Merry Christmas

Like I’ve said before, we think books make the best Christmas presents. And to encourage you to give generously at Christmas we are offering free standard shipping in the US. Instead of paying $5.50 per order you pay nothing for standard shipping to a US address. This special offer is available only for books ordered off the web site. US orders received in our office by December 17th are guaranteed to arrive at your house before Christmas.

One book Finished, Three to Go.

New Book

The Triumph MC Restoration book is in stock - finally. The next late book is Sheet Metal Fabrication Basics, part of our Biker Basics Series. That book will go to the printer by December 7th. Which means we should have some advance copies in the office on about the first of the year. The book focuses on motorcycle sheet metal projects, done without a lot of power tools. There are no power hammers in the book and only the occasional use of an English wheel. Many of the projects described in the book rely on nothing more sophisticated than a hammer and dolly.

The work is done primarily by Rob Roehl from The Donnie Smith Custom Cycles shop, with help from Ron Covell and Bruce Terry. The fabrication projects range from an exhaust system to an air cleaner cover. Though most motorcycle parts are fabricated in steel, two of the projects in this new book – the air dam crafted by Ron Covell and the complete fender fabricated by Bruce Terry - are built from aluminum.

Exhaust System

As it’s hard to make sheet metal parts without at least some welding, the book also includes a chapter on welding, and demonstrates the use of both gas and TIG welding on sheet steel and aluminum.

Welding

This Modern World
Other progress at Wolfgang includes an electronic newsletter, which went out to subscribers for the first time late in November. It’s just one more way to communicate with our customers. We plan a monthly schedule for the newsletter, to sign up just click on the box you see on the home page. Taking yourself off the list is just as easy, simply click on the appropriate box on the bottom of each newsletter. Again, we promise to never sell your name or personal information to anyone, ever.

Watch Dog
We’ve been dog-less at Wolfgang for over two years. It might have been another two years except for a phone call from a friend named Randy. As Randy explained, a neighbor found a young German Shepherd in a park on the west side of the metro area and was now looking for a home for the pup. It seems his neighbor found the dog cowering in some tall grass, and was able to coax her from her hiding place only with the tastiest of treats. This kind woman would have kept the dog but for the fact that she already had two dogs and two young children. Thus came the telephone call.

Gracie
To make a long story short, Gracie has now taken over as head of security at Wolfgang. Strangers are carefully inspected for contraband and possible explosive devices. She’s not nearly as big as her predecessor, the ferocious Lobo, (the German Shepherd who thought he was a Golden Retriever), but she’s got one hell of a bark. In truth, she really is a pretty good watchdog. Gracie loves the crew but won’t accept new visitors until the second or third visit. Which is just fine with me. It turns out she’s older than we thought. What seemed at first like a six-month old Shepherd puppy is actually a 1+ year old Shepherd mix. She came to us skinny as a bean-pole, which we attributed to malnutrition. We’ve had her for over a month now and she hasn’t fattened up much. So it might just be that she’s Shepherd mixed with something really skinny like a Whippet or Greyhound.

In the end none of it matters. She is what she is and we all dote on the newest member of the crew at Wolfgang Publications.