"A kitchen without a cabinet is like a body without a soul."

This is what a wise cabinetmaker uttered when I asked what cabinet making meant to him.

I have been practicing all the aspects of woodworking like Joinery, Woodturning, and Furniture making along with Cabinet Making, and I must say this art provides the maximum chance of impacting the overall look of your kitchen or bathroom and eventually, your home.

Cabinets, for me, are an extension of your personality and a great way to express yourself.

When I first started woodcraft, I looked desperately for a go-to guide about the specific processes and exact tools required.

The content I found online was total information overload and wasn't presented sequentially. The books were either focused on just a few processes or assumed that I already had the necessary information. Many of the books were also very dated.

There are two ways of learning: learning from SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) with years of experience, and the other is to acquire from people who are just a few steps ahead of you in their journey.

I fall into the latter group. I've spent five years on this hobby and am still learning from the experts.

I still remember my initial doubts and the first tips that helped me.

This book is for those who are still running their first lap (0-3 years) in wood-crafting and want to gain a holistic idea of the necessary processes and tools.

I've included photographs of realistic beginner projects, and I'll explain the processes and standard operating procedures associated with them.

Below are the topics you would find inside:

• Introduction to Cabinet Making
• Cabinet Types, Doors, and Drawers
• Tools used and best practices
• Process and Techniques
• 10 Beginner Projects
• Recap and Safety Tips
• Conclusion and Free Online Resources

In the last chapter, I've provided a link to free online resources for planning your next projects.

Cheers, and let's start the exciting journey!

"There would be no trees without branches, and there would be no furniture without joints."

The one which binds together has always been special across cultures. Wood joinery has also evolved across various schools of woodworking in their unique ways. For example, in Japanese joinery, the whole wooden house was built on the strength of joinery. Joinery is used for both connecting the wood and also enhancing the aesthetics of the final product.

My Journey:

Back in the days when I was starting with Wood Craft, I was desperately looking for the go-to guide about the processes and the tools involved.

Woodworking is a vast subject with many branches or verticals of this craft like Cabinet Making, Wood Carving, Joinery, Carpentry, and Woodturning.

The online content was information overload and not presented in a sequential manner. The books I referred were either focused on a few processes or assumed that I had the necessary information. Also, I found that most of the books were a little aged.

There are two ways of learning; one is learning from subject matter experts who have years of experience, and then there are people who are just a few steps ahead of you in their journey.

I am the second one, five years into this hobby, and still learning from the experts.

I still remember the initial doubts I had and the tips which helped me.

This book comes after Woodworking for Beginners Handbook, and it focusses entirely on the joinery process. This book is for people who are in their first lap (0-3 years) of the wood-crafting journey and want to have a holistic idea of methods, tools and need help in their initial projects.

I have included ample photographs of realistic projects of beginners explaining the process and standard operating procedure while starting.

In the last chapter, I have provided a glossary of joinery terms and tips for beginners.

Below is the flow of the information provided in the book:

• Introduction to Joinery
• Joinery tools: Type of tools and how to use them
• Detailed discussion on 15 types of joinery: advantage,disadvantage,strength,usage etc.
• Japanese Joinery: Introduction, types, pros, cons, and application
• CNC wood joinery: Introduction, various kinds of CNC joinery,
• Five starter joinery projects with step by step instructions
• Glossary of joinery terms
• Tips for beginners

So, what are you waiting for? As said  in the woodworking community:

Measure Twice and Cut Once and let's start the journey.

Suppose, you have to appear for an exam next week, who would be the go-to person for seeking help and guidance?

Option 1: A Subject Matter Expert (SME) who studying/teaching the subject for several years and often assumes while explaining that the basics are covered or looks it from their frame of reference.

Or

Option 2: Someone who also started from scratch as you have and passed the exam just last week. He/She knows the exact process, challenges, doubts, and roadblocks you may be facing and can think from your perspective.

If your option is 2, you are in the right place. 

