(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best crafts & hobbies books

I hope folks on this Sub aren't sick of me trotting out this list when homebrewing comes up, but here's my go-to selection of resources for Ham Radio homebrew. (Plus there's new links every time!):

I think the most extensive book for learning about radio homebrewing Experimental Methods in RF Design. It covers everything from basic direct-converstion recievers to phasing SSB transceivers. It's not super dense with information on newer DSP techniques or older regenerative receivers. But it's a wealth of practical information for the modern homebrewer.

That said, the EMRFD is dense, complex, and a little wandering. Not a great first book, but a book I keep coming back in homebrewing projects. A more approachable place to start might be reading the blogs of other homebrewers, not that these are all ideal starting places. Here's my go-to list:

• SolderSmoke - As you already mentioned, the Soldersmoke podcast is like the Car Talk of Analog Homebrew Radios.
  
• Peter Parker VK3YE's Website and YouTube Channel. His articles Homebrewing for the Novice and Ham Radio's Hidden Curriculum are great starting places.
  
• Dave Richards, AA7EE, particularly his build of VK3YE's Micro-4 or his Rugster or Sproutie projects. Some of the prettiest builds out there.
  
• Pete Juliano N6QW's Website - The other half of solder smoke, he somehow finds time to pound out rig after rig in Juliano Blue
  
• Paul Darlington m0xpd - Works a fair amount with DDS modules and receivers
  
• Peter Rachow DK7IH - has some really nice finished multiband transceiver projects, all wrapped up in little boxes.
  
• Todd Gale VE7BPO's QRP-Popcorn - Todd's always making new and interesting things with great documentation. He also had a long time website, the QRP/SWL Homebuilder, which he took down a couple years ago. Thanksfully, Jason NT7S hosts of a copy of the materials from that website.
  
• WA0ITP has a great "book" online called Crystal Sets to Sideband with great tribal wisdom on homebrew construction methods and guidance.
  
• Oh and what the heck, a shameless plug for my own site KK9JEF - I build direct conversion transceivers, currently working on a sideband transceiver.
  
  For specific designers, here's a few personal recommendations:
  
  
• I'd start with a simple Pixie or kit from eBay. They're cheap, and good experience of soldering. With a good antenna and a lot of luck, you can actually make contacts on them, but I wouldn't be discouraged if you don't. There's something to be said for soldering a $4 circuit together and pulling signals off the air.
  
• Next, I'd suggest one of the multitude of NE602/LM386 Direct Conversion Receivers or Transceivers, or homebrew your own based on their similar designs. AA7EE's build of half of the ZL2BMI DSB radio is a beautiful example.
  
• Beyond that, you're likely into homebrewing superhets. Bill's partner in crime Pete N6QW has a multitude of examples on his blog; there's the popular BITX Design which Bill N2CQR has built several of, and has a nice recorded talk on YouTube about.
  
  Feel free to message me if you want to talk kitbuilding/homebrewing!
  De KK9JEF

Many months ago, I submitted a ranty text post lamenting an offhand comment made to me by the mother of an old friend that, more or less, implied I should be making things for old friend’s baby for free. We’ve all been there. Pssh – some people, amirite?

Within that post, though, I very quickly touched on the struggle husband and I had been going through for a year and a half while trying to conceive our own child, and how difficult it had been for me to simultaneously create gifts for others in celebration of their new little ones while, with each stitch, also (and sometimes moreso) grieving the absence of my own. It was very quick, maybe a sentence or two, but heavy nonetheless. And I was amazed at how many of you felt that heaviness and reached out to me about your own struggles. How many of you gave me, a stranger, more empathy and support through the interwebs than most of the people I cross in my everyday life. And I was so thankful. Your kind words and heartfelt understanding was and still is so much appreciated.

I am happy to report that on our 19th cycle, my husband and I were able to conceive. We are expecting our first child, a little boy, in November. As a tribute to one my most favorite children’s books, we are putting together a few pieces inspired by Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are for his nursery, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put my book, Animal Heads to Crochet by Vanessa Mooncie, to good use with this adaptation of The Bull, known also as the loveable Bernard from the 2009 film adaptation. I am so pleased with how he came out – especially as a 100% stash project – and hope he leads the little guy on some seriously magical adventures in the years to come.

