tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post2688971631936181020..comments2023-12-20T21:39:44.422-05:00Comments on The Part-Time Woodworker: I Bought It, I Read It, I Don’t Get It.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-9121034000309719122009-07-02T17:19:17.135-04:002009-07-02T17:19:17.135-04:00Mitchell,
Your thoughts/opinions as initially stat...Mitchell,<br />Your thoughts/opinions as initially stated needed no clarifications. They were clear & concise and appreciated by those of us who are not so focused upon the historical, but the practical.<br /><br />Thank you for this blog entry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-9411282095731960352009-07-01T14:00:43.201-04:002009-07-01T14:00:43.201-04:00Hey, Gary, if anyone would know that basis of a hi...Hey, Gary, if anyone would know that basis of a historical work, it would be you.<br /><br />I appreciate your comments.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />MitchellMitchellhttp://theparttimewoodworker.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-16700924188462558582009-07-01T13:09:16.493-04:002009-07-01T13:09:16.493-04:00Jumping into the fray...
1. Joseph Moxon did know...Jumping into the fray...<br /><br />1. Joseph Moxon did know quite a bit of what he wrote. He was a maker of globes, maps and various scientific instruments. His knowledge covered the skills needed in working wood, metal, glass. He was an experienced typemaker (wood and metal), printer, publisher, etc. He, like most people of his day, was not an expert in everything. It was considered to be the 'thing' to be a well rounded Scientist (intelligentsia) which included knowledge of all things philosophical, physical and elemental. Even if said knowledge was not of great depth at times.<br /><br />Mechanick Exercises was intended to expose the secrets behind the trades involved in the building of houses, not the furntiture maker, who was often the joiner who helped to build the house. Furniture not being a particularly big item at that time.<br /><br />2. Yes, Mechanick Exercises is an historical document in many ways. Part social statement, part secrets debunker, part an example of political activisim. It presents a basis from which we can figure out why and how we do things now, particularly in wood. Which doesn't mean it's a primer in woodworking. If you don't have a particular interest in the history of the development of trades and crafts, the title, in any iteration, will not be for you. If your goal is to learn to make dovetails in a 'traditional' method, this is not the book that will do so.<br /><br />3. Example: Charles Hayward is taken to be the end all and be all of wood authors. Yet, he was not the first. There are authors who predate Hayward from whom he drew his training and writing styles. Reviewing their work gives the user insight into why and how Hayward chose to emphasize particular tasks.<br /><br />4. All that said, I'm a Bookman, Ephemerist, Woodworker, etc and that does colour my perception of things. However, I also don't jump to critique a title without first determining why it was written, for whom it was written and when. Richard Sennett wrote an amazing book on Craft which I would not recommend as a rule. He follows a very convoluted set of reasonings on the development of craft which gives me headaches. But if you want to discuss the origins and meaning of craft, his is the book to start with.Gary Robertshttp://toolemera.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-46662850217902815112009-06-30T07:54:53.109-04:002009-06-30T07:54:53.109-04:00Man, you guys are really scaring me.
Kevin, I get...Man, you guys are really scaring me.<br /><br />Kevin, I get very nervous when someone takes my word for something. I'm married. I'm not used to it.<br /><br />Alan, your welcome, although "courage" wasn't anywhere near my mind when I wrote it. <br /><br />Chris.......er..........aww.........Hi.Mitchellhttp://theparttimewoodworker.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-76252604933213392122009-06-30T06:30:49.067-04:002009-06-30T06:30:49.067-04:00Mitchell,
You are not alone. Lots of people don&#...Mitchell,<br /><br />You are not alone. Lots of people don't get much from Moxon. But it is the first English language woodworking book, and that is why we republished it.<br /><br />Drop me a line at chris.schwarz@fwmedia.com and we'll get you a refund.<br /><br />ChrisChris Schwarzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11742348342763630688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-66849578634427002732009-06-29T16:48:38.453-04:002009-06-29T16:48:38.453-04:00Thank you for this sincere review (is hardly to fi...Thank you for this sincere review (is hardly to find someone in woodworking blogsphere who has the courage to criticise anything sponsored by Christopher Schwarz).Alan Fordnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8400893002010595000.post-64053860969381138702009-06-29T12:16:22.877-04:002009-06-29T12:16:22.877-04:00That you for posting this. I've been debating...That you for posting this. I've been debating buying this book and it sounds like my procrastinating paid off. Based on your information, I would have came away feeling like I wasted my money too.Kevin Kuehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02891946105497188294noreply@blogger.com