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This morning, I finally got around to
ordering Gene’s book. Interesting online
experience. amazon.com said: Originally
$39.95; our price $31.95.
barnesandnoble.com: $30/$24. Hmmmmmm.
By the way, Gene, I’ve seen you
recommend Lstiburek’s book “Builder’s
Guide,” and every source I’ve seen says
he is highly thought of. What does his
book offer that yours doesn’t? And, can
his be bought only through Building
Science Corp? Do you recall a price?
Replies
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Builders Guide is available at "www.eeba.org" under bookstore for $40. I found it useful but probably somewhat overpriced and somewhat outdated in terms of some of newer techniques of energy efficient building discussed on this forum.
*Gene,How come no discussion of staggered-stud techniques in your book? Or did I just miss it?Stev
*Gene,A little off-topic, but what's your opinion of Charlie Wing's "Visual guide to construction" (I think that's the title) by Rodale Press?Ste
*No staggered stud techniques?!! That's the whole reason I ordered the book (due this week). Sounds like the ole bait and switch huh steve?-Rob
*Jim Lewis, Steve et al. Joe Lstiburek had the advantage of doing all of the writing and putting in what he wanted. I had to take an existing book, that, I was told, needed only a 20 percent revision. After reading some 700 or 800 pages of the original I told the publisher's agent that it needed a complete rewrite. But the agent and the publisher got into a pissing contest: I said, you said. As it was I had to delete lots of artwork and had I included all that I felt necessary it might have run to 1000 pages.Chapters 1,2,3,8,9,10,11,17,23,24 and Appendix are new to my book. I cover in greater depth the subject of these chapters than does Lstiburek. He covers HVAC I don't. His first professionally published book was _Moisture_ Control_ Handbook._ Second was Exemplary Homes _Builder's _Field_ Guide_, third was _Builder's_Guide_ Cold Climates and most recent one is _Builder's _Guide_ Hot-Dry & Mixed Dry Climates.Joe is not a model in the laboratory building scientist. He has built a lot of houses. I believe the readers of these posts need to hear from someone besides FredL and me.. yes, Joe pretty much agrees with us.His books are useful and chock full of good information such as where does the VDR go? Rain screens, pressure equalized wall cavities, subjects not found in my book.Steve. Space limitations prevented my including lots of material. I'm not a Charlie Wing fan. I have his Visual Handbook of Building And Remodeling; I think this is the one you mean. Rodale Press no longer publishes or sells his book, They sold their building division to Readers Digest.His book has lots of useful data, but is not free of errors. He rehashes the 1/150 & 1/300 attic ventilation ratios. He incorrectly shows the air streams from soffit vents and gable-end vents combining. I haven't'gone thoroughly through the book, and haven't consulted it in some time.GeneL.Years ago Wing had a 13 week TV series czlled House Warming. His many errors on that show led me to conclude he is no expert on home building and remodeling. GeneL
*Hi Gene,I read your book cover to cover in a couple of days. I certainly wouldn't have minded 1000 pages :-)More later.Steve
*Steve. I hope you were not disappointed.I certainly am all for the 1000 pages, and am now working on such a project.It may take several volumes. GeneL.
*Why, oh why, is this thread in this folder?
*Rob. sorry you are disappointed. I never said that my book contained anything on the 2x3 staggered stud wall. Indeed, even though I designed and built probably the most famous American double wall house, there is nothing on it in the book. I guess it is a question of who is the most frustrated, you or I? GeneL.
*GeneI don't know Charlie Wing, but I know his business. I have written a number of books for some of the big guns in the DIY publishing crowd, and I know what can happen to a manuscript between the time it leaves the author and the time it hits the bookstore.Several of the books with my name on them are so full of errors that I wouldn't recommend using them as kindling for fear of toxic offgassing. The problem is that most of the DIY publishers aren't concerned with providing solid information--they are concerned with producing attractive commodities that Home Depot and Barnes and Noble can sell. The standard process in the DIY field is for an author to produce text and some rough drawings, maybe some photos. The author may well supply 100 percent accurate information. But once that package is turned over to the publisher, the author may never see the book again. The text gets cut and squeezed to fit into a predetermined layout, the art get produced quickly and efficiently by some artist or piece of software with little or no construction experience. The whole mess gets published, the publisher may send a comp copy to the author, who may spend a few hours gazing in horror at the pile of misinformation that has appeared under his name. The author may produce a list of the errors and submit them to the publisher, who may read them (or who may just get pissed at the uppity author), and with any luck may make an effort to make some corrections in a future printing, after the first 5,000 or so buyers have shelled out their $15 for a book that will not teach them to build anything useable.Yes, this is more or less a true story (repeated several times), and the reason I'm telling it is because it may explain the many errors that apppear under Charlie Wing's name. It's a cynical business, and one reason why I tend to recommend to people that they stick with reputable publishers (like Taunton), and try to get their info from legitimate magazines (like FHB or JLC), where errors get reported in the next issue.A guy who wrote for Rodale told me years ago that his editor told him that they weren't concerned with publishing accurate construction information because their research hold convinced them that the folks who bought their books didn't actually intend to use them. Caveat emptor.
*JeffB. thanks for the insights about the DIY publishing business. Unfortunately the Charlie of the books comes through as the same Charlie in his 13 week TV show. Indeed, Michael Reitz, Editor and Publisher of the New England Builder--now called Journal of Light Construction, took strong issue with some of Wing's claims about energy savings.Henri DeMarne commenting on ichael Reitz's raking of wing over the coals said that a Ph.D in Physical Oceanography does not ensure energy expertise. Remarks on Rodal are interesting. I knew Wolf and Joe Carter both of whom worked at Rodale. But I've lost track of Joe Carter.