I wrote a novel and did the typeset myself on word and then spiral bound it. It was about 435 pages and cost about 20 dollars a pop to have them printed and fabricated.
In 1995, 3,000 copies of my hard-cover Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges -- 608 pages, 8.5�11, Smyth-sewn, case-bound, heavy acid-free paper, and laminated covers -- cost me about $6.50 for printing and binding, another buck for freight from Michigan. The "secret" is to have it done by a book-manufacturer, not a job-printer.
I'm finishing the details of Inside the Rifle, which will be a book of fewer pages in a smaller format (6�9) but otherwise to be printed and bound to the same specs as Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges. I hope to be able to have 5,000 copies done and have absolutely no idea what the unit cost will be. The killer is the cost of the paper, which yo-yos up and down like mad. The freight is sure to be crazy this year, too.
A book on the many ways to estimate distances in the field would probably have to be another 6�9, with fewer pages than the 300 or so that I expect Inside the Rifle to be. I don't think it'd sell well, which would mean a smaller printing with correspondingly higher unit costs. My rough guess is that 1,000 copies would cost about half as much to print and bind as 3,000 or maybe even 5,000 copies. Paying twice as much to have 2,000 or 4,000 unsold copies stored and taxable each year wouldn't make much sense, however much it may lower the unit cost.
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
Dr. Ken, Your chain is in the mail. It was mailed at 9:00 cdt by priority mail. I don't know how much you know about these, but it was put up right handed and "thrown". If I can be of further help, please ask. miles
Yes, I know how to put-up, "throw," and "unthrow" a chain -- one of those long-unused skills that once acquired is never forgotten. And I'm right-handed. I'm curious to see what an old CE friend can show me about "double-throwing" a chain -- something I've heard about only from him.
I'll also very carefully study the old ICS guide to chain surveying, "for old times' sake" and for anything that may be useful background for my article (book?) -- not because there's any danger that I'll do any surveying any time soon.
Somewhere or other, years ago, someone gave me an old Lufkin brass plumb bob, the kind that used to be used for precise work with a chain, and I'm sure it'll also welcome your chain as a long-lost old friend. I've used it as I would any other plumb bob -- especially to plumb the vertical cross-hair when I mount a scope on a rifle.
Among the stranger goodies that I got from Homer Powley is an old (pre-WW1) Weldon range-finder. About a month or so ago, I bought a very nice, clean copy of the 1909 Ordnance Department manual for it. As issued, the Weldon came with a long steel tape that the terse description in the manual suggests was at least very similar to an engineer's chain -- different in that it was painted olive-drab. So along with that old plumb bob and the Weldon range-finder, your chain will become part of a very cherished "set" that I hope will be of some useful interest to readers. Many, many thanks!
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
Obviously you are miles and miles ahead of me on all of this, but here is one other idea!
What about this print on demand option they tout now? You get it all typeset in some format and then they punch a button and five or fifty or five thousand books spit out????
Do that! heh heh heh, in any case... if you did a thorough job wouldn't you book be sort of a text? Seems it would be useful for the military too. I don't know of any text totally devoted to this subject and it is of interest to military and hunters and police.
Sell em at gun shows! (I know- a lot of hassle)
In any case, I want one!
Print it in the fold over pamphlet format? Ain't that cheaper still? Make it two volumes, or three- cheaper yet???
I can double throw a chain. All you have to do is, after you throw it the first time, throw it the second time like you would a band saw blade. I used to have a supervisor who could throw a chain one handed. I have tried and tried with no good results. miles
... What about this print on demand option they tout now? You get it all typeset in some format and then they punch a button and five or fifty or five thousand books spit out???? ... In any case, I want one! ...
It isn't quite as good an idea as it may seem, but it does suggest a moderately workable alternative, which I may try --
I'm going to put as much into this as I can, to see just how big a book it'll become. Then I'll consider printing sets of loose pages on my HP laser printer and punching 'em for three-ring binders, for individual sales to the first few who want 'em badly enough to buy 'em and provide their own binders. Results will tell me whether it's worth while to invest in printing and binding a hefty supply of real books. The loose-leaf version won't be cheap, so only the truly interested and desirous will spring for 'em. If they're too few, that'll be the end of it.
I've already invested a good-sized wad of money in research and pertinent artifacts for this project (and will have to spend more) and won't get enough from an article to fully recover my investment.
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
It's already over 11,000 words (24 typed pages, 8��ll) of text, notes, and outline -- with a lot yet to be written and none of the illustrations drawn or photographed yet.
Already certain: All this will take a book to cover it thoroughly. It's already 'way too long for an article (usually 1,200 to 2,000 words), with no obviously convenient place to slice it into a series of two or more articles.
Like revisiting old haunts, going back into old studies has its appeal, so I'm enjoying this. Maybe I can trim enough fat off this long version, after I finish it, to make it fit inside the covers of a magazine.
Not yet certain: Am I wasting my time?
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
It is my opinion that an exhaustive study on any subject is a worthwile endeavor, and any book like that is prized highly. But I tend to enjoy reading. But if someone could pick up your book and read all the different angles and all the little quirky doo dads it would become a text book. Don't you think it would have a market in the military and LE communities at the very least?
If I could start reading at square one, do the math review so I was not lost, I would love that book.
I'll buy a copy of a rough draft for starts! 8.5x11 sheets in a notebook would do.
I noticed your name as a contributing editor to the Varmint Hunters magazine.
