'Cast Boolits' book?

[Bloodman14]

How feasible would it be to publish 'Cast Boolits' in a book form, along the lines of the 'Gunsmith Kinks' series? Start at the beginning, and go in 5 or 10 year increments. I just feel that there is a LOT of information here that is way too valuable to lose.

[smithnframe]

Then every member would be an author!

[GregLaROCHE]

There is probably too much to publish.

[No_1]

There are currently 254,000 threads with almost 4,000,000 post. If we can fit 20 post per page and print on both sides it would only be 100,000 pages. The index at 40 lines double spaced per page would add 3168 pages.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Page one...It was a dark and stormy night....

[brass410]

when will the print start? The forest/paper industry could sure use the paper output, maybe you could get a govt subsidy for workforce incentive, staffing, new equipment, studies for feesability, consultants, it all just boogles the mind where this could go.

[ascast]

you could probably edit the size down to half with a cursory inspection of text. I find a lot of threads drift from OP's intent, or just are tidbit comments that don't really add to the discussion. Now, in a digital format, the game changes.

[Bent Ramrod]

Actually, there is one. It’s called “Cast Bullets For Beginner and Expert.” Contains a lot of threads from this site as of about 20 years ago. The CBA sells it. Over 400 pages, but still not the last word on the subject, since I have it, and read it, but still come here every day to see what’s new.

You can also make a book of your own by calling up the printable version of the threads you regard as important and putting the pages into a binder.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

LMAO...
Can you imagine the time/work needed to sift through the forum for all the best info and edit it correctly? I mean most members grammar is atrocious...and attention to detail explaining complicated ideas is truly lacking. Part of my job, decades ago, was compiling technical manuals for custom industrial electrical equipment, so I do have a little bit of an idea of what I speak here.
AND...can you imagine the chapter on Lube ?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?148746-quot-Extreme-quot-boolit-lube-The-Quest
And for what money? or for free?
It's a pretty narrow audience if there are books to be sold, when it's completed.
what would one book sell for? ...maybe $100?
I mean most of us boolit casters are cheap SOBs, so why pay $100 for a book when all the info is here for free?
================

OK...all snark aside, maybe I've spent too much time on this forum and am jaded, because I believe a castboolit Kinks book will never happen. If a person wants a book with castboolits generated info and/or solutions to this hobby's frequent problems, Buy a good printer and start filling a 3 ring binder. Myself, I am a fan of hand written notebooks, I have several notebooks for the many different hobbies I have...one notebook is just for things I've gleaned here...HINT: Always leave a few pages in the front of a new notebook for a index, because the info gets collected in a chronological order and as time passes, it'd be difficult to find specific info without a index to quickly search through.

[dverna]

Much of the stuff would be useless...at least for me. My interests are narrow compared to many on this forum.

I do not need a lot of help to cast or reload for the handful of calibers I own. The .223 would be the most challenge and I may never cast for it anyway in spite of getting a Group Buy Mi-Hec mold for it. At 70, I am not planning to add any new calibers to my need/want list.

I have saved the stuff that really interests me and almost all of it comes from Larry Gibson or Outpost. I would likely buy a book of posts from those gentlemen. I certainly do not need thousands of posts about "loading 9mm with cast". Same for scores pf pages on "shortages and prices".

If this site was "lost" it would be a real loss, but it would not be the end of the world. I managed to cast and reload for decades before Cast Boolits came along. An intelligent person with the Lyman Handbook will be fine.

Yet, without this site, I would never have discovered BLL, or the custom mold makers...stuff like that.

[bedbugbilly]

Looking at No. 1's figures, it would appear that a "book" would more likely take on the appearance of a simple "Congressional Bill".

Not knocking the idea - as there is a wealth of information on this site. But putting a "book" together is not as simple of a thing as copying posts and printing on pages and binding then marketing and selling. As pointed out, a lot of threads "wander" - a lot of threads "repeat" what has already been said once - a lot threads end up going on and on about something that if the person would take the time and do a search on both the site or on the "net" - the answer is right there.

