I'm sold out of the 6th printing of my book. I've been getting several calls trying to order a copy. There must be an active thread on a gunsmithing web page that is creating the interest. If you want, to can email me and be placed on a waiting list. That this point, I don't know if there will be a 7th printing, but if there is, I will send you a post card.

I want to thank all of you who purchased a copy, it sold more than I ever thought possible. Now for all of you gunsmithing craftsman out there.... Share all the information you have gathered over the years; don't take it to the grave with you.

Mark
I have to agree with you about sharing experiences and knowledge. We develop better gunsmiths by sharing the tips and techniques that took us years to learn with those just starting.

Mark,

You might consider publishing an edition of the manual as PDF files on a CD or DVD that can be printed by the customer when needed in the shop.

I do understand that there is some risk of losing control, but you'd make more than you would if there was not new printing.

You might offer the new medium to existing customers at a reduced price.

Just a thought.

I'm not sure I want to supply the book on a CD. But I'm sure I don't want 500 copies rotting on the floor of my basement. At the American Custom Gunmakers Guild show in January, I talked to Lary Potterfield of Midway about carrying it. There is a possibily it might be available from Midway sometime in the future.

I have a copy I would sell.

Mark;
I'd like to take a moment and Thank You for doing this book project... I'll build a few of the projects but mostly it got the gun building blood going again... Thanks! (I think)

Enjoy

Mark,

I apologize ... I failed to say the obvious and was reminded by srtrax.

I suggested a possibly flawed alternative to publication for the book because it would be a real shame to have such a valuable work completely out of print. Mark's book is a wonderful addition to the range available to the amateur (and even professional) machinist!

Thanks Mark!

Mark,

I didn't buy a book, but have reviewed some of it. It is great to see a gunsmith share his experiences and not be afraid to help all who needs the information. Too many of the great craftsman don't want anyone to see how they do certain projects.

I didn't write a book on stockmaking, but made the CD and DVD on my stock duplicator plans. My reason for these projects was to help the small shop people with a way to make stocks in their own shops.

I hope you will consider making the CD and DVD of your projects to show them in operation alive. It is a real project to video yourself and explain the operation. It is easy to take photo's of a project, but it is a challenge to video and speak at the same time while operating the machines. I make the statement that I am not a professional camera person. Most people who have recieved my DVD's can see what I mean.

I wish you the best with your projects

Les

You know Les, I will give video a thought. A video on a short subject might work. It might be a reason to buy a camera, but what about editing? Is there software available for that?

quote:

Originally posted by Mark_Stratton:
You know Les, I will give video a thought. A video on a short subject might work. It might be a reason to buy a camera, but what about editing? Is there software available for that?

What editing? A real gunsmith should be able to make a video that doesn't require editing, and on the very first try!

Mark, the Windows Vista Home Premium PC has the WINDOW MOVIE MAKER which you can edit the video and add SOUND OVER with a mic as well as add still pictures from a digital camera. It take a little time to make a final DVD, but once it is completed you are good to make as many as you like from your PC if you have the DVD burner program. You need a PC with 2 GB's of memory and a 200 GB's hard drive. It can take up to 100 GB's to make a DVD. This will make up about 1 hr of DVD to show when finished.

The PC will import the video with the wire hookup which is usually furnished with the camera. I use the Sony Digital 8 as I have several tapes made on an older Hi8 analog camera and the new Sony will convert these tapes to digital when playing back for review.

I use a free PDF program to convert any WORD written files to PDF so they will read like a magazine. Remember to save any original written works in the Word program so you can update the text when necessary. It is hard to open a PDF file to edit, but it can be done.

If I can help anymore PM me for more info.

I am looking for a copy of Mark's book. 22WRF sold his, is there anyone else willing to sell one?

It seems that I have several people who are looking for a copy of the book... If I were to make it available on a digital CD, what computer format would be the best. The problem I see down the road, is someone buying a copy and not being able to open the file that's recorded on the CD. You computer whizs out there... what is the best format out there? Should I make it availavle in several formats? What do you think? I wrote the book on Pagemaker and have found the orginal disk I sent to the printer....

Mark,

If you've got a registered version of Adobe Acrobat, you should be able to print directly to a .PDF file by selecting "Adobe Distiller" as the printer in your print menu - although I'm unfamiliar with Pakemaker - it shouldn't make any difference as the Distiller program emulates a printer.