Thank you all so much for the love and support. It truly lit up what had become a very dark place.

Project Page for Pattern Link and Notes

> I love life, love love, love relationships, love the good things.

I love chocolate. I love a good book or movie. I love playing with my puppy.

Those things matter to me. And life, love, relationships, and good things matter to you (and me too).

I recommend the book "Unweaving The Rainbow" by Richard Dawkins.

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"
— Douglas Adams

That can be argued as base motivation for most social behavior. Even in humans. Isn't that why children yearn for their parents? Isn't that why a spouse misses their spouse? It may be true that survival needs drive social behavior on some level, but it does not mean it is not social behavior. One can still desire affection for affection's sake, even if the "desire" for affection (and the behaviors to obtain it) originated as a survival technique.

An example of this that comes to mind is a baby's reflex smile. It elicits affection from parents towards that newborn. The parents then, presumably, are more likely to feed, take care of, and value that child. The baby cannot tell you are smiling at them back, nor does it care. It wants to be taken care of. It wants to be fed. It is like the dog wanting a treat. At some level, a lot of social behaviors have this kind of element to them. But they become more... not in an esoteric sense, but that receiving affection is, in and of itself, a reward and of value.

That social behavior may have a biological basis may make some cynical, but I do not think it should. But if it does, I suggest Unweaving the Rainbow to regain some of the magic that may be lost for you from the universe.

EDIT: Here is Dawkins reading the opening lines.

Also, if you don't want to have to create everything from scratch the pre-packaged adventure books are great. Whether you follow them, or whether you rip ideas from them, they are an amazing resource that can save you a ton of time.

• If you liked CR's Underdark arc, check out Out of the Abyss for a fantastic trek through the Underdark
  
• If you liked CR's Briarwoods arc, check out The Curse of Strahd for a sophisticated "Count Vampire" adventure
  
  The great thing about these books (and others) is you can take as much or as little from them as you like.
  
  Re: other comments about having friends, make new ones! I got into playing IRL D&D by posting on my local /r/[city] saying I was looking for a D&D group, and that I'd be happy to host. Had a weekly group going two days later. Playing D&D is a great way to become friends with people.

Not really recent, but I really love sewing and I'm constantly drawing up other projects to sew and learning a lot about it. :) this book would be super great to learn more about sewing plush! I only have a basic understanding so far but I love practicing and making plush for other people as well as myself. :B

3.14

thanks for the contest!

I totally agree with what CiderDrinker said. I started out on a 4x6 and got a feel for what I liked, built some models, and really affirmed that I wanted to keep going with the hobby. I started out with Bachmann EZ track and I suggest you do the same. Actually I would recommend using Kato's version of EZ track, called Unitrack. I hear better things about the quality, etc... But the "plug and play" aspect will let you focus on the basics of setting up a layout without getting bogged down in things like electrics, feeder wires, etc.

My advice to you... Plan plan PLAN! Download one of the track planning softwares on the sidebar. I have the free version of AnyRail which is more than plenty. It has every track library possible including Kato and Bachmann. If you really want, get a basic layout going but don't lay down anything permanent. Then you can see things hooked up and working which is pretty satisfying. But in the meantime, plan out a more permanent layout with one of those track planners. I've made some mistakes in planning by just setting things up without really planning out how everything will work, and to be honest I'm kind of losing interest because I don't have a ton of things to "do" on my layout right now.

You'll hear this in any FB group or subreddit, so I'll just start the conversation. Buy a copy of Realistic Track Planning... I haven't read it yet but I have a copy and I need to get into it. Everyone tells me it's a great book to have around. Pick up a couple more of those books too. Maybe one on trackwork, one on realistic operation, one on scenery... whatever looks interesting to you :) . The moral of the story is, have patience and know that it might suck to wait so long but the end result will be far more fulfilling than just winging it and hoping it works out!

The best part about this hobby is all the learning and information. You will make mistakes and come across things you like and don't like, and can adapt from there

1. Not a chart, but here's a great blog post about choosing and substituting yarn fibers and weights to suit your needs.
   
   
2. The Knitter's Book of Yarn is an amazing resource for exactly this topic -- check your library if you're not ready to shell out $23 for it yet.
   
