Writing a book on sawmilling

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I could not disagree with you more.

I really like the idea of a book. I'm allready allocatin my next change jar proceeds to buying it. But if this book is coming directly out of the FF then there MUST be a section on FOOD or atleast grits! Mabe  spaced between sections there could be notes from the FF about our ongoing food fight.

kinda like'

" Now when you have a manual bandmill a good thing to do before you enter your cut would be to take a line of site down your blade and make sure your dogs are out of the way. Cause when a band hits a log dog the sawyer will get a look on their face just like that time Jeff tried grits!"

Jon

[Jeff]

If done right, it would certainly need to contain humor from the forum.

[Coon]

If we are going to write this book n sawying then we are going to also have to write a cook book.  It could be named Forestry Forums Favorite Recipes.     I have already got many of them typed up on the computer (my favorites I should add). 

And  YES there would have to be a whole section dedicated to Grits. ;D ;D

[isawlogs]

 I like the idea of the recipe book . 

[Dan_Shade]

all right, all right, I edited my list to include food   ;D

this could turn into a huge project.  while I question humor in technical publications, there is certainly room for a human factor.  The old foxfire series did that very well with the interviews and stories they included in the books.  the same could be done in this effort.

[Jeff]

Actually, I think a cook book should be a seperate volume, but would be much easier.

[Coon]

I have a cookbook started with most of my favorite recipes that range from wild game to fish to beef to pork ..............  I think that I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 recipes so far.  I would be willing to share these recipes with our members and would send them to whomever will head up this cookbook.  I would be more than willing to help in any way, shape, or form to get these books started. ;)  Boy I can't wait..... new recipes from the world of Forestry Forum Members.  I can taste it already....... ;D ;D ;D

[Cedarman]

The cook book is where the knock down draggen' out is gonna be ;D ;D

[Jeff]

I just realized that I might be able to create a board with permissions where any member (or members group) can edit any post. Would that be something that might do it?

[whitey]

   I don't know about the cook book idea? My cooking is heating a can of beans or beef stew. There are already a zillion cook books. How about a short chapter called cooking and serving ala sawmill/ ;D ;D ;D
      Whitey

[ARKANSAWYER]

   I have had a few dear brave souls who have came and sawed with me for a few days.  Most said that I should write a book.   Knowing enough to not think that I know everything has kept me from the challange.  I know that Bibbyman has played with this some.
  Now when it comes to portable sawing with a hydralic mill it could be said that I have cut my tooth.   But the million bdft I have sawn on a circle mill aint a chip of sawdust in the pile of what is needed to know.

  To write the book someone needs to be in charge of each section with a head editor overall.   Then members can add their wealth of brain fodder to the areas that they know.  Tips, tricks and foresite in terms that are proper and someone like me can read is the key.   I have read books by PhD,s who think that by sawing you lumber 1/32 thinner will increase you profit by 4 %.   Been in the sawdust pile for a spell now and what looks good on paper does not always prove true in the woods.
   If we got all that we know down on paper it will take a 24 inch 8 ft log worth of paper to write it all.
  If you should have cheesey grits left over after dinner you can slice it in the morning, coat it with egg white and cornmeal and fry in bacon grease and have a quite teasty meal.

[farmerdoug]

Jeff, I think a seperate board would be an excellent idea.  Arky has a good idea on having individual sections or boards with each one its own moderator. 
I think of all the knowledge that is spreadout throughout  everyone would have an excellent home on the forum.  Being able to add some bits of personal knowledge and experience would make a suitable knowledge base.  Or as happens to most knowledge it will be lost.

Farmerdoug

[leweee]

Sawmill book.....cookbook....humour ....ahhhh. Titles like"Jeff's Foodmizer Adventure series".... Or "Tales of grits & sawdust" parts 1 & 2. " Home cures for sawdust addiction & why I own a sawmill" :D :D :D (come on boys & girls help me out ....I'm over my head....I'm drowning here...HHHHHEEEEEELLLLPPPPP)  :

[Engineer]

We should have chapters written or contributions from each member, find an editor who would be willing to take on the task of putting it all together in a readable format (something between a textbook and 'Sawmills for Dummies'), make sure to include recipes, humor and the occasional cartoon.  

As for striking it rich - forget Stephen King, call the book "Harry Potter and the Magic Swingblade" or something like that - sure to make somebody at least $1.47 after taxes and copyright infringment settlements.   :D

[Don_Papenburg]

This is a good Idea .  Most of what I have read is lacking in proper procedure to scale a log useing the various scales .  Many do not even tell of all the differant scales.
  How to grade the lumber is also a subject short of info in most books.
I hate too read a book that has all info down to the point stuffy info with no humor dashed about .  Abook like Roy Underhill would publish would be too my likeing.
  The section on food should be midday,,er ah midway through the book . And a blerb or two about cutting branch wood for the smoker at the end of the book .along with info on recipies for brines and such.
Also the differant tecniques for sawing ,quartering ,flat ,with the taper  ,How to get the most wide boardswith the best grain patterns ,etc  Maybe a stupid mistakes you don't want to make chapter .  Life is too short learn from others mistakes .