Just going through three months of posts would be a timely endeavor to sort, organize and basically weed out/edit - and again, not knocking you idea - but who is going to do all of that work, who is going to financially back the endeavor, front the basically "self-publishing" effort and who is going to handle any orders, ship the orders, etc? I like books as much as the next guy button a site such as this and others, it's pretty easy to perform a "search" if you want to learn about a topic. And, as already pointed out, there are already a number of fine publications out there on casting boolits, reloading, shooting - all the topics that get covered on this and other sites. And then there are other issues that may be involved - who owns the information/text on this site? I'm not an attorney, but those are things you have to consider as well. Once it has been posted, is it part of the "public domain"? Would you need permission form each poster if you use their information or whee does the site owner stand? A lot of loading data get's thrown around o here and it's a case of "use at your own risk" - who is going to "check" it and once it is published, what is the liability?

I suppose that a "target subject" could be done but even that would consume many, many hours and again, there may already be some very good books already written on the subject. Example - "reloading the 45/70", "reloading the 45 Colt", etc. but like most any subject, there are already publications addressing them.

Unfortunately, books are becoming obsolete and the computer has made it pretty easy to research anything you have a question about. I agree - this site is "tops" - if someone were to put together and publish a book, I'd certainly want a copy - but for most folks, and I am as guilty as anyone else - we need to really support this site and help keep it going. While I know I need to contribute during the annual fund drive - and I don't always ado it - I also support as many of the sponsors here as I can when I need something.

[SSGOldfart]

Much of the stuff would be useless...at least for me. My interests are narrow compared to many on this forum.

I do not need a lot of help to cast or reload for the handful of calibers I own. The .223 would be the most challenge and I may never cast for it anyway in spite of getting a Group Buy Mi-Hec mold for it. At 70, I am not planning to add any new calibers to my need/want list.

I have saved the stuff that really interests me and almost all of it comes from Larry Gibson or Outpost. I would likely buy a book of posts from those gentlemen. I certainly do not need thousands of posts about "loading 9mm with cast". Same for scores pf pages on "shortages and prices".

If this site was "lost" it would be a real loss, but it would not be the end of the world. I managed to cast and reload for decades before Cast Boolits came along. An intelligent person with the Lyman Handbook will be fine.

Yet, without this site, I would never have discovered BLL, or the custom mold makers...stuff like that.

Remember to add Ben and others, But please Do Not include any Transactions from the selling trading post section. That will cause problems for all of us that are saving money by casting and reloading.
Number1 does the 4,000,000 post include the classified section????
I do agree a $100 would be a low price for such a book, just Larry G,post should bring that much. Some of us have been after Ben to write a book for at least 10years now!!!!!!!!

[maxreloader]

We could start with a printed version of the stickies...

[richhodg66]

Not sure about a book, but I sure hope all of this is archived in some way. The old handloads.com was my first and in many respects favorite web forum for a long time and just suddenly, Poof!, it was gone. I still miss it every day and no way I've been able to determine to dredge up old info from it.

[NyFirefighter357]

It would be a wealth of information, no one would read! Can't get people to read more than 2 lines of anything now a days!

[mroliver77]

Not sure about a book, but I sure hope all of this is archived in some way. The old handloads.com was my first and in many respects favorite web forum for a long time and just suddenly, Poof!, it was gone. I still miss it every day and no way I've been able to determine to dredge up old info from it.

There is some of it archived here.https://web.archive.org/web/20180501000000*/http://www.handloads.com/

[Burnt Fingers]

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

This already covers the basics quite well.

[fatnhappy]

when will the print start? The forest/paper industry could sure use the paper output, maybe you could get a govt subsidy for workforce incentive, staffing, new equipment, studies for feesability, consultants, it all just boogles the mind where this could go.


The forest paper industry is doing just fine. They’re all converting their paper machines to Kraft full time for the packaging industry. The latest announced increase was $70/ton on March 1st and they’re floating another increase right now.
All the white paper producers jacked up pricing between 8-11%. Sappi announced their 2nd increase since January 1st.

[Three44s]

How feasible would it be to publish 'Cast Boolits' in a book form, along the lines of the 'Gunsmith Kinks' series? Start at the beginning, and go in 5 or 10 year increments. I just feel that there is a LOT of information here that is way too valuable to lose.

Sounds like you just nominated yourself! When is the first edition due out?

Kidding aside, you have the ebook version right now! And a powerful search feature better than any paper text could provide.