   
3. Look for yarn suggestions in Ravelry's project pages. First look up the pattern you want to knit, then click on the projects tab to see pictures of what other people have worked up. The yarns they've used for their projects are visible right from that page, as long as they've included that information. Example: Cedar Leaf Shawlette project gallery. By browsing the project page, you can get an idea of what you want your FO to look like -- whether you'd like to use variegated, solid, or tonal yarns (or a combination), what colors you'd like the best, what fibers you think have the best drape for the pattern, all that kind of thing!

Regardless of whether you take an apprenticeship or attend a college program, I would highly recommend expanding your knowledge on woodworking. There are five basic books I could not have survived without.

"Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking" by Tage Frid - This is for a box set of Tage Frid's three books. I bought them separate, but one link was easier than three links. You can buy these off of Amazon or eBay for quite cheap if you're a smart shopper.

"Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology" by R. Bruce Hoadley Edit: Recommended for a better understanding of the materials you're working with.

"Identifying Wood: Accurate Results With Simple Tools" by R. Bruce Hoadley Edit: Recommended because as a carpenter or woodworker, you should be able to identify most common wood types.

If you're just beginning and don't want to spend the $100ish it would cost for all of these, start with Tage's first book. "Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking: Joinery: Tools and Techniques". It will teach A LOT about design and wood in general, which will help you when applying for apprenticeships and/or carpentry/cabinet-making school.

It should be noted, these are textbooks for the most part and as such, read like one. If you're fresh out of high school, it should be easy to resume an old studying routine; if not, I suggest coffee, a chair that's comfortable and a notebook for note-taking. Seriously.

Model railroading is such a broad topic that has so many facets to it that you can get advice on. Even within scenery and laying track there is so much to discuss that it is dificult to give general advice. Here goes:

• Plan ahead. You will have a lot more fun running trains if you have a well designed track plan. If you plan even just a few well placed sidings you will have fun rearanging cars. You can get advice here if you draw up some track plans.
  
  
• Lay track well. Nothing will ruin the fun of running trains faster than poorly laid track. Kinks, s-curves and tight radius turns will lead to frequent derailments.
  
  
• Minimums. For HO scale a 4' x 8' layout is a tight minum. With modern equipment it will look unrelistic on tight radius curves and your trains could derail.
  
  
• Train shows and train clubs. Look for some in your area. A great way to meet people and have them give you hands on model train advice.
  
  
• Books. There are lots of great books out there on helping you build your first layout. These books I have and like: The scenery manual. Bench work. Track Planning.
  These books look interesting for a beginer: scenery. Step by step. If the books are out of print then search Amazon for a used copy or find them at a train show.
  
  Tell us about what your plans are. How much space do you have? Do you have track yet? What kind of track? Are you going to model a specific area or road? Do you have a DCC system? If you give us some specifics we can give you better advice on what you will be building.

The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook is recommended for all spinners. It's $25 so slightly over your budget but it's well worth it. My local library has it but I still want to get my own copy.

Every knitter or spinner could use another project bag. There's hundreds on Etsy to choose from. Keep in mind that some of these listings are made to order so read the description.

Indie dyed fiber makes a great gift. FriendsinFiber on Etsy has fairly inexpensive combed top and rolags.

Woolgatherings has some fiber you can probably get for under $15 with shipping. Undyed fibers in their natural color are very beautiful too.

Hipstrings has some very unique blends. Don't buy any cotton by mistake.

There's plenty of other fiber sellers on Etsy. Make sure to get her fiber that's specifically marked as suitable for spinning. There's much lesser quality fibers for felters mixed in there. Since she is a beginning spinner, get her wool.

You could also get stitch markers or extra knitting needles if she likes having lots of projects going at once.

Your question is legitimate, and you didn't insinuate anything. I just wanted to introduce terminology since you mentioned you were a beginner.

When forming metals, one does not need to always heat them up; this would be a type of planishing. And, more conversationally than precisely, forming is more about plate or sheet metals and sometimes casting or stamping. The terms forging and forming get stickier when discussing industrial methods versus individual metalsmithing. For this, I am sticking to individual metalsmith terminology.

