About Books: Old, worn out and irrelevant

[Foxtower]

Outdated, worn out and irrelevant

While the title applies this isn't about the farmer here. It's about the rest of the craft books in the library!

I think the best way to learn a craft is with a teacher, if you can find one. In a world without teachers readily available I sought to learn new crafts from books. Books are inexpensive, tangible, require no electricity, can be reviewed and annotated endlessly and are personal property that I can sell, give away or donate for others to enjoy.

Learning a craft from a book is a process of discovery. As one can't read a book about flying and then actually fly a plane, one can't learn a craft unless one does it. On the way there could be confusion, mistakes, frustration and when successful ultimately the discovery of a kind of understanding. Not only understanding the craft attempted, but also a deeper understanding that draws from and contributes to all the skills a person has. And then there's the simple fact that skills have real dollar value, and book learning can result in very real income doing something I enjoy. At least that's been my experience with books.

There's a pile of craft books on the table in the library. Too many craft books, the fruit of forty years of book stores, thrift stores and library book sales that I know I'll never do anything more with. But gee, what if someday I actually have the patience for Oragami? (The Art of Oragami by Randlett) What if I ever get rich enough to actually restore an antique car? (How to Restore Your Collector Car by Brownell) What if I get so old and decrepit the only craft I can do is making paper airplanes to throw at the nurses? ( Worlds Greatest Paper Airplanes and Toy Book by Laux) Time to get real! I'm getting too damn old to learn too many new tricks. I got enough crafts I'm already trying to master. It's time to thin out the library.

My previous “About Books” entries are five craft books that have had quite an impact on me. A few of the remaining books I'll hang on to such as the 1982 Audel “Carpenters and Builders Library” by Ball from which I learned to make stairs, or the “Furniture Doctor” by Grotz that has a great recipe for refinishing very old furniture easily. A couple others perhaps, but most of the pile is either outdated, worn out, or irrelevant to me. Many are still in good shape and could be relevant to someone else. Perhaps someone else want's to learn learn to build kites ( Making and Flying Stunt Kites and One Liners by Schimmelpfenning), or master wood carving (You Can Whittle and Carve by Gottshall).

Perhaps one of those books could yet touch someone's life in a meaningful way.

Time to donate them to goodwill.

[Jim]

Good points. I have some (many!) books like that, but I tend to skim through them irregularly just for fun. I really enjoy the old tips & tricks books or those that contain a bunch of projects for kids.

One of the former is Farm Conveniences: A Practical Handbook for the Farm by Anonymous. It's so old (19th century) that half the practical problems it deals with aren't with us any more. They're fun to read about just because of the glimpse into the past. My review (the only one on GR) describes the book in more detail. You can find it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Homespun Crafts by E. Kenneth Baillie was written in the 1950s & is supposed to be cool stuff to teach to kids, but half the materials aren't available & some of the things kids are asked to do would have the helicopter parents crashing in panic. It's fun to read just for the humor in imagining the last. My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[Jaye]

Foxtower wrote: "Outdated, worn out and irrelevant

While the title applies this isn't about the farmer here. It's about the rest of the craft books in the library!

I think the best way to learn a craft is with a ..."

Upon your recommendation i just ordered Furniture Doctor from the library. I have a table needing attention.

[Jaye]

Jim wrote: "Good points. I have some (many!) books like that, but I tend to skim through them irregularly just for fun. I really enjoy the old tips & tricks books or those that contain a bunch of projects for ..."

Whenever i go in an antique store, or a used books store, i look for the tips and ticks type stuff. Those thin cookbooks put out by companies too.
A lot of time can be spent pawing through the ephemera!

[Foxtower]

Jim wrote: "Good points. I have some (many!) books like that, but I tend to skim through them irregularly just for fun. I really enjoy the old tips & tricks books or those that contain a bunch of projects for ..."

Reminds me I've got a similar book (not close as I'm online at the library) with country skills from raising chickens to doing a root cellar, etc. etc.. A book that isn't getting donated because there are tricks I use occasionally!

