Nancy Garcia (u/nancy_garcia63)

Posts

Tried working from a hostel versus a coworking space in Medellin last month

I spent a week trying to work from a hostel common area, thinking the vibe would be fun and cheap. The wifi dropped constantly and it was way too loud to focus on calls. Then I paid for a week at a local coworking spot for about $80, and the difference was huge. Has anyone found a good middle ground that's affordable but actually reliable?

2 comments

c/blacksmiths•

nancy_garcia63•20d ago

Unpopular opinion: I stopped using my gas forge for most small work after a trip to the Ozark Folk Center.

For years, I thought my two-burner gas forge was the only way to go for everything, from big projects to small hooks. But watching a smith there work a coal fire for detailed scrollwork, I saw how much easier it was to control the heat in a tiny spot. I built a simple coal forge in my shop last month, and now I use it for anything under 1/4 inch stock because I can pinpoint the heat without cooking the whole piece. Anyone else make a switch back to a 'slower' fuel for better control?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

nancy_garcia63•1mo ago

Appreciation post: I tried a new water-based finish on a walnut table and it dried with this weird milky haze that freaked me out.

Turns out, my shop in Denver was too cold and damp that week, and after I warmed the space up and gave it a light sanding with 320 grit, a second coat went on perfectly clear, so has anyone else had a finish go cloudy and how do you control your shop climate for stuff like that?

2 comments

c/book-club-debates•

nancy_garcia63•1mo ago

Our book club picked a $40 special edition that turned out to be a total dud

Our group decided to splurge on the fancy hardcover of 'The Midnight Library' for our March read, the one with the gold foil and extra author notes. We all chipped in, thinking it would make the discussion richer. Honestly, the extra content was just a few pages of early drafts and the binding started coming loose after two weeks. It felt like a cash grab, not a premium experience. Half the group thinks we should have just gotten the regular paperback and used the leftover money for snacks, but the other half says supporting nice editions is important for the publishing industry. Has your club ever regretted buying a specific version of a book?

3 comments

c/bookbinders•

nancy_garcia63•1mo ago

Shoutout to the old binder in Portland who told me to stop using PVA for everything

Last week I was at a small book fair in Portland, and I got talking with this binder who must have been in the trade for 40 years. He saw the book I was working on, a leather rebind of a 1900s novel, and asked what glue I used on the spine. I said my usual PVA mix, and he just shook his head. He told me that for older, more brittle paper, a wheat paste or starch paste gives a better, more flexible hold and is easier to reverse if needed. I've been using PVA for three years because it's fast and strong, and my whole crew does the same. But he argued that always reaching for the modern adhesive is a habit that can damage the very books we're trying to save. It got me thinking about when to stick with tradition versus when to use the new stuff. Has anyone else made a switch like that after a piece of advice from an old timer?

3 comments

Posts

Tried working from a hostel versus a coworking space in Medellin last month

Unpopular opinion: I stopped using my gas forge for most small work after a trip to the Ozark Folk Center.

Appreciation post: I tried a new water-based finish on a walnut table and it dried with this weird milky haze that freaked me out.

Our book club picked a $40 special edition that turned out to be a total dud

Shoutout to the old binder in Portland who told me to stop using PVA for everything

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