Forging is heat applied to metal and where compression happens; it can increase the strength of the metal's properties versus casting or machining. In blacksmithing, hot forging is done which prevents work hardening. Work hardening (which can be desirable or not) is a product of hammering cold stock, not hot. You can draw out, or squish, or flatten, or upset when hot forging.

With forming, usually with sheet or plate, one can work hot or cold, (but cold can often be assumed) and one is deforming the metal in specific directions and/or processes.

There is a Venn Diagram of things that overlap forging and forming. Blacksmithing and metalsmithing often occupy the same space. I am a blacksmith that also works with copper, silver, gold, and bronze. I work with sheet and with bar stock. I sometimes cast metal as well. There really isn't a hard and fast rule for what defines a blacksmith (other than predominately working with ferrous), so don't get too hung up on these delineations. They're just a guide.

If you would like to make armor, I would go to the nearest hobby shop and pick up a few sheets of copper. Bang on it, heat it up, and then bang on it some more. Try to pick up a jeweler's saw and see how well the sheet saws before and after you anneal it. Make patterns (like in your link) and see how the metal behaves.

This will give you a relatively easy entry into forming metals, before tackling steel, which requires a lot more heat and a more detailed set up. I would also recommend to you a great book called "The Complete Metalsmith" by Tim McCreight

You can find the book cheaper elsewhere, but the website I linked is a good one for people wanting a metalsmithing resource. I also recommend "The New Edge of the Anvil" which our University uses in its degreed Blacksmith program.

Good luck, and feel free to ask me any questions!

EDIT: A more scientific definition of hot forging vs cold

Genuine Origami by Jun Maekawa (http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Origami-Mathematically-Based-Models-Complex/dp/4889962514) is a pretty good book to learn about the more technical side of origami. Jun Maekawa goes into depth about how he developed a lot of the models and what techniques/theories are applied in the models. He also selected models for the book which are illustrative of specific design features. I found a lot of the models in this book to be fairly difficult but with enough patience I was able to fold most models.

Personally I'm also a fan of Origami to Astonish and Amuse by Jeremy Schafer (http://www.amazon.com/Origami-Astonish-Amuse-Jeremy-Shafer/dp/0312254040) which isn't quite as technically in depth as Maekawa's book. However Schafer does go into depth about how he developed the various models as well though. The models can also be quite funny and I'm fairly sure 14-year-old me would have thoroughly enjoyed this book. The models in this book can range in difficulty from fairly easy to tediously difficult.

I think either book would make a good present and they're also reasonably priced on amazon.

I'm a lady, but I'm always looking for patterns and whatnot to knit for my boyfriend. It's hard. Knitting is incredibly skewed towards women. One of my friends got me the Knits for Nerds book, and it's awesome, except that every pattern is made for women. I don't want a ladylike browncoat. I want a knitted replica of the regular, Malcolm Reynold's browncoat. Maybe a version with optional darts for my boobs.

My LYS recommended that I pick up Knitting with Balls for patterns. I haven't done it yet (not a lot of expendable income), but she said it has great patterns.

As far as notions and whatnot... I also have had little success finding supplies that aren't extremely feminine. For needles, there's a brand called Karbonz in black/steel colors. I haven't had the opportunity to try them yet (again, not much expendable income), but have heard nothing but good things.

I hate to agree with WoollySocks, but it's true that some things are just gender-skewed. I've pretty much accepted that I'm going to be treated differently when I go shopping for tools, because I'm female. I'm going to have trouble finding work boots. It is, for me, about quality of product, rather than accessibility for my gender. I would advise not straying away from Knitpicks. I think that Knitpicks is the best inexpensive yarn store out there (that I've found so far, anyway), and it would be a shame for you to lose access to their products. They have a wide and reliable rainbow of wools, and their colors are fairly uniform across fibers (as much as they can be).

Don't be discouraged, we are all here for you!

You can buy official prewritten modules that are ready to play straight out of the book. You can also check out the Dungeon Master's Guild website to get free or paid adventures.

The core D&D books themselves do not have an adventure in them but there are plenty of things out there to get that are already made or you could make up your own.

The Starter Set has an adventure that lasts about six sessions, Storm King's Thunder is an adventure for levels 1-14, Princes of the Apocalypse is an adventure for levels 1-11, Curse of Strahd is a great adventure.

