glossary
Bibliography
Websites
Appendix. Shrinkage Factors for a Selection of Wood Species
Index