Top that off that where there is a debate on which “fork in the road” as to process occurs (very often) the writer would likely chose a single path to include.

This “book” is far better because you can interact with any member in the thread or in the PM mode and delve deeper into matters.

Three44s

[chutesnreloads]

Like others, I've simply printed out threads that were particularly interesting to me.
Years ago there was another site with a wealth of information much like this one.
Sadly it disappeared along with all that great info. That is what prompted me to start printing threads and saving them in a notebook. The book has gotten fairly large over the years.
One trick learned was to save a link to a currently active thread and go back a couple months or so later to print the complete thread.
Not long ago we had the "Great Ice Storm" and the internet/power was out a lot of that time.
Guess what I was reading. We shouldn't count on the internet to be available forever.

[alamogunr]

Unfortunately, books are becoming obsolete and the computer has made it pretty easy to research anything you have a question about. I agree - this site is "tops" - if someone were to put together and publish a book, I'd certainly want a copy - but for most folks, and I am as guilty as anyone else - we need to really support this site and help keep it going. While I know I need to contribute during the annual fund drive - and I don't always ado it - I also support as many of the sponsors here as I can when I need something.

I for one don't think books are obsolete yet and won't be until I am on the other side of the grass. I admit that I read a lot and mostly on my Kindle. The books I read don't have many redeeming qualities that will make them timeless tomes but they are a distraction. The books that I prefer to be held in the hand and each page turned by hand are usually technical or appeal to my special interests. It bothers me not at all to delete a digital book from the Kindle. I do have a few literal books that I plan to sell over the next few years. These are books that I thought I would be interested in or would serve a certain purpose. I have misjudged and bought a few like this. They will go.

The others that do not fall into the useless(to me) category, I will determine of my sons want them. If not, they will probably end up offered for sale. That is sometime in the future.

[gwpercle]

Isn't everything stashed in "The Cloud" ... just figure out how to access "The Cloud" and
Wah - Lah (Voila) ... whoomp ... there it is .
Gary

[tomme boy]

Will never work. Just because something works for some does not mean it is right. Take the RPM thresholds for example. There are lots of us that blow away the so called threshold.

[blackthorn]

Will never work. Just because something works for some does not mean it is right. Take the RPM thresholds for example. There are lots of us that blow away the so called threshold.

I would respectfully suggest that you (and others) did not "blow away the so called threshold", rather you simply were able to go beyond it. By my understanding a "threshold" is in no way an absolute limit, rather it is simply an "entrance way". The RPM threshold is where the going gets tough(er),it is here that the challenge gets-----interesting.

[bangerjim]

A book???????????????? That is what the internet is for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And why we are here with fresh ideas and stuff instead of reading garbage that is 10-30 years old in all these moldy crusty loading books for the bygone daze. They are good for a light read and a laugh, but not much good in today's world of softer lead and PCing.


Just use what you have for free...............this site and the internet.

And as long as you pay your internet server bill, your electric power bill and we are not hit by an EMP bomb or gamma ray burst from space, all this info will continue to be "out there".

I would NEVER buy such a book.

[AlHunt]

Isn't everything stashed in "The Cloud" ... just figure out how to access "The Cloud" and
Wah - Lah (Voila) ... whoomp ... there it is .
Gary

The Cloud (AKA The Internet Wayback Machine):
https://web.archive.org/web/20201101000000*/http://castboolits.gunloads.com/cmps_index.php

[shooterg]

A book would take all the fun out of this ! We have an excuse(need?) to come here almost everyday, usually learn something, buy stuff/sell stuff, get to read some really good arguments , or start one - we don't need no steenkin' book !

But I'd get it anyway....

[CoolHandMoss]

I am surprised to see such a lack of enthusiasm on this idea. The way things are going these days one can not be too sure about the long term security of a website like this. One never has but so much control when it comes to the internet. Putting the more valuable threads on this site into print form would be a good investment and I bet quite a few people would buy a copy. I for one do not have the time to even help out in compiling all that data though. But I do like the idea.

[.429&H110]

Twelve years ago SWMBO ruled I was wasting paper and ink cartridges as I filled a binder with 44 mag data. Then I printed out three stickies from "Wheelguns..." what a fine book.
Improving Accuracy
Revolver Inspection
A beginner's guide to revolver accuracy
Bind it and sell it!

and I thank you!