If you want to start writing your own adventures at some point, you should pick up the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster Manual.

I see your point, but the whys are mainly just reading. Not so much doing.

My boss let me barrow a couple books from this series:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illustrated-Guide-Joinery/dp/1561584010/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457460157&sr=8-2&keywords=Joinery+book

They have pretty detailed explanations on almost every aspect of woodworking. I have the joinery and finishing ones, and both are great.

Also have to realize there are hundreds of ways to accomplish the same thing, some right, some wrong, and even the 'wrong' ones will work.

My first big project is based off this table: http://www.ricketyfurniture.com/how-to-build-an-arts-and-crafts-dining-table/ it does a pretty good job explaining why things are done and I've had to practice almost each of the major steps... This results in some research on each part and a learning process as I've gone along.

You can also just search this reddit "how to glue up panels" or w/e, people do a great job explaining how and why on here

It took my a while to get back to my desk, but I wanted to give a thorough answer!

• HowCast has a series of videos going over many basic woodshop techniques and equipment, and is a good place to start getting to know the tools and vocabulary
  
• Wordworker's journal has a ton of great videos on YouTube as well, this one runs through the exact finishing process I used.
  
• Jim Tolpin's New American Woodworker is a hugely informative read, definitely more depth than one would need for this project, but recommended.
  
  
  There was also a lot of other miscellaneous videos and forum posts that proved to be helpful, but that was mostly found on a "problem seeking solution" basis rather than when I was trying to get my feet under me, so I don't have a great record of them. I hope this helps!

TL;DR ahead~

I've been spinning for about 4 or 5 years now, and was using a drop spindle exclusively up until about a month ago. I just got a single treadle Ashford Traditional on long-term loan. I've only used it 3 or 4 times since then, so I'm not the best person to talk about wheel use. Spindles, on the other hand, are definitely my bag.

The most important things for a beginning spindler to have are a good spindle and decent fiber. The spindle doesn't have to be fancy, but it should be well-balanced, with a long spin time. I'm a big proponent of Kundert spindles as starter spindles; the one I have is my go-to for almost everything in the sport to aran range.

Good fiber is possibly even more important than a good spindle. Neppy, dry, or semi-felted fiber just makes the spinning process unpleasant, and you really have to push yourself to not give up when the fiber's fighting you. Super-short staple stuff is also generally not a good idea for beginning spinners; I started off with Coopworth, which is not the softest wool in the world, but it's definitely good at holding together. Blue-Faced Leicester and Border Leicester are also good options.

Related to that is the fact that fibers from different breeds of sheep (not to mention other fibers) have very different properties. These can influence the way you spin. Shorter fibers tend to be softer, but also more prone to wear. Longer fibers tend to be more wiry, but also more durable. The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook is a really good source for information on sheep breeds, as is The Knitter's Book of Wool. While you don't have to spin something a certain way because it's a specific type of wool, the yarn will probably fight you less if you try and keep breed properties in mind when you work with it.

Also important to know is that there are many different fiber prep methods that you can spin from, and that these can also affect the quality of the yarn you make. Batts make for very floofy woolen (as a style of spinning) yarns, and combed top, which a lot of people call roving, makes for a more even worsted (again, a style of spinning, not a yarn weight) yarn. You can even spin wool straight from the lock, but generally you don't get into that advanced a form of fiber madness until a few years in.

Lastly, and most essential-- remember that you're going to drop your spindle. A lot. There will probably be swearing. Tears and recriminations may factor into things. The first couple months or so will make you wonder if it's really worth all that trouble, when you can barely manage to get yarn to hold together while practicing Park-and-Draft. But for me, that first awkward swatch of fabric knitted up from my first skein of yarn convinced me to keep going, because it was something I had produced from the ground up.

Five years later, I'm still spinning.

There's a lot more about spinning that I haven't covered, but I think that hits the salient points.

tl;dr-- Get a decent spindle, don't use crappy fiber even if it's cheap, listen to what the fiber wants to be spun like, and don't be afraid to screw up when you're starting off, because it's just fiber.