[Foxtower]

Jaye wrote: "Foxtower wrote: "Outdated, worn out and irrelevant

While the title applies this isn't about the farmer here. It's about the rest of the craft books in the library!

I think the best way to learn a..."

Hey Jay.. Don't believe it when it tells you how to fix peeling veneer! In my experience the only way to fix veneer is tear it off and put on a new piece!

The recipe for refinishing old crackled furniture is the equivalent to the "Homer Formby" stuff, and much cheaper if you make it your self! (Only two ingredients)

[Jaye]

Foxtower wrote: "Jaye wrote: "Foxtower wrote: "Outdated, worn out and irrelevant

While the title applies this isn't about the farmer here. It's about the rest of the craft books in the library!

I think the best w..."

Ok, but I'm not tackling my chipped veneer bedroom chests. The heck with it. It's not disastrous...besides, if you live with it long enough you don't even notice anymore.

The table is solid wood ,Stickley-like, round, that an old neighbor (when i lived in Vermont) had sawed the legs down to a height that was useful for him. I've been using it as a plant table for years. I guess I'm considering re-doing it.
Probably not until Spring though when i can open the cellar door.
It was 3 here the other morning.

[Jim]

I've fixed veneers in a variety of ways & it's a job I usually hate. It's really tough to match type & color well - for me at least. It's a finicky job cutting it back & fitting in a new piece, too. Unless it's a really nice piece or the hole is on a table top, I usually just sand it smooth & stain the underlying wood to something close. As Jaye points out, no one notices it after a short time.

It's common to find veneer bubbled up due to water damage. That can be sliced & pressed down with some new glue under it. I use an old clothes iron. That can work really well when hide glue was used since it softens it & allows things to settle in well.

[Foxtower]

Hey Jaye....You have better luck than I do!

[Jaye]

Foxtower wrote: "Hey Jaye....You have better luck than I do!"

I'm confused...better luck?

I've got to start going through my book collection and weed out the ones I'm never going to need. A ton of them have been around for decades and it has become obvious (with age and accepting reality) that I'm not going to do certain things.
Plans change too.

[Foxtower]

Jaye wrote: "Foxtower wrote: "Hey Jaye....You have better luck than I do!"

I'm confused...better luck?
as in better luck repairing veneer than I have! I had a water damaged door and after trying to deal with the bubbles to no avail I tore off as much veneer as I could and filled it in with epoxy (painted door)... two years later it still looks great!

[Jaye]

Foxtower wrote: "Jaye wrote: "Foxtower wrote: "Hey Jaye....You have better luck than I do!"

I'm confused...better luck?
as in better luck repairing veneer than I have! I had a water damaged door and after trying ..."

But i haven't repaired any. I either just live with it, or try to color match the underlying wood where it's split up in a strip.
Turns out one of the cats thinks it's fun to peel off loose pieces.
Oh well, I've entered the "whatever " stage of life !

[Jaye]

I'm interested in hearing more about old books.
Many, for one reason or another, are far from being irrelevant!

[Jim]

What's the best glue to use to fix book spines?

[Jaye]

Jim wrote: "What's the best glue to use to fix book spines?"

Usually a conservation glue so it doesn't deteriorate.
If it's just a paperback of mine I'll just use a Golden matte gel that is hanging around anyway.

https://www.gaylord.com/c/Conservatio...
Info here

[Jim]

Thanks. I never heard of Golden matte gel nor would I have thought to use it. I was thinking more along the lines of rubber cement.

[Jaye]

Jim wrote: "Thanks. I never heard of Golden matte gel nor would I have thought to use it. I was thinking more along the lines of rubber cement."

Everything conservation these days is acid free.
If you don't care about the book i guess use what you have.
I have the Golden hanging around because i used to do collage a lot.
Only occasionally now.

[Jaye]

Jim wrote: "Thanks. I never heard of Golden matte gel nor would I have thought to use it. I was thinking more along the lines of rubber cement."

I looked it up. It says, " modern rubber cement is acid free".
I have no idea what constitutes "modern ".