A new timber tech book. Would you buy it?

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Sgian Dubh

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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
 
Its an interesting list of topics but for that price point I wouldn't part with my hard earned. I think the problem you'll have is that with the information explosion on the web and particularly for woodworkers on youtube....there is a significant format shift underway. I think the day of the huge content rich volume is giving way to a specific search of either a forum like this or an internet environment. It costs nothing and is always "up to date".

Sorry to pour cold water on the idea because you've clearly put a lot of effort into it :-( But I guess you want people to be realistic to help make the call.
 
Random Orbital Bob":1gse9mbe said:
Its an interesting list of topics but for that price point I wouldn't part with my hard earned. I think the problem you'll have is that with the information explosion on the web and particularly for woodworkers on youtube....there is a significant format shift underway. I think the day of the huge content rich volume is giving way to a specific search of either a forum like this or an internet environment. It costs nothing and is always "up to date".

Sorry to pour cold water on the idea because you've clearly put a lot of effort into it :-( But I guess you want people to be realistic to help make the call.

The only problem with the internet and youtube is the amount of rubbish out there, I am sure Richard's book would be well thought out and accurate information - theres nothing like teaching to make you learn, students question you and you have to question yourself. But you are right the price point is always a difficult one to overcome.
 
Random Orbital Bob":1pw2e2fv said:
It costs nothing and is always "up to date".
... and often inaccurate of course, or worse, because the work may not be peer reviewed or otherwise checked for factual accuracy, safety, best practice, etc, which you didn't mention, ha, ha.

Random Orbital Bob":1pw2e2fv said:
Sorry to pour cold water on the idea because you've clearly put a lot of effort into it :-( But I guess you want people to be realistic to help make the call.
What you say may be right, but I'm trying to avoid self publishing and perhaps sales via the internet, or going down the e-publishing route, bot of which might be possibilities. Slainte.
 
Having read a lot of the information on your posts, Richard, I think that I would probably buy this at £35. I think I would struggle to justify £50 for it, even though I don't doubt the content would be worth that, but it is a lot of money.
 
I would buy as well, but like the others have said, why don't you use something like LuLu ? You can do amazing things with adobe and some time and their books look really great. I made myself some great manuals for my flight simming, using .pdfs .
 
It sounds like information I would like to have, but unfortunately, as others have said, it is unlikely I'd see myself buying it at the price mentioned.
 
Hi Richard. It looks a very comprehensive study but how truly international is it? I see from the Table of Contents references to the UK, Europe and North America but how well are the Australasian timbers covered? That would be a must for me.
 
I would certainly be interested in buying the book. However, the suggested price range is a bit steep. £35 is probably just about OK but at £50 I wouldn't imagine that it would fly off the shelves.......

Cheers :wink:

Paul
 
To slightly buck the trend, if the information contained within is as detailed and diverse as the index list, then I think £50 is probably undervalued. I would certainly be keen to purchase a copy. In comparison to a new(ish) textbook, by Gore and Gilet, on the construction of acoustic guitars, your volume is considerably cheaper.
Technical texts are frequently expensive, due I imagine in part to the limited number of purchasers and the need for highly specific and accurate information. So I genuinely don't think your price is unreasonable. Especially given the price several of us are willing to pay for tools that get little use.
Good luck, and please reserve me a copy,

Adam

P.s info on Aussie timbers would be quite interesting too.
 
I think this could be the bargain of the century and I struggle to understand why a woodworker who will happily pay many hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds on tools would start penny pinching on the most valuable asset of all - knowledge!

I would happily pay £50 plus for a well written reference book from a peer reviewed expert, in fact I have done on many occasions. One of my most treasures reference books is Larousse Gastronomique and that was £60 and is my second copy as I wore out the first
 
That seems a comprehensive coverage of the subject. I would buy. In fact I want one now, do hurry up and publish.
 
Having recently read Hoadley's 'Understanding Wood', I found it reader unfriendly - having to re-read several passages to understand the author's point. So, something similar, but written in plain, understandable, english would be welcome. However, I would not pay £50 for it, even though I suspect that might be the correct 'value'.

At a pinch £35 might tempt me.
 
Sounds good. I'd buy it. Books are very good value compared to say, magazine subs. £50 worth of magazines and you'd have very little worth keeping.
 
Richard
I would buy it but I think you will struggle to sell enough. Many people who would benefit from this will not spend that much on a book. The reality is it is students who need it. If it is essential reading for the syllabus it would help. Have you spoken to Taunton or the Lost Art Press.
Good luck.
 
The contents list sounds fascinating and knowing how indepth and well you write from postings on the forum Richard, and from the quality of work you do, I would see your book as a must have item.

All that accumulated knowledge and research needs to be made available to others somehow, it would be a tragedy if it were not !

Cheers, Paul
 
Actually £50 isn't that expensive for a specialist publication. I've paid over £200 for one book and I'm not exactly the richest guy around. I guess it all comes down to how much you value the information supplied within it. Any serious woodworker should have a technical text that is as comprehensive as the index listing suggests. I'd buy it at £50 (providing I'm still in work!). I'd also buy it at £35 :wink:
 
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