Ignore reddit subs. There's not a lot of info out there. Incidentally I spent a good couple of years researching this and bought about 20 books on the subject in the end. Most of the textbooks are complete drivel. The books I list below are notably different. I assume you want focus on Amateur Radio as part of it so I have included only books which treat it in context to that.

Experimental Methods in RF design. Covers literally everything, relatively up to date and relevant. Expensive but fantastic book on so many levels. Comes with a copy of Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur which was a good predecessor from the 1980s on CDROM: https://www.amazon.com/dp/087259923X

Practical RF Design Manual. Covers blocks and individual system components. Nice book but old. The techniques are still valid however. Very accessible and well written: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0136937543

The Electronics of Radio. Covers a full system level engineering of a transceiver, and all electronics fundamentals. There are practicals in it and you require some half decent and therefore relatively expensive test gear. It is focused around the Norcal 40A transceiver designed by the guy who runs Elecraft now. If you want to learn in steps rather than from a reference, this book is gold: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E3URCNG

The first title can be obtained from Library Genesis if you want to trial it before buying.

Not sure what country you are in but the above are available from box73.de or amazon in EU as well.

Patience and practice my friend, and you'll get there. Bandsaws are amazing tools, very versatile, but can be fiddy to adjust and tune until you learn how, then they are a pleasure to use. I learned from books (pre youtube days) and can recommend Bird's book,https://www.amazon.com/Bandsaw-Book-Lonnie-Bird/dp/1561582891

can be had for less than $10, well worth it, I refer to it still. Good luck with your sawing......

This book on Stuffed Animal construction is something that would help me greatly.

I've been working on a project for a few years that I've affectionately named Stitch n Ditch, which involves making and donating stuffed animals to poor urban areas. The actual concept is to eventually "craft bomb" a local innercity area that is run down and falling apart with cute stuffed animals tagged with positive messages. Anything that can improve my skill and speed, give me new pattern ideas, or just new tools/materials would be insanely helpful. I'd say 90% of wishlist is actually dedicated to this project now. So really, pretty much anything from my WL related to that would be super helpful.

A book on joinery, specifically geared towards furniture making and other small applications, but the principles apply to large joinery as well

an good, thorough book, although old, but I actually really enjoy books written in this old style

A newer book by the same author, from the late 90's

These are just the few suggestions on material I have had personal contact with, there are volumes upon volumes out there that cover this subject, you could spend a lifetime learning. Most of my knowledge was gained through my work, and my peers. The carpentry program here in Canada only touches briefly on timber construction, and even then mainly covers engineered glue-lam and things like that, not old world techniques.


If you're really, really interested, I suggest looking into companies that specialize in timber framing. Drawing and designing for them is a specialized skill the same way that actually building them is. Many modern companies do a large portion of their cutting with mechanized CNC tooling, and their design processes cater to that. It also enables very intricate designs that would take months or years just to cut by hand.

Thank you for the explanation! I made a cynical assumption and I appreciate your patience with me. In the states I'm just used to people using token 'worldliness' to feel more sophisticated. Since Scandinavian culture/design is currently all the rage in the U.S. I got a nice irony boner out of this photo. My ignorance was fun while it lasted.

Though I have to admit I'm even worse than my fellow countrymen who just like Ikea. I'm currently reading this book and loving it http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood-Chopping-Stacking-Scandinavian/dp/1419717987/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457716639&sr=8-1&keywords=wood+stacking+book So the neat wood stack in this picture is my favorite part. I also really enjoyed 'Lillyhammer' on Netflix and am still bitter it was cancelled.


-I do realize that Finland has nothing to do with Ikea or that show.

-Though the only things that come to mind when I think of Finland is the famous quiet Stoicism of the people and your amazing resistance to the Russians in WWII. I'd love to visit someday and annoy the locals with my endless chatter.

That is exactly my point. There is a core set of skills that people can draw on, regardless of whether they're stuck on a desert island, trying to nail 40 mile days, or want to spend a few days in the woods carving knives.

These common skills are where I see value in exploring lots of different approaches. Reading a variety of sources helps me to develop a broader knowledge base. Folks like Cam and Skurka are as enriching to my outdoor experience as someone like Ellsworth Jaeger. Sure, I'm not ever going to build wood structures or tan deer hide, but these bushcrafters look and read a lot more like proto-distance hikers like Earl Shaffer than you'd think. I like connecting myself to the history of hiking in this way.