I am a Technology Consultant by profession, and started my leathercraft journey in the year 2014. I started by going through multiple YouTube videos, courses, Facebook groups, and finally completed my first project after four months. 

I was confused and was lost in the magnitude of information available online. I firmly believe that while starting, you need exact, necessary, minimalistic information to start your first project, pardon: Complete your first project!

So I started writing this book to provide a minimalistic approach to information required to start your first leather project. It covers:

- History of leather

- Basics Tools and their usage

- Making Patterns

- Cutting Patterns

- Gluing

- Beveling, Embossing, Stamping

- Stitching basics

- Coloring and Finishing

- Tips, Techniques for the beginner

-Leather Crafting, Physical Pain & Ergonomics * (New Chapter added!)

- Appendix: List of online resources available for free patterns, tips, and techniques.

I still remember the initial doubts I had and the tips which helped me.

This book is for people who are in their first lap (0-3 years) of Leather crafting journey and want to have a holistic idea of processes, tools, and need help in their initial projects.

I have included photographs of realistic projects of beginners explaining the process and standard operating procedure while starting.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get this updated edition of the book with 22 chapters and start your Leather Crafting Journey Today!!

Once an experienced woodworker said to me, "There is no scrap wood, just pieces which have not met the right hand".

Back in the days when I was starting with Wood Craft, I was desperately looking for the go-to guide about the processes and the tools involved.

Woodworking is a vast subject with many branches or sub-genres of this craft like Cabinet Making, Wood Carving, Joinery, Carpentry, and Woodturning.

The online content was information overload and not presented in a sequential manner. The books I referred were either focused on a few processes or assumed that I had the necessary information. Also, I found that most of the books were a little aged.

There are two ways of learning; one is learning from subject matter experts who have years of experience, and then there are people who are just a few steps ahead of you in their journey.

I am the second one, five years into this hobby, and still learning from the experts.

I still remember the initial doubts I had and the tips which helped me.

This book is for people who are in their first lap (0-3 years) of the wood-crafting journey and want to have a holistic idea of processes, tools, and need help in their initial projects.

I have included ample photographs of realistic projects of beginners explaining the process and standard operating procedure while starting.

In the last chapter, Appendix: I have provided a glossary of woodworking terms, the list of online resources available for free patterns, tips, and techniques.

Below is the flow of the information provided in the book:

• Introduction: The history and details of various branches of woodworking
• All about the wood: How to choose them; Hardwood, Softwood, Plywood, MDF all explained
• Woodworking tools: Hand and Power tool explained with best practices
• Processes and Techniques: The complete workflow of the woodworking process along with a detailed explanation of the usage of each tool
• Safety and Best Practices: This topic is highlighted throughout the book, and best practices with   regards to hand and power tools explained in detail
• Gluing and Finishing
• 10 starter projects with step by step instructions
• Glossary of woodworking tools, souces for downloading the free plan
• Also, you can download my additional   bonus booklet with additional plans for more projects

So, what are you waiting for? As said  in the woodworking community:

Measure Twice and Cut Once and let's start the journey.

Are you a non-coder looking for insight into DevOps and Microservices Architecture? 

As the industry is moving towards maximum digitization there is consensus that DevOps practices help you deliver software faster, more reliably, and with fewer errors.

You may be a consultant, Advisor, Project Manager or a novice into IT industry; after going through this guide you would be able to appreciate DevOps, Microservices and other related concepts like Kanban,Scrum,Agile, SOA, Monolith Architecture, DevOps, Docker, Kubernetes etc.

You would also get to know about the leaders in DevOps and Microservices adoption and impact it had on the overall agility and hyper-growth of the adopters. This book covers the complete lifecycle for your understanding like: Integrating, Testing, Deploying DevOps and Microservices architecture and the Security concerns while deploying it.

I am confident that after going through the book you would be able to navigate the discussion with any stakeholder and take your agenda ahead as per your role. Additionally, if you are new to the industry, and looking for an application development job, this book will help you to prepare with all the relevant information and understanding of the topic.