That is one class act! I love that magazine. It has a slight amatuerish flair to it that keeps it real and the articles are not all chopped up, and it is so informative. And every once in a while a photo of that attractive lass... whats her name??? hah hah hah,,, only kidding.
And every once in a while a photo of that attractive lass... whats her name?
If you're talking about Christy, you won't be seeing her in the magazine any more. She and her husband have left Varmint Hunters for parts and endeavors unknown to me.
I share your admiration for Christy and will forever cherish the memory of the moment when we became friends.
At my first VHA Jamboree, another ol' phardt and I sat chatting in the shade at the range when Christy walked by -- delicious in short shorts and tank top -- sweet enough to spread on toast. She paused a few yards from where we sat, and I walked over to her.
"Christy, I'm concerned about you," I said, with my Supreme Court face on. She swung around, puzzled.
"'Concerned?' About me? Why?"
"Well, when we met this morning," I said, "I noticed that you were collecting hugs from a lot of the guys coming in, and that's got me worried." She got a worried look on her face.
"Why are you worried about that?"
"Well," I said with a grin, "I'll check with you at the end of this thing [the Jamboree], and if you haven't met your quota, I'll make-up the difference."
She gave a delighted little squeal, threw her arms around me, and didn't let-go right away. We chatted a little. She went on her way, and I went back to my chair.
What did you say to her?" the other ol' guy asked. "I want to try it too." Christy -- behind him now -- heard him, stopped, turned around, and grinned.
"Oh, that's our secret," I said, and winked at Christy.
We never did get her quota filled, though we tried at every Jamboree for several years.
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
After my nap this afternoon, a possible solution occurred to me -- where to split this super-long piece into two articles, each of which would still be pretty long. However, I have no idea how to set an asking price on the loose-leaf print-outs. I'm afraid that any amount that would make it worth my while would be 'way too much to expect anybody to cough-up.
At the moment, it seems logical to me to devote the first segment to the several ways of measuring ranges, then to cover the trig and estimating ranges in the second segment -- or possibly direct measurement and the trig first, then the ways and means of estimating (using the trig) in the second segment -- whichever is more nearly an even division.
The illustrations -- diagrams and photographs -- will take-up a lot of space in both segments.
You might be surprised by how many ways there are to measure distances afield -- and how crucial they are to good estimations.
The deeper I dig into this subject, the more good stuff I find.
Suggestions welcome.
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
FWIW, y'all, here (attached) is one of the drawings that I've made for How Far? in case you find it helpful before I get around to finishing the whole thing.
Other books already in the works have higher priorities, but this one keeps nagging at me, and I have to scratch where it itches or get even nuttier than usual. The post that began this thread asked for a math review, so here's a piece of its trig section.
If it isn't useful to you, your next move couldn't be simpler � just ignore the *&^%$#@! thing.
If you want something to worry about, consider this � I haven't proofed this drawing yet.
"Good enough" isn't.
Always take your responsibilities seriously but never yourself.
"The Church can and should help modern society by tirelessly insisting that the work of women in the home be recognized and respected by all in its irreplaceable value." Apostolic Exhortation On The Family, Pope John Paul II
Love your neighbor as yourself. Do not take into account a wrong suffered. Never return evil for evil. Resist not the violent man. Turn the other cheek, go the second mile, give to him that asks.
Ken, there is a publishing alternative you might want to try. We use it for making batches of 50 books for our Six Sigma students.
We have the pages double-side copied on a very high end copier, on nice matte coated stock. For binding, we have leatherette hard covers made up, and punched so that the whole assembly can be wire bound. This looks very nice, and has the advantage of laying flat when opened. We do a 285 page book that way for around $30. That's supportable for a specialty book.
We also have a "university edition" that is on very cheap open stock, thermally bound, that runs us about $11 in small quantities.
OK, now the long awaited pun:
Quote
An Indian here in Utah many years ago thought over the idea of polygamy, and decided to try it.
He negotiated a deal with a tribe in Idaho, and got himself a new wife from there. Since Idaho has plenty of deer, she came equipped with a deerskin rug, which she placed on the floor of their home, to make it her own.
Next, he negotiated a deal with a tribe in Montana. In due course, she arrived at the family home with her belongings in an elkskin rug. She unpacked, placing her elkskin rug on the floor of the family home to make it her own.
Looking for a little more variety, he negotiated another deal with a tribe in Africa. After what seemed like a long wait, she arrived with her belongings wrapped in a hippo skin rug.
Months went by, and new babies began to arrive. The Idaho girl had one child, the Montana girl had twins, and the African girl had triplets.
Do you know what this illustrates?
The squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws on the other two hides.
The bad thing, is, it's not the worst pun I know....
And while you are at it, get Steve Timm to write a book on the 223.
Love your neighbor as yourself. Do not take into account a wrong suffered. Never return evil for evil. Resist not the violent man. Turn the other cheek, go the second mile, give to him that asks.
Can't wait till I read Ken's article. I was awful at trig, failed it I think. I know a lot of it has to do with A-squared + B-squared = C squared, but that's as far as I can get, besides using that forumla to square a block wall. (3,4,5, or multiples thereof, we called it, and that's one of the basic math tricks to know when taking a GRE.)
My current way of measuring range is this: (a) If the bullet hits in front, the target is farther away, (b) if the bullet hits behind, the target is closer in, and (c) if the range is right and you still miss, blame it on the wind.
Curse a lot.
Not many problems you can't fix With a 1911 and a 30-06