At the end of the day, when I'm in the backcountry I look and behave a lot more like an ultralighter than anything else, from my Yama Cirriform and my Cumulus quilt to my KS Ultralight Tao Pack. I feel better doing this because I understand how technology has enabled this change from predecessors, but also because I have some knowledge that might be useful if that technology fails.

Aw, thank you!!

I really like the look of crepe and tissue paper flowers. And the supplies are super cheap too. I actually made rose buds from the Lia Griffith site but used tissue paper instead (those are the hand drawn templates I made in picture four).


I've been using the exquisite book of paper flowers and Paper to Petal. The Exquisite book has really pretty flowers and good technique. I don't love most of the flowers in the Paper to Petal book but it has good info on technique. Based on these two books, I've also made up my own flowers too.

Last week I picked up "Working Wood 1 & 2" and am extremely impressed with the quality and clarity throughout. I respect Sellers and his work immensely, and do not hesitate to recommend the book.

I also recommend:

The New Traditional Woodworker by Jim Tolpin

The Foundations of Better Woodworking by Jeff Miller.

I recently got a new job that has allowed me the income to begin woodworking, and I've been beefing up my library (and tools). The first book I mentioned (New Traditional) is included in the Getting Started in Handtools Value Pack which includes many books/ebooks, as well as some DVDs from Chris Schwarz (among others):

Mastering Handtools

Sawing Fundamentals

both of which I heartily recommend, even if you don't opt for that value pack.

Not in my field, but my best friend is a Blacksmith, and his bible is The Edge of The Anvil. As a non-blacksmith, I've often referred to it when I've wanted to build something out of steel. A great book and worth buying.

This is the Knockdown Nicholson workbench, and I was working from plans found in Chris Schwarz's, Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use. Schwarz also made the plans available for download from the Lost Art Press.

I've been interested in woodworking for a long time, but was always stymied by not having a bench. Otherwise simple cuts or assemblies were hampered by not having a good way to support or secure my workpiece. With a new apartment, came better space and the opportunity to build a solid bench.

This is my first major undertaking, and I'm really, really proud of how it came out.

I chose Southern Pine at the advice of Christopher Schwarz's book "Workbenches: from Design & Theory to Construction and Use" (amazon), which is an immensely useful text for anyone looking to build their own bench.

Southern Pine has a relatively straight grain and it's rather dense for a softwood (modulus of elasticity is 1.93, compared to Hickory at 2.16 and Doug Fir at 1.95). It can tend to be a little knotty, so buying 2x8 or wider and resawing has big advantages.

Schwarz also wrote "The Workbench Design Book: The Art & Philosophy of Building Better Benches" (amazon), which has designs and plans for several distinct styles of bench.

For anyone thinking to build their own workbench (especially people who are new to furniture building), I highly recommend getting both books. They complement each other quite well with tips and feature descriptions all the way to plans and cut lists. One of the more useful parts of the first book (for me anyway) is the chapter on matching features to functions. Even a novice can build a bench they know will have useful features for the type of work they want to use it for.

I'd probably use a toroid in the tank circuit instead of the old-school plug-in coil, and an AC supply to save 'A' and 'B' batteries. Maybe add another audio stage so I could hear signals from more than a few feet away. It never worked very well and I was probably lucky not to electrocute myself, but it was pretty cool nonetheless.

For a newbie? Well, I wouldn't recommend using tubes, to begin with, unless you're just hyper-interested in older technology. The whole thing will fit on one chip, of course, but that's going too far in the other direction IMHO. I'd probably recommend building one of the simpler receivers based on JFETs and bipolars in Wes Hayward's book, to build some intuition about what happens when you put your fingers on the wires. Where you go from there is wide open, but start simple.