** I am also providing additional booklet containing all the relevant news, trends, and resources for DevOps and Microservices Architecture.

“Grab your copy today along with DevOps and Microservices Booklet”

"Whittling for me is more than just an art. It is like meditation and rather therapeutical. Every single time you create something, it brings you the delight and also the happiness that meets your mind and soul".

This is the reply I got from an old practitioner when I asked him how do you interpret Whittling. Then I realized the core idea behind this craft. It comes with no deadline, no pre-written script, no rules, and just pure expression of your emotions through a knife and a piece of wood.

In the present times, when all the self-help gurus are talking about Digital Detox, Whittling comes as a strong contender to pass on to the young and the old alike.

My Journey in Whittling

My wife introduced me to the world of Whittling 5 years ago. As I was already into Leathercraft and Pyrography, I got the basics quickly. But reaching the intermediate level in any art requires practice and patience. It has been an incredible journey for the last few years, working alongside her on various Whittling projects.

About the Book

This book is like a friend sharing his experiences and taking you from point A to B in your Whittling journey. The examples and references are real and taken out of the conversations with various experienced Whittlers.

The book covers:

• Introduction: History of Whittling, how it started, and became part of popular culture.
• Wood: All about the type of wood, grains, and tips for starting.
• Tools: All about pocket and carving knives
• Techniques: All type of cuts
• Safety: Gloves, Thumb pads, duct tape, and other innovative options.
• Starter projects with photos and step by step instructions
• Frequently asked questions: 22 beginner questions as answered by experts: Multiple solutions to a single problem
• List of online resources for patterns

I have included realistic photographs, discussions, tips, FAQs, which I have received along the way of my journey in Whittling over the years.  

Still on the fence?

Okay, let me explain to you the difference between Wood Carving and Whittling?

Whittling is like an unplanned vacation (go with the flow), and Wood Craving is like planning a vacation through a tour operator!

And lastly my favorite analogy:

When I was struggling to understand the concept of wood grain initially, one old-time whittler told me, "Think of the grain-like petting a cat. When you pet it head to tail, the fur all lies down, and the cat purrs. If you try to go from tail to head, it spikes up, and the cat gets very angry. Keep the cat happy."

So what are you waiting for, get the book now and start your Whittling Journey!

“I can see no greater sign of God's glory than the trees around us in the Pacific Northwest. All you have to do is look outside to see God-there are trees everywhere.”

— Ned Hayes

There is something nostalgic about experiencing the nature of PNW in full bloom. Mushrooms and wild plants form a significant part of this magic.

This book is a concise photographic journey to the Mushrooms of PNW.

This book is for you if you like consuming short, crisp, and engaging information with pictures within a few hours.

This is a helpful handbook with:

★ Interior Colored Pages

★ 80+ high-quality images

★ 30+ PNW Mushrooms covered with recipes

The book covers:

✓The Basics of Mycology

✓5 Golden Steps towards Foraging

✓Common Wild Mushrooms of PNW with Foraging Tips and Photographs(Also covers common poisonous ones to be avoided)

✓How to Preserve & Store

✓Delicious Wild Mushroom Recipes

✓Seasonal Mushroom Calendar of PNW

✓Appendix Bonus: Mushroom Logbook Pages

So if you are short on time and want a basic understanding of Mushrooms of PNW with images (to recall), here is your chance.

Grab this book now and venture into the woods of PNW with confidence!

What comes to your mind after reading the below statements from a renowned industry research firm?

• It is predicted that a large enterprise exclusive use of AIOps and digital experience monitoring tools to monitor applications and infrastructure will rise from 5% in 2018 to 30% in 2023.
• Also, Only 47% of machine learning models are making it into production (Comes MLOPS!)

Do you have similar thoughts?

• Is it just a new Buzzword or repackaging of the existing system? If it’s for real, how is it going to impact the Business/Industry?
• How my business or job would get impacted?
• If it has just started, how can I leverage from wherever I am?
• Which are the major players/startups in this area?

