First, my fervent thanks to everyone who has helped me to keep the lights on by buying copies of “Mechanic’s Companion.” I appreciate your support with my micro publishing company more than I can express.
When I precipitously left Popular Woodworking (three years ago to this day; a wee dram is in order!), I had little clue how I was going to pay the bills. Sure, I was already doing a little freelance work for Lost Art Press and teaching a class here and there, but that wasn’t near enough to cover the mortgage – much less keep the cats in kibble. So, with the blessing and help of Christopher Schwarz and John Hoffman at LAP, I started my own micro publishing company, Rude Mechanicals Press.
Just as Chris and John did for years after founding LAP, I packed and shipped orders from my dining room and living room – but having piles of boxes as end tables and side tables was starting to wear on me. (My basement is a little too damp in which to safely store books, and my attic temps and humidity fluctuate too wildly to keep them undamaged.)
So, again with the kind help of Chris and John, here’s the solution:Lost Art Press has bought my remaining stock, and will soon have “Mechanic’s Companion” in the store (I’m delivering the boxes to the Indiana warehouse this Thursday). The best news is that Lost Art Press is committed to keeping all of its books in stock – something I cannot afford in space or money. So, I’ll work with LAP “Mechanic’s Companion” reprints under the Lost Art Press imprint.
I’ve also mentioned a book of measured Shaker drawings in my future. That, too, will likely be with LAP – though I expect that’s still at least two years out because at the moment I’m busy on a Dutch tool chest book for 2021 publication.
Rude Mechanicals Press lives on, though – the name works for my freelance editing, and writing. Plus, cases of at least one of the future books I’ve mentioned, “Shakespeare’s Furniture,” will almost certainly serve as end and side tables in my house – I can’t see LAP taking that one. In the meantime, I’ll try to train my new cat, Olivia, to pack and ship.
Rude Mechanicals Press Blog 
Megan, I appreciate your friendship, insights, adventures and willingness to take in poor creatures who, in time, become your boss. Wishing you well as your ship sails into uncharted waters. Thank you.
Good Morning Megan , Thanks for all the amazing content you produce for us thirsty woodworkers. Books , magazines , Instagram , ” Benchtalk 101″ and it is all appreciated . Your recent instagram series on dovetails was both informative and the commentary hilarious . So , if you want to put your next book on ‘ The Dutch Toolchest ” up for early presales I would be happy to purchase my copy now for a delivery anytime in 2021 … And yes , I like cats too ..
“Shakespeare’s Furniture” sounds delightfully esoteric. I look forward all of those titles.
Three years has flown by. Best wishes from out west
I don’t know about Shakespeare’s Furniture but I know an Uncle Tupelo reference when I see one.
“Everybody is equally poor” is what the record player in my brain plays right after that. You probably intended “The weather changes that’s the way it goes” but I’d wager it’s a measure of each. Happy anniversary! Best wishes for continued independent success.
One of my favorites (perhaps that’s obvious). Option two was “hang it up and see what tomorrow brings” – but that sounded needlessly final!
I think you should finish your dissertation to serve as the side table. That’s what I did with mine.
“Shakespeare’s Furniture” will be the dissertation I wanted to write 🙂
Your goal then is 599 pages in the contest for the longest, most unreadable dissertation ever. Good luck. Do you have any equations? That helps the unreadability.
Doesn’t seem like three years to me but I’m sure that for you it vacillates between feeling like one year and ten. Congrats on the survival of you and the cats. Still looking forward to the Shaker book as well as Dutch Tool Chests.
I’ll miss seeing the clock in the machine room this year.
Stay safe and ‘hi’ to Chris.
Happy Independence Day.
I’ve enjoyed Nicholson, and I’ll enjoy the rest as soon as they come along. I wish you continued good fortune.