/didn't read post, probably should've

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. Dawkins doesn't really go into anything new or original, but the strength of the book is that is a great, concise summary of all the beginning arguments for atheism.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0618680004

I'd follow it with Daniel Dennett's "Breaking the Spell", also a good recommendation. Same goes for Carl Sagan's "A Demon Haunted World"

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Spell-Religion-Natural-Phenomenon/dp/0143038338

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469/

Christopher Hitchens is a bit vitriolic for some, but "God is not Great" has some nuggets in it.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446579807/

I personally didn't like Sam Harris' "End of Faith" but I did like his "Letter to a Christian Nation".

http://www.amazon.com/Letter-Christian-Nation-Vintage-Harris/dp/0307278778/

For the topic of evolution, Talk Origins is great (and free) http://toarchive.org/
Dawkin's "The Selfish Gene" is also a good read (and short). Not so short but also good are Dawkins' "Blind Watchmaker", "Climbing Mount Improbable" and "Unweaving the Rainbow"

http://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Gene-Anniversary-Introduction/dp/0199291152/

http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Watchmaker-Evidence-Evolution-Universe/dp/0393315703/

http://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Mount-Improbable-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0393316823/

http://www.amazon.com/Unweaving-Rainbow-Science-Delusion-Appetite/dp/0618056734/

Thanks for this info! I did some searching and found some more woodworking books. You can borrow up to 10 books at a time! All of these are free to borrow for Prime members!

• Mid-Century Modern Furniture: Shop Drawings & Techniques for Making 29 Projects
  
  
• The New Traditional Woodworker: From Tool Set to Skill Set to Mind Set
  
  
• I Can Do That! Woodworking Projects - Updated and Expanded
  
  
• [Hybrid Woodworking: Blending Power & Hand Tools for Quick, Quality Furniture (Popular Woodworking)]
  (https://www.amazon.com/Hybrid-Woodworking-Blending-Quality-Furniture-ebook/dp/B00HV0VNJY?_encoding=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=ku_mi_rw_edp)
  
  
• The Workbench Design Book: The Art & Philosophy of Building Better Benches

There's all sorts of pre-made campaign modules that have already established worlds and towns and people and adventures. You can find them in game stores or pretty much anywhere online. A few of them include Curse of Strahd, Horde of the Dragon Queen, and Storm King's Thunder.

Best of luck with the DMing!

Thanks! The key is to start simple, be persistent, and to be analytical when you're folding from diagrams. Most people ( myself included) start by modifying traditional bases. When using diagrams, Try to look at the ways that structures come together and look for recurring structures and try to understand what these structures can do. Everybody recommends the book origami design secrets by Robert lang but the book that helped me understand design the most was Genuine Origami by jun maekawa. This one http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Origami-Mathematically-Based-Models-Complex/dp/4889962514/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415713219&sr=8-1&keywords=genuine+origami Other than that try to get ideas from other models ( I got the idea for the shell from fumiaki kawahatas stegosaurus) and have fun discovering your unique style of origami! If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Perhaps not specific to your problem, but somewhat related: One of my favorite resource books is the Knitters Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes. If you ever want to learn about the makeup of all fiber types, why some are scratchy or why wool felts, what makes for good durability or why your tightly-spun yarns tend to bias when knitting stockinette, this is for you. It also includes 40 patterns written with certain fibers in mind. It's changed the way I think about choosing yarn for all my knitting projects. I'd highly recommend it!

For me there are several ways that knitting is interesting. First, it's something repetitive that I can do to soothe my mind and actually have a useful product at the end (using double-pointed needles provides just the right amount of mental stimulation). Second, it's a fascinating topological exercise how a string can get turned into a complex, 3D object, like a sock. Third, cables and lace and designing custom-fitted objects are interesting engineering projects, especially when you take into account the various personalities of the different kind of fibers you can use. (This type of knitting is very mental and not at all soothing, especially when you lose track of where you are or drop a stitch.)

Scarves and hats are boring. My next project (after I finish the mittens for my daughter) is a torus from this book. The fractal shawl also looks interesting. :)

Historically, at least in some places, knitting was unisex, especially among fishermen, who had their own cable patterns in their sweaters to make identifying their bodies easier if they drowned at sea.

We need more men who knit, as well as young women, to break the stereotypes.

I like them both and have strong points that compliment each other. I would suggest reading both and then moving on to The Greatest Show on Earth, The End Of Faith and Unweaving the Rainbow in no particular order, but all great books in their own right.

Awesome list!

So to talk to people local-ish, I would suggest a mobile radio on your vehicle. See this list of mobile radios, and this list of mobile antennas. See k0bg.com for info on installