 newsletter 23, Christmas 2017: Well – I missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday … in fact I’ve basically missed the wole run up to Christmas. So this is going to be a very brief newsletter – short and to the point: |
in this issue: • The smartWare manufacturers have had a couple of their key machines out of action so at this crucial time supply has been very thin on the ground …
• I’m finally up and running on Instagram
• order your smartCorner for delivery early in the new year
• smartWare users ‘gallery’
• some treacle wading
• course dates for 2018 smartWare news: So, very unfortunate timing by the manufacturers, not their choice, of course, but it has meant that I’ve had to disable the ordering of the locks until the new year … Very annoying, but there it is. Anyone waiting for locks – they are up and running again and I will get everything that’s been ordered delivered shortly. I will have stock or everything early in the new year and from now on most orders will be despatched same or next day. 
At long last, and after persuasion from lots of people, I’m now signed up to Instagram. I’ve been told many times that it’s the best social media for the sort of thing I do, so I’ve done it – and it’s excellent! Very easy to use – but then a lot of you probably are old hands so don’t need to be told … So, better late than never – please visit for a browse and like, follow and comment as the mood takes you. |
smartWare users’ gallery: I have for a long time wanted to have a gallery of smartWare users on the smartBoxmaker website – partly as a way to promote the hardware, but also to allow users to showcase and promote their work. There are some excellent makers out there but some are hobbyists and don’t necesssarily shout about the beautiful stuff they make! Now Instagram seems to offer makers, and me, an obvious solution: Just sign up to Instagram, upload whatever you want with as little or as much info as you want, and as long as you include the hashtag ‘#smartWareusers’ then it will effectively be a gallery of smartWare users that I can put a link to on my website – job done! As well as the #smartWareusers tag you could use #smartHinge and #smartLock as well, and if you could tag me [@smartBoxmaker] that would really be appreciated …
some treacle wading
My every attempt to get a number of projects moving – not least the smartCorner and smartDisc, have been met with apathy by the various companies involved. What IS IT about British companies? … Contact with those that I’ve managed to bludgeon responses from is usually friendly enough, initially anyway, but my ideas are clearly perceived to be too small for them to be interested – presumably seen as low priority ‘hobby’ projects – so progress has been frustratingly slow. Certainly my idea to get the smartDisc and smartCorner ready in good time for Christmas was way too optimistic. Christmas 2017, that is, not some random Christmas in a few years time … smartCorner pre-ordering: |
 Despite all this treacle I am taking orders for the smartCorner. I have the actual jigs in progress but I’m still negotiating over the chisels, so I can’t set a final price. So, what I’m offering is the opportunity to pay a £10 deposit to secure yours – and this will count £15 towards the final cost. GO HERE to place your order, and for more info on this invaluable and much sought after jig. When it’s available – which I hope will be very early in the new year, I will alert you, and on payment of the balance owing your smartCorner will be on its way to you. If by any chance the price is too high for you, or by the time it’s available you’ve decided you don’t want it, I will refund your hard-earned … |
2018 course dates
There are still some places left for the early 2018 dates – please go here for more info and to book your place. Dates for spring and summer, April to August, will be posted early in the new year. |
and for that special last minute Christmas present …
For the man [or woman] who has everything, what about a smartBoxmaker course token? |
what’s in the next issue: Well – basically a lot of stuff that I initended to include in this issue: • a trip to china [and China]
• a fine craftsman reviewed
• making a flute case – part 2
• the key to success
• smartDisc progress update
• Linley update
• scraper sharpening
• a trip to Capital Crispins
• smartWare production and quality control
thank you! Thanks for reading – it only remains for me to wish you all a very Happy Christmas! and everything you could possibly wish for in 2018. And spare a thought for this mythical creature that lives atop a tree in the field just behind our house – must be a cold place to be in all this snow … 13/12/2017 | 