I recommend reading "Life After Google."

[waksupi]

I am surprised to see such a lack of enthusiasm on this idea. The way things are going these days one can not be too sure about the long term security of a website like this. One never has but so much control when it comes to the internet. Putting the more valuable threads on this site into print form would be a good investment and I bet quite a few people would buy a copy. I for one do not have the time to even help out in compiling all that data though. But I do like the idea.

I recall a guy gleaning info from this forum some years ago to do a book. When he published it, he didn't acknowledge the information came from this forum. So, he was an instant expert from OUR knowledge.

[No_1]

I’m not sure but if so then it’s only to the tune of 24k threads (9% of the total threads) and 125k post (0.125% of the total post) - not enough to make a difference


Remember to add Ben and others, But please Do Not include any Transactions from the selling trading post section. That will cause problems for all of us that are saving money by casting and reloading.
Number1 does the 4,000,000 post include the classified section????
I do agree a $100 would be a low price for such a book, just Larry G,post should bring that much. Some of us have been after Ben to write a book for at least 10years now!!!!!!!!

[Maven]

I recall a guy gleaning info from this forum some years ago to do a book. When he published it, he didn't acknowledge the information came from this forum. So, he was an instant expert from OUR knowledge.

That was Joe Brennen, who acknowledged individual members of this site whose ideas he incorporated in his first book. He knew his stuff and was willing to argue about and experiment with some of the received cast bullet wisdom. (Btw, I helped him edit that first book.)

[No_1]

Thanks for clarifying. I remember when he ask members if he could use their stuff (with acknowledgement).

How’s that bull barrel 8x57 rifle doing?


That was Joe Brennen, who acknowledged individual members of this site whose ideas he incorporated in his first book. He knew his stuff and was willing to argue about and experiment with some of the received cast bullet wisdom. (Btw, I helped him edit that first book.)

[square butte]

I am surprised to see such a lack of enthusiasm on this idea. The way things are going these days one can not be too sure about the long term security of a website like this. One never has but so much control when it comes to the internet. Putting the more valuable threads on this site into print form would be a good investment and I bet quite a few people would buy a copy. I for one do not have the time to even help out in compiling all that data though. But I do like the idea. No lack of enthusiasm here. I fully expect that this website and others like it will disappear before many of us do, what with the level of censorship already going on. I'd like to see a book done with jewels of wisdom placed in an acid free hard copy. If you want it for your kids and grandkids, Get a hard copy soon. Looks like a monumental project though to put this together. Books are already being banned.

[bangerjim]

If you see something of interest on here - - print it out and put it in a "loading bible" like I do. All the little neat things you want to remember. Actually, I rely on the "little gray cells" to do most of the "remembering stuff" task.

Print & save if you think most of this babble is important. Most is just BS and opinions.

We do not need a 1,000+ page book of this stuff!

banger

[Maven]

No_1, The bull bbl's. doing fine. Now with improving weather conditions, I think it will need a trip to the range so it doesn't feel slighted. Btw, although Joe Brennen acknowledged individuals on this site, I don't think he acknowledged the site itself.

[alamogunr]

That was Joe Brennen, who acknowledged individual members of this site whose ideas he incorporated in his first book. He knew his stuff and was willing to argue about and experiment with some of the received cast bullet wisdom. (Btw, I helped him edit that first book.)

Didn't Mr. Brennen pull a lot of material from the CB_L list for the first edition? I remember Chas ? got very upset about lack of credit.

[.429&H110]

Where is the copyright? This forum owns it's content.
The interweb is forever. All your pictures. All your facebook.
I would not dare to publish any of this for profit.
Way beyond my paygrade and I'm really glad to get my copy.
How about
9mm for Dummies?
you would sell millions...

[Mal Paso]

Tome is the word. 100,000 pages is way beyond being a book. Maybe it could fold into a shooting bench, it would be heavy enough.

[Maven]

Didn't Mr. Brennen pull a lot of material from the CB_L list for the first edition? I remember Chas ? got very upset about lack of credit.

Would that have been Charles Graf?

[kerplode]

There's no way I would consider buying something that amounted to a print out of the site only to have to sort through all the noise to get to the good parts. That's just crazy.

