Ron Smith Boooks Question

Northwest29 · Oct 21, 2008

Greetings all -

I'm very interested in learning about and developing skills in scroll work. I have already purchased Ron Smith's spiral bound paperback on scroll work and would like to buy the larger and more expensive book. My question is what is different or added in the new book, and would it be worth while to have both?

TNX
Ron

Andrew Biggs · Oct 21, 2008

Hi Ron

Yes, the "advanced" book that you are thinking of buying is much more expansive than his original two. There is a lot more information about various kinds of scroll and how to lay it out etc etc.

Personally, I would say that it's a "must have book" for any beginner and unique in the fact that there is nothing else like it on the market. It will be money well spent.

Cheers
Andrew

Clay Stewart · Oct 21, 2008

I would absolutely concur with Andrew. As a novice, I can say that Ron's books have been invaluable in my quest to learn scroll. While his book is great and gives an exceptional baseline on scroll composition, the Advanced book goes into far, far more detail and imparts a lot of great info beyond the earlier work. Way more than I'm capable of absorbing at one time. I continue to refer to it. By far a MUST have in my book.

Daniel Houwer · Oct 21, 2008

Yep,
Just go get it and study!
No regrets is a promise.
A bigger insight on scrolls is for sure and I do believe you will read and exercise the book twice over before it really sinks in and become's natural to you!
I am not there by far but if I could take just a week to dedicate myself to this book it would save me a few years figguring it out by myself if not a decade. Now I study it in my few spare hours but it still enhances my ability every hour spent studying it.

Greetings,

Daniel

Joe · Oct 21, 2008

One more YES! I had the great privilege to study for a week in Emporia with Mr. Ron Smith as instructor. If he teaches again, I will sign up again. In the mean time, I have the books. If you wish to engrave, buy the book. If he teaches, sign up.

Mike Cirelli · Oct 21, 2008

Cost about the same as a family dinner out. The knowledge from Ron's book will last a lifetime. If your serious about learning it's a no brainier. As a matter of fact I haven't run into anything that most of these guys put out that I ever regretted buying. Get yourself some castings also there a great tool for learning.

david bain · Oct 22, 2008

Ron's first book is like the cliff notes of his second book.The first book is good and basic.The second book is full of the details.Both are worth the price.just my opinion.

Northwest29 · Oct 22, 2008

Thank you all for your replies. Your opinions have convinced me that Ron's book is worth the price. I appreciate everyone's contributions.

Mike - can you give me a bit more specific information on "castings"? TNX

Tira · Oct 22, 2008

Northwest,

Castings are kind of like baseball trading cards for engravers. We make castings of certain engraved items (floor plates, practice plates, specific projects) in a special plastic that captures a huge amount of detail. It will even show the actual cuts. These castings allow other people to see a fine engraving up close and to own a copy. FEGA has a few for sale at the FEGA site. Here is the link to the castings page:

FEGA Casting Page

Many engravers trade castings with each other or with students. I know I study the castings I have been lucky enough to collect often. I also get the engraver to sign the back with a sharpie if I can.

The special plastic for the castings can be obtained at GRS. It's called Alumalite.

Mike Cirelli · Oct 22, 2008

Ron, Tira explained it well. Ron Smith, Fega, Ray Cover sell castings. If I missed someone I'm sorry. Maybe someone can help with more names.

Tim Wells · Oct 22, 2008

Northwest29 said:
Thank you all for your replies. Your opinions have convinced me that Ron's book is worth the price. I appreciate everyone's contributions.

Mike - can you give me a bit more specific information on "castings"? TNX

If you get one you should get the hard bound version rather than the soft cover. It won't hold up to a lot of studying as the cover of my copy had wear after a week. I may get a hard one myself because sadly I can't open my soft cover copy anymore.

I had been taking it to work in a backpack and one day I left for work and put one of those Lean Quisine frozen meals in there that just insult your belly. Well I forgot about it and unbeknownst to me, it had thawed out all over that book so I found it the next day and tossed it out and didn't think any more about it.

A week later when I had time to look that book over I took it out and couldn't open a single page, it had stuck every page together just like I had glued it that way. Booo hooo.

Now I'm bookless!

Northwest29 · Oct 22, 2008

Tira said:
Northwest,

Castings are kind of like baseball trading cards for engravers. We make castings of certain engraved items (floor plates, practice plates, specific projects) in a special plastic that captures a huge amount of detail. It will even show the actual cuts. These castings allow other people to see a fine engraving up close and to own a copy. FEGA has a few for sale at the FEGA site. Here is the link to the castings page:

FEGA Casting Page

Many engravers trade castings with each other or with students. I know I study the castings I have been lucky enough to collect often. I also get the engraver to sign the back with a sharpie if I can.

The special plastic for the castings can be obtained at GRS. It's called Alumalite.

Hi Tira -

Thank you very much for the detailed information and the link.

Also, my thanks to all for their input. I truly apprecite the help.

My apologies, I just realized that I had not completed my signature lines. )-:

PS_Bond · Oct 23, 2008

Tira said:
Castings are kind of like baseball trading cards for engravers.

I'd never thought of them like that! I've got a couple, and they're extremely nice resources for a newbie to have - less from the copying point of view in my case, far more useful to me is being able to see the cuts. I bought the Chris de Camillus (sp?) bulino casting to go with the video and it helps me understand the process.

It's also one of the things that made me realise I'm trying to take too deep cuts...

david bain · Oct 24, 2008

I got the soft cover book(Ron's second book).When it started to fall apart I took a three hole punch,made holes for three ring binder.Now it opens up and lays flat.

Tim Wells · Oct 25, 2008

I reckon I'll have to try and steam my pages apart or just buy a new one in hardbound.

dhall · Oct 25, 2008

Hi Tim,

This might sound crazy, but it works. You can soak the book in water until the water dissolves/loosens whatever is causing the pages to stick. Don't worry about the pages getting too wet. After you've GENTLY loosened the pages, pat the pages with paper towels, clean towels/rags, etc., to remove some of the water. Next, close the book and put it in your freezer, making sure it's laying flat. Let it in the freezer a few weeks until the frozen water in the pages of the books sublimates (evaporates below freezing), and you're done. No warped and ripples pages by drying at room temperature, or above, and no possibility of damage from mold.

Good Luck,
Doug

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