Bryan

Do it as a .PDF file. The reader is a free down load for anybody that does not have it. Pagemaker will print directly into .PDF's

The 21st century way....Self publish via the internet. Have a web site set-up and show a few pages of the book and if someone is interested, they can pay online to get the "single use/limited time", access code to download the book. Then they can print it out on their own printer, spiral bind it to use in the shop or simply keep it on their computer.

It saves the costs of the printing, copying of CDs, distribution, etc... It makes your book more of a turn key operation also as you do not have to be around or even involved in a transaction, 24/7 sales tool. It's a thought. It might not work well for a fiction book but for a How To, it should work great.

If you do a video, you can use the same web page for it's download as well. This makes international sales very easy and may open up a whole new market.

Of course if you use "my" (not really new) idea, I want a free download and if you get rich you can take me on a hunting trip....

They have a lot of on-demand publishers who publish bound books only when the order is palced. Most of the books on Amazon that say "3 week wait" are not actually printed and bound until the order has been placed and money paid.

Or if you wanted to keep it as a 3-ring binder book, you could just print them at your house after the order was placed.

Just a thought

To print labels and burn CD is a low cost afair. It would cost around $8 to mail this book in the US but $25 to send it to Europe or down under. I just want a system that a customer could buy the CD and insert it into his computer and have the book available to read. As computers and software changes this might be not possible, but it sure would be nice..

Don't brush off my idea and I don't need anything for it, that was just a smartaleck comment.

This is not a Get rich scheme, it's your book and it works. I have downloaded several myself. The web site need not ever go out of date with technology. It "ships" for free. You don't have to be overly involved (You don't have to go to the post office, do the printing...). There are so many companies that can help you do this and for very low cost. HERE IS ONE. and another one I have not done this so I am not recommending any one company. If I ever write a book, I will. Just thought it might help. A SEARCH It doesn't look like it would be as complicated as it sounds.

for Mark's idea, you can check out:
Mark's idea I don't know that this is the best one, it's just one of them.
There are many others. There are companies that offer downloads or a person can order a hard copy printed and shipped. Amazon.com does this quite well and reaches a very large # of people.

I have purchased numerous books via the internet. Basically a download of an Adobe file.

The only thing I could see wrong with it is that I don't think people put as much value on something that they don't get to hold in their hands. I know for myself that there are many books that I would purchase in hardcover for a certain price that I would not pay nearly the same price for it if were just a download over the computer. But then of course you don't have the same expenses in making the books either. Six of one and half dozen of the other.

I too have a copy of Mark's wonderful book, in "as-new" condition, that I'd be willing to sell. Unfortunately, a great part of the book is based on the use of a milling machine, a luxury that I'd love to have but have no room for.

Mark, here is what I have used to write and make the Cd's. Google up these items for download and check them out. I found these several years ago. There is a chance that someone will copy your CD. I had a guy call me and wanted me to send him a set of my projects. He had seen and copied them from a friend, but liked them so well that he wanted to send money. WHAT A GUY!!!!

PDF995 is a free program available to download.

Use MS Vista Home Premium with WORD to write up the article.

After you have finished the written part and the pictures added into the text, you print to your PC using the PDF995 program to a separate file and name. Before you do anything make sure you save the original WORD document in case something goes wrong with your PDF995 conversion. All PC's should be able to read the PDF files. It has worked for me on my stock duplicator and other projects.

I use the ACOUSTICA CD label maker which you can download and use free for a short time. If you like you can pay $19.95 and get the unlock code.

The cost is low for the maker and you are in control. A Cd takes about 3 min to burn after the file is converted to the PDF format.

Shipping costs about $4.50 for the USPS carton and postage with the tracer helps to keep up with the item. Over the pond will cost about an extra $3.00. Sometimes a custom tag is required, but no problem.

The DVD is much harder to make and takes more time. Again once you have the info saved in your PC it takes about 15 minutes to burn a copy.

Trust me guys, I'm not trying to put anyone down here, I'm not informed about this process and need to learn about a book using a CD. I just want to create a big problem with customers and the changing times of computers and software. When you buy one of my products I want it to work from the get go...

However when someone calls me wanting to buy a book, I will refer them to this site and see if there is anyone willing to sell their copies. I will look into placing the book on a CD and selling it in this form.

Thanks guys for all your input... I will get this done..

We wish you the best. Take care and may God bless you and yours.

Mark:

You have a PM.