Now if somebody were to curate the thing to select only the best and most informative posts, and formatted it so that it reads nicely and was less than 300 pages, then I'd be game for a copy. That would be a monumental undertaking, though, and I doubt enough people would buy it to make it worth somebodies effort. Let's face it...Shooters are cheap, reloaders and cheaper, and casters are the cheapest of all. Not very many at all will be willing to spend their money on something they can currently get for free.

[Four-Sixty]

I've actually been writing a book about bullet casting for the past year and a half. I'm at about 90 pages, with photos, so far. I'd hoped to be done with my book about six months ago. But, what has frustrated my efforts is the difficulty/cost of getting some of the equipment I wanted to document. I've thus turned my attention to other writing projects that have been a lot of fun for me - and put my cast bullet book effort on the back burner.

I would argue that books still have value. Will you earn a living writing cast bullet books? Heck no! LOL. Books present the opportunity to lay out your case, or demonstrate your technique with commentary. A book can do things a forum cannot, and a forum can do things a book cannot. Both have value! Part of the appeal for me writing a book is being able to one day say; “I did it”. I plan to reattack my cast bullet book and publish it around September of this year.

Here is some of what I've learned in this process. I would encourage you also to write a cast bullet book.

You can self publish for little to no cost using Amazon. Amazon tools permit you to create a book using either an Adobe .pdf, or Microsoft Word document. The Adobe .pdf lends itself to creating a 'manual' which is the approach I am using for my book.

If you don't have Microsoft Office to do your word processing, Google docs which is part of your gmail is free and can be used to write your book, then create a .pdf file for free. Using google docs you can insert photos and tables for example which will become part of the .pdf. The .pdf can be uploaded into a kindle tool to create an ebook, and even a printed book. The barriers to creating a book these days are pretty low. It’s more a matter of drive, and energy.

When approaching your book, pick a scope. Ask who is your audience? How in depth will you go? What topics will you cover? I quickly found it is easy to try and tackle everything. That is not realistic. You can’t make everyone happy. Pick a focus and execute it well.

[farmbif]

a comprehensive cast boolit load data manual on ink printed paper would be outstanding. if there is a way to mine all of the load data off the site. but even if that cannot be done maybe just a place to contribute proven loads for different boodlit designs in different caliber cartridges would be a place to start.
I much prefer printed load manuals over online data. you never know what might happen to the electricity or the internet signals and all that.
who wants to be the supervisor/moderator for such a project?

[alamogunr]

Would that have been Charles Graf?

The last name doesn't ring a bell. BUT! With my memory you never know. Hopefully, someone else will remember.

[Bent Ramrod]

Good information is worth downloading into Word, at least. If you have enough paper and ink, hard copies beat electrons for permanence any day. Chiseling it onto a rock face might be even better. You just never know how “permanent” anything is going to be.

A guy named Dan Theodore did a huge amount of development work on black powder cartridges: cases, calibers, powder charges, bullet designs, paper patching and lubricants, and posted it in exhaustive detail.

I find that reading more than three pages of closely written verbiage on a computer screen induces narcolepsy, so I was never able to get through much of it. (For some reason, I can read ten times that much off paper with no trouble.) I’d also been kind of stung by Apple after they changed their operating system and the plethora of material I’d downloaded onto floppies from the old Shooter’s site would now be accessible only to a cyberarcheologist expert in dead computer languages, so I neglected to download Dan’s writings. Figured it would always be there, because “the Internet is forever.”

Imagine my surprise when he eliminated all his posts a few years later, and then died in a fire. A real loss to science. So now I download all the arcana I’m interested in and print it out in hard copies in a binder. One good solar flare could take all this “permanent” cybermaterial away.

[kerplode]

I've actually been writing a book about bullet casting for the past year and a half. <snip>
Let us know when you're finished. I'll definitely buy a copy!


<snip>So now I download all the arcana I’m interested in and print it out in hard copies in a binder. One good solar flare could take all this “permanent” cybermaterial away.
I've been doing this as well for similar reasons. Unfortunately, a more likely scenario than a solar flare would be the simple censoring and de-platforming of shooting and weapons related information from the internet.

One can print to pdf from a web browser pretty easily. Then you have a local pdf to archive and can also print to hard copy.