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From Framer to Editor

Rob Yagid , senior editor

3 users recommend

Eleek countertops, which were made of recycled scrap metal, have been discontinued.

Eleek Inc.

Countertop fabricators can get these Alkemi countertops for less money than the quote printed in the article.

Alkemi

Eleek countertops, which were made of recycled scrap metal, have been discontinued.

Photo: Eleek Inc.

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If you’ve spent a significant amount of time with FHB, then there is a good chance that you’ve seen a staff member compare making this magazine to building a house. In many ways the analogy works well. You start with a plan; we create an outline. You dig a foundation; we dig into research. You frame a house; we write an article. You trim out and finish the project; we edit and polish the issue. Finally, you walk away and we go to print.  So, when I came off of the job site and took on the role of an editor I thought the transition would be a cinch.

Well, almost three years after joining the staff, I’m still trying to adjust to the whole “walking away” part. You see, when I was a framer I gave little thought to the house I had just finished. I literally and figuratively walked away. I worked for a good builder who built quality houses. I had little doubt that the house we built would perform as it should and that it would withstand the test of time. (That is, of course, if the other subs did their jobs well) After all, the conditions in which a particular house is built don’t change. An inland, North East lot isn’t going to suddenly become South East, coastal and render the house built upon it inadequate. The conditions are constant.

For me, it’s the constant change of conditions that makes magazine making different. After we go to print, I do anything but walk away. I stress over an article’s accuracy, its clarity and its reception by the reader. But, what consumes me most about my work here is its relevance. Do the articles I help create provide as much meaningful, useful information as I think they do? Or, did I miss the mark? Will the information be useful six months from now, or a year from now? How long will the article be a viable resource for those that need it?

Now, surely most every article has a shelf life. News is history, design trends shift, building science is exploding and construction techniques evolve. But in all of our pursuits, I think most of us strive to create materials/article/products/houses that endure. When editors look back on their articles they’ll likely react with one of two emotions― gratification or disappointment. Sometimes, they’ll feel both.

For example, I recently looked at an article I wrote over a year ago on countertop materials. I reacted with both emotions. “Material” articles are always difficult since manufacturers often change product lines, discontinue products, or even go out of business. Each event can put a chink in the relevance of the article that’s sitting on your shelf. So, you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that Eleek, the company that made those fantastic recycled aluminum countertops, is no longer producing them. Apparently they couldn’t tune their manufacturing process to produce a top they were completely pleased with. To achieve a hammered surface they put the countertops in a large tumbler where they would tend to warp. They still make some great looking light fixtures, sinks and hardware, though. Alkemi, the manufacturer that makes countertops out of recycled metal shavings and resin, is still producing. However, I found out that I got their pricing information wrong. To me that’s the equivalent of sheathing an entire roof only to discover later that almost every nail missed a rafter. I listed the cost of their countertop material at $75-$150 per sq. ft. Well, it turns out that price reflects the installed cost. Fabricators can get the material itself for about $39-$60 per sq. ft.

I don’t always look back on articles I’ve worked on with trepidation. Overall, I’m pleased with the information in the countertop piece. I’m pleased to see Vetrazzo expanding their countertop line to include several different colors, and I’m happy paper-based countertops haven’t been shelved. 

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