Depending on your role, it may be useful for you to know about AIOPS & MLOPS:

• If you are a Business Consultant trying to make the system more efficient and profitable, reaping the benefits of Automation in your application development process
• If you are a Technology Consultant and want to make your operation more Agile, Automated and easily deployable
• If you are a Technology Professional looking for a role in these upcoming areas to be an early adopter in your organization or just starting your career and want to understand the ecosystem
• If you are from HR or Training field and want to understand the job/Training requirements for these upcoming roles

 Beyond the apparent hustle and bustle of buzzwords and nomenclature every year, I genuinely believe that AI would drastically change the software development and deployment model in the next two years, and all these new startups would drive this change.

 It’s astonishing how fast this cycle is moving. Especially for us who had seen the world before the internet came into our daily lives!!This book is my attempt to update you on the unfolding story of AIOPS and MLOPS as “story till now. “

 So here is to our Continuous Learning and Progress! Cheers.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN WOODWORKING FROM SOMEONE FEW STEPS AHEAD OF YOU?

If you genuinely believe in the concept that the best person to teach you some new skill is the one who has just passed that beginner stage and can relate to your challenges, this book is for you.

I am a Technology Consultant and have been practicing Woodworking for the last 5 years. In the process, I have met several practitioners and beginners and have seen their challenges and best fit solutions.

This is a non-traditional book handholding you towards your goal of finishing your first few projects. All chapters contain ample photographs for your understanding.

This is 3 in 1 book consisting of three parts and 25 Starter projects:

Part 1: Woodworking for Beginners

Part 2: Wood Joinery for Beginners

Part 3: Wood Turning for Beginners

All these parts consist of:

• Introduction, basic definitions, a history which would make you comfortable with the topic
• Tools description and user instructions
• Safety guidelines and best practices are the most important chapter in all these 3 topics – This should be the Priority!
• Process, Techniques, and Tips for beginners: All the basic techniques required to complete initial projects along with practical tips from the practitioners.
• 25 ( 10 Woodworking, 5 Joinery,10 Woodturning)Step by Step starter projects: You can choose any of them to start your journey 
•  Glossary of woodworking terms for better understanding

So overall, you would feel that a friend of yours who have passed an exam last week is handholding you for the same next week!

Get your 3 in 1 Woodworking book today and start your journey!

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”- Charles Darwin

As the industry is moving towards maximum digitization there is consensus that DevOps practices help you deliver software faster, more reliably, and with fewer errors.

DevOps is set of practices and cultural values that have been proven to help organizations of all sizes improve their software release cycles, software quality, security, and ability to get rapid feedback on product development.

This book is aimed at Consultant, Project Manager and people from techno commercial profiles who would be explaining the benefits of DevOps to client, internal leadership or project teams. As the crux of DevOps methodology lies in cultural transformation of the organization, people who are stakeholders in shaping this change must understand the overall alignment of business goals with this methodology.

You would get to explore:

• What is DevOps
• Relationship between Agile, Scrum, Kanban and DevOps
• DevOps Adoption:  Organizational cultural Change
• DevOps Ecosystem
• Emerging Trends
• DevOps success stories

In the Bonus Booklet you will find out:

• DevOps Job Market overview
• Insights into DevOps job application
• People to follow on twitter

“Grab your copy today along with Bonus DevOps Booklet”

Do you believe in the saying, “The best person to guide you is the one few steps ahead of you!”?

While doing my Engineering, I realized this fact that just before the exam if you require minimal, to the point, useful and applicable information to pass the examination, your friend/colleague who has gone through the subject and appeared for the exam just last week is the best Go to Person.

That person may not be the SME (Subject Matter Expert) like the professors teaching for years but is the best bet to solve your immediate problem.

So are you a beginner in Pyrography or Wood Burning & looking for a friend and colleague for informal guidance? Your search for that colleague ends here. I sincerely want to take you through that first step and prepare you for your first Pyrography Project!

