tsterling Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 It’s finally done! Thank goodness…turned into sort of a love/hate thing. I finally finished my eBook on how to carve netsuke (at least how I do it…). It’s been two years (actually 10 years, including the first version) in the making. The book is 361 screen sized pages in length, 18 megabytes, in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, and free. You can find the link on the front page of my web site: My Webpage Hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think about it… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Wow! What a concept for a helpful book! I've got a soda straw, more like a coffee stir stick connection/modem speed. It will take three hours at 1 MB/10 minutes. Maybe I can do it at a friend's house. I am eager to have a long look at it. Bravo! What an accomplishment. Thank you for this ! PS: I did take the three hours, and now have it! Thanks Tom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toscano Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Superb!!! Congratulations on finishing it and thank you so much for making it available. It seems my weekend is suddenly booked up -t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnus homestead Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 THANK YOU TOM!! Your work is superb. Thank you so much for sharing with such a generous heart! I will have to have my son download this for me on his super speed connection. I eagerly look forward to it. Blessings, Magnus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebraskarod Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Fabulous - As a new caver of Netsuke this is an appreciated resource. nebraksa rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastián Urresti Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 AMAZING BOOK! And very fast to download it, too! CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR SHARING MANY, MANY HOURS OF STUDY AND DEDICATION! Janel, I think that here´s the answer for the bone Ukibori that I´ve been asking earlier THANKS ONCE AGAIN!!!!!!!!! Sebas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 I appreciate all the hard work that has gone in to your guide. Thanks very much for your generosity Are you thinking of finding a suitable publisher for a bound copy, or will you keep things in a free .pdf file? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted September 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Thanks for the kind words, everybody. I hope the book is useful and enjoyable. Doug, I thought about selling it, but decided the little money it was likely to bring in versus the pain and agony of burning CDs and mailing, international customs agencies, shipping and currency exchanges just wasn't likely to compute. I've approached publishers in the past, to startlingly little interest. A few years back I applied for a grant from my state arts commission to put it into print and was told it was just too "esoteric" an issue. Surprising to me, considering the weird stuff they did provide grants for that year. Hence, I just decided a free download would be the best way to get the information into the real world, for real people. Netsuke have provided me with a lot of enjoyment over the years, a lot of really great carvers, collectors and dealers have provided help and advice to me, free of charge or obligation, so I figured I should try to pay something back to the world. Maybe if there was a little more of the sort of helpful attitude we carvers experience in our little groups, the world wouldn't be the sewer it is. Sorry for the rant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sanders Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 thanks! Don't worry about the rant- Goodwill starts at home AND this forum - every little bit helps. Now, if us generous and friendly carvers could run the UN... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bonham Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Tom, What a great book! A huge ammount of work! Thank you! Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert weinstock Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Tom, Thanks for all the work on the book. As soon as I have time to downlaod it, I will. I think lots of folks will appreciate it. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kelso Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Holy smokes Tom! That was a project! How generous to share all of that. I've only taken the briefest look through but will peruse more later. Thanks! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonecutter Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 wow, what a great book ! i just finished (a first) reading, and am amazed ... so many information, so many inspiration. thanks a lot for sharing this :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Aimetti Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Thanks for the kind words, everybody. I hope the book is useful and enjoyable. Doug, I thought about selling it, but decided the little money it was likely to bring in versus the pain and agony of burning CDs and mailing, international customs agencies, shipping and currency exchanges just wasn't likely to compute. I've approached publishers in the past, to startlingly little interest. A few years back I applied for a grant from my state arts commission to put it into print and was told it was just too "esoteric" an issue. Surprising to me, considering the weird stuff they did provide grants for that year. Hence, I just decided a free download would be the best way to get the information into the real world, for real people. Netsuke have provided me with a lot of enjoyment over the years, a lot of really great carvers, collectors and dealers have provided help and advice to me, free of charge or obligation, so I figured I should try to pay something back to the world. Maybe if there was a little more of the sort of helpful attitude we carvers experience in our little groups, the world wouldn't be the sewer it is. Sorry for the rant... Tom- A great book for a beginner like me into this style of carving. It proves what I said when I first signed on about people selflessly sharing their hard earned experience with the rest of us. What you have given away is inspiration and knowledge. Very good Karma that will reward you many times over. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Kahle Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Tom Let me add my thanks for the book. Being one with a soda straw connection it took nearly 2hrs to download and so far I have had time only to skim through the wealth of information contained in it. But I am curious as to ommissions of Maple and African Blackwood as being suitable for Netsuke? Thanks again for all your hard work. Dick Kahle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted October 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Hi Dick, The woods I included are only those I've had experience with. I have some blackwood but haven't carved any yet, although it looks like it should work fine. Janel has used some to great effect. Other than the dual heartwood/sapwood contrast, it looks about the same color, density and grain as ebony, so I never had a requirement for blackwood. Most maple I find slightly too coarse grained for netsuke, and there are better netsuke woods with similar blond color. Most of the nice specialty maples like birds eye, quilted, flamed, yada yada just don't work well for netsuke in my experience. Netsuke are just too small and too detailed to benefit much from those. Not to say that fits for all netsuke cases, of course, nor are all bits of maple are created equal. P.S. These are just policies and guidelines. The netsuke police have no jurisdiction over your choice of materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 OOhhh, shiver! Netsuke police! They caught me at the last few conventions with carvings with no himotoshi, and then threatened to drill them in on the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted October 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 Netsuke police! Once you've been accused there's no escape, no appeal and the jail term never ends. And by far the worst crime is himotoshi-less netsuke. I fear for you, Janel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Twilbeck Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Thanks Tom I have down loaded the book and will make use of it. I am working full time at my job and very little time for carving but the book will help me. Thanks again Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Twilbeck Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Tom thanks again for the wonderful book. On page 13 you show a sanding tool for the rotary tool. I have made and used something close to what you do. Will try the square paper. Have you seen the sanding stars? I made some for use with rotary tools like the dremel type. I cut 200 grit cloth backed, into 3/8th or 1/2 inch wide strips about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches long, hole in center place about 8 strips 4 facing one way and the other 4 facing the other. I have one made with sanding cloth, a very fine polishing sanding cloth. I also make one with nylon string for waxing, large one for waxing my boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Hi Ed, I've tried the commercially available sanding stars and found them expensive. I never really thought about making my own. I'll give it a try. I like the thought of the string thingies for applying finishes. Do you have photos and/or instructions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Shaw Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi Ed, I've tried the commercially available sanding stars and found them expensive. I never really thought about making my own. I'll give it a try. I like the thought of the string thingies for applying finishes. Do you have photos and/or instructions? Hi Tom, I can only echo everyone else's sentiments regarding your generous spirit, and delight in the availability of an extremely useful reference work/ book. A Masatoshi for the 21st C. All power to your rant, and many thanks. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Great reading, wonderful tips, and loads of help in your book. Thank you for sharing all your information and hard work. I (and many others from the comments I've read here) really appreciate all your time, effort, and your willingness to share with us. I would really like to try the Precious Metal Clay (PMC) but you did not provide information about where to get it (or if you did I missed it). If you would provide that information I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for being so generous with your knowledge and time. Jimmy McNeil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsterling Posted October 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hi Jimmy, I order PMC through RioGrande jewelry supply. Here's a link: RioGrande Jewelry Supply You have to call them and set up an account before you can log in. 20 grams of original PMC are about $30. It's also available a lot of other places. For more info go to: PMC Guild Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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