[Daren]

I like reading a good book every now and again, and have many I refer to often. But it is impossible to ask a book a question like I can this forum. I am sure there is a whole series of books could be written on the subjects discussed here that would sell. I would invest in that venture ,unless cktate is the chief financial officer, I have almost got took on some of his shell games. ( but if he gets to write the forward I will double my investment)
Until then I will keep visiting here and learning on my own to maybe contribute to the series.

[Furby]

Well I think the first step would be to iron out wether this should be done in volumes or as one big book.
Big books can be intimidating sometimes.
I'm sure other hobbies and such are the same way, but some of you may know that B.A.S.S. has a series of books that they get HIGH $ for. Each one is a different technique or skill. Some are cookbooks, and some are more general like Rivers, Lakes, and so on.
I'm thinking that would really be the way to go, that way it can be ever changing and evolving. The first book could be an overview to milling in general and then the next one focus on types of mills, techniques for each mill type, log types and so on.
B.A.S.S. has some "Showcase" books that are kinda cool, and I could see us having a "Showcase" of pics or different projects and the like.
By doing this in different volumes, one book could be on the market right away while others are being worked on, and different folks could lend a hand on a volume that was more along their expertise.

[Daren]

Back to reality, we would all read it (like we do here for free) . But how to market it to the others? Furby is right about the glossy mags with the big fish. But I personally know 1000 fishermen and 10 sawyers. Jeff, you have a relationship with the sponsors, they reach interested people every day with the catalogs they send out selling thier product. I have bought from them, and I know some of the 3000? other members and members friends and friends of members friends... have too. Production is easy, the knowledge here is growing every day, marketing is the key. The info listed here can be split into 1000 issues as is stands (with a few pics and recipes) and more issues added daily as we plant, harvest, saw, dry, build, sell... None of my posts are copywritten or patented. I have not met a guy/gal here who was not willing to share or they would not do so freely.

[Furby]

If I remember right, WM has sold over 30k mills.
That's just one manufacture.
My point behind the volumes was we don't "need" to stay with milling.
There could be chainsaw volumes, timberframing, forestry, and anyone could buy the volume they wanted.
That sure would open things up a bit more.

[iain]

The book should be soft cover, large size   

with good quality pictures, as most of the poeple on the forum have a good amount of common sence, and can learn as much from a good pic as reading the article, which should be well written and to the point, with humour through out,
it needs to be the book you want to take to the throne room, to and read/flick through, and learn some thing new each time you look in (even if you have read it before), a book you have a personal affinity with,

250/ 280 pages 37/4 x 48/4
that will have enough space to cover the topics you need to get you from beguinner to about stand alone, with referances back to the forum,
a good quality distilate of the sujects,

But then the real need would be for the individual subjects in a lot of detail, from beguinner to stand alone and up to kick ass miller, with every thing covered in a series off books like Taunton press whip out, the currant forum headings aint far off what you need, and at 15/20 or 25 bucks apiece they would be a seriously good investment, and tax deductable

does any one now how or who to collate and edit, it would be a lobour of love for me but i know my limitations in the terms of patience,

but i (Linda)would be more than happy typing up all i know, along with how, but just as importantly why it works this way and not that, at the moment i cant think off anything i do that i would want to retain permission over,

i would hope that the forum sponsers would want to add to The Knowledge, as a book purchased along with a mill, would give their customer more of a leg up, even if they are only sawing for their own use

i think that there would be a market for about 25 two 30 thousand (of the core book) over 6 years around the world, by which time it, would be time for the up dated version to hit the wallet


  iain(still full)

[crtreedude]

Perhaps a pamplet approach would work well? Often here in the tropics that works - small books that give really useful information, not very expensive, but very worthwhile.

Many pamplets would be great - allow for PDF download for those who want to buy, but don't want to pay more for shipping than for the book itself.

I know my wife will kill me for this - but she is a professional editor. We might be able to convince her to help. Sad to say, she does like Grits... (oh the shame, the shame)

[iain]

She likes  WHAT?

you must have found that out, after you made the commitment,


you a BIG, BIG man for holding on in there



is it just me or anyone alse feel weird not working?


iain

[Jeff]

is it just me or anyone alse feel weird not working?

Well, I got this friend...

[iain]

I mean today

Linda or the boys wouldnt mind if i slipped of the work shop to play
but i'm staying put, just thinking how crap it is

day and a half off and cabin fever,



iain

[Weekend_Sawyer]

It Feels GREAT not going to the office for the rest of the WEEK!!!

Mabe this book could be a book of tips and how to's drawn straight from the FF.
You could read it cover to cover or go to the tip you could referance the section you like.

Jon