Why Pyrography?

Of all the crafts I have practiced, Pyrography is the most value for money. It gives me immense satisfaction and serves the purpose for which I practice the art on the weekends. (i.e., to unwind from my regular job)

The best part is this art has got something for everyone.

If you are a beginner, get a scrap wood and use your existing soldering pen to start the artwork. Later, you can shift to a proper burner. If you like calligraphy, you can burn letters. A friend of mine is a space enthusiast, and he is making space ships!

With experience, you master the art of shading, which gives depth to the artwork. Drawing hair, fur, or skin of an animal takes time, but it is worthwhile to put the effort.

What I love about this skill is that it makes one of the best presents for the loved ones. As the art ages with time, it leaves a memorable piece of history to your loved ones.

About the Book

It is not a traditional book but an effort from your friend to present the experience and discussions while learning this art in the last few years. 

I have made many wood and leather burning projects over the years and interacted with fellow crafters. This book is the crux of all those learnings and experiences over the years.

This book provides a minimalistic approach to the information required to start your first Pyrography project. It covers:

• Introduction to the art: The history and steps involved
• Tools: All about tools involved: Detailed instructions on using Wood Burner including different tips
• Designing, Tracing, and Shading: I must say the shading part only comes by practicing!
• Coloring, Polishing, and Finishing
• Safety Instructions: Very important and highlighted all through the book
  
•  Step by Step instructions on 10 starter projects with pictures
• Frequently Asked Questions (All the ones I could remember and not covered in other chapters)
  
• Sample Designs: Mandala, Tiger, Dragon, and more.

I still remember the initial doubts I had and the tips which helped me.

This book is for people who are in their first lap of Pyrography journey and want to have a holistic idea of processes, tools, and need help in their initial projects.

Hello! How are you and how is your Continuous Improvement journey going on?

Are there any new skills that you want to acquire this year? My earlier books were on the following topics: DevOps, Microservices, and Kubernetes & Site Reliability Engineering.

In the last four months, I have been heavily involved in the recruitment process of various DevOps related jobs in my current project. I have come across multiple Entry Level and Mid-Level career professionals inquisitive about expectations of the role and how their earlier experience would contribute to the DevOps role. Also, I have received several emails from readers asking how to switch from their existing roles (development, sys admin, etc.). Based on the interactions, I have included “DevOps Engineer” related queries in the below categories and in this book, I will give you  complete information about the position, career path and skill set required.

The main queries were the following:

• Why DevOps?
• What are the job duties and day-to-day activities of a DevOps Engineer?
• What did DevOps engineers do before DevOps?
• What technical and soft skills are required to be an expert-level DevOps Engineer?
• What are some standard tools a DevOps engineer uses?
• What are other similar roles from where one can make the transition to the DevOps world?
• What are the Certifications/Courses one can do to become a DevOps Engineer?
• How can I get DevOps interviews with top companies?
• What are the average Salary, companies to work for, and designations/roles?
• How is the career path of a "DevOps Engineer"? How is the career advancement of a DevOps engineer?

The book covers most of this information. Over the course of the book, you will gather information on what DevOps is, and how you can use it to improve your processes. You will also identify the different roles that are linked to DevOps. If you are keen on becoming a DevOps engineer, the last few chapters include information on what skills you need to develop and what path you need to choose. Also, the last chapter contains sample interview questions, which are the most common ones asked during a DevOps interview.

Overall, this book is aimed at professionals looking for DevOps role overview in limited timeframe. If you have to connect the dots regarding your existing experience, credentials and its fitment/relationship with the DevOps role, it would provide you much needed clarity. It also talks about other similar and related roles and its relationship with DevOps role. Also, if you are part of Project Management Team or Business Development Team or recruitment team (HR) this book will provide you required information about the DevOps role.

The Continuous Delivery is here to stay and evolve. The nomenclature would change; new buzzwords would come and go. So, if you are into this space, adapt to it and make it your growth engine.

Cheers!