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| 16 February 2019 19:47
Ah I understand.
Good idea. I’ll take screenshots on the tablet and take it into the garage for reference. Thanks
| 11 February 2019 14:39
Martin - Sorry if I was unclear. The books are still printed but the actual printing process is digitally-based, rather than 'film-based', which is more and more old hat these days. It means that print runs can be smaller and on demand.
BTW: You can always pause a video, take and print out a screen shot of something you'd like to have on paper rather than screen.
| 09 February 2019 21:30
You’re welcome Denny
Chris. Thanks for the info. I’ll look forward to the digital publications. You’re right about the videos but my workshop has no WiFi so printed page was nice to have.
Digital fixes the problem though ????
| 04 February 2019 19:17
Guys - My books will be republished in the not too distant future, but with a different publisher using a digital rather than filmed-based process.
I can't say exactly when but as soon as we have any information we'll put it in the bulletin (which anyone can receive, without subscribing).
I think, Denny, that you are right in extolling the virtues of video for learning. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what about moving pictures? I wouldn't want to devalue my books - you get measured thoughts in a way you don't get with these videos - but, from an instructing point of view, there's nothing quite like seeing close up for believing.
| 04 February 2019 15:56
Martin, thanks for refreshing my mind about EBAY. I did just get a copy from an Amazon 3rd party vendor. Ran me $56 USD. There were more left at that price. On Amazon, they run from $98 to $900 to $5000 USD. The $5000 copy is "used acceptable". There are some moisture issues from warehouse storage. Really? It should be on gold leaf pages and signed by the author at that price.
I think the videos are more than needed to learn letter carving, but I have all Chris's books and wanted to add this to my collection at a price less than $5000.
| 14 January 2019 16:09
Hi
Just for everyone's info regarding the lettering book by Chris. If you monitor eBay patiently, it's possible to get one at a reasonable price. 2 went yesterday. I've got the cheaper one on the way (£14.99) the other one went for just over £20
Cheers
| 16 July 2018 00:13
Graham - The best advice I can offer you is to trial the carving on another piece of wood first, and see what happens. So much depends on the type of wood you are using - how much detail it will take. Raised lettering may well suit your celtic design more than incised lettering and you would see what depth will work best in your trial. Don't forget to slope the walls out 10 degrees or so for strength.
| 15 July 2018 11:09
Chris,
I am carving a Celtic love spoon and intend to inscribe it with "50 YEARS". This will be on a smallish central area about 12 x 4 cms, 2 cms into the rest of the spoon. What are the relative merits and difficulties of doing it as raised or cut in lettering? Thank you for any help / advice you can offer.
Graham Cawley
| 19 March 2017 23:17
Chris, thanks for the response and giving us hope!!!! It is hard to go about letter carving (even with these quality videos) knowing that there is a reference book by you out there beyond our grasp. :)
I will send an email to GMC and see if they have a any response.
| 19 March 2017 20:35
Denny - Good grief! I should have kept a few myself; I could have made far more than I ever have from royalties...
Really, it's the sort of thing the publishers (GMC Publications) should know. I am assured by them that this and my other books will be back in print sometime, hopefully soon. They are being converted to a digital print format.
You don't have to go far for a substitute! Everything, except a study of the Roman letter forms, which you easily find elsewhere, is available here.
| 17 March 2017 18:51
Chris, you mention your Letter Carving book in one of these videos and you recommended it to another in the comments. Since I have all your Pubs but this one seems to have eluded me. Off to Amazon. Well!!!! The book starts at $275. If you go into the "New/Used" section, the book starts at $385 and goes to $1,100. Most other sellers carry it "new" for around $550 and one for $3,000. Amazon UK is about the same as US.
The answer is simple, it is out of publication. But the price is unbelievable. A few years back I wanted a book (large Hardcover about 500 pages) on period furniture published by the Museum of Modern Art. It described the furniture and artisans in great detail, great pictures and talked about how styles (including carvings) changed as craftsmen moved up and down the east coast.
Anyway, new it was $40 when published. I ended up paying about $120 after it went out of publication. A three fold price increase and these craftsman were no longer with us.
It must be satisfying that your book is worth so much, especially given that the artist is still with us, and
thankfully so!!!
Now off to try to find a suitable substitute. Sigh...... :(
| 15 July 2015 06:00
Walter - I've lettered quite a few things inscriptions in end grain so, yes, you can certainly be successful! And well done for trying it out on scrapwood first, because it does feel very different.The main thing you need to master is slicing all your cuts. The normal way you would angle-cut your uprights (with a chisel and mallet) may tear the grain - it's as if you are trying to sharpen a pencil backwards - so stop short and finish the surfaces with slicing stokes. The curves are in some ways easier because you will be slicing anyway, and you are not alternatively going 'with' or 'against' the grain; it's all uniformly end on. Best of luck - let's see it in the gallery!
| 15 July 2015 01:16
Hi Chris, I'm working on a small stool with an irregular shape made of sycamore. I'm thinking that
the largest facet would be best for a 4 letter name of my grandson. However, it is end grain. Is this likely
to be successful? Are there any cautions? I plan to work on a scrap beforehand, though.
| 10 March 2014 10:12
Ann - Actually, I think of 45mm as quite a large letter size; I use it a lot for signs. The 100mm letter is really more about removing large amounts of wood, then cleaning up as if you were carving the side of something. The method of slicing is the key here; it gives you the cleanest surfaces and edges. Generally I use the biggest gouge I can at any point, it stops me making little cuts that I have to join together. Importantly, although the Auriou gouges have been chosen to fit a particular alphabet (you can find it in the Download section), they are just carving gouges, nothing special. Exactly what gouges you need for curves does depend on the font as well as the size. I'd suggest you just start off, perahps with the Auriou alphabet and once you have the technique, see what and how you need to adapt for different sizes.
| 09 March 2014 12:21
Chris, I'm starting to practice letter carving... You're "Auriou" letter chart is set up for 45mm letters. Your "large letters" are almost 100mm. For in between sizes, let's say "medium", does one extend the small letter techniques or apply, adapt the large letter techniques more?
| 22 December 2012 02:02
For some reason the video 'poster' is failing to show, but the video plays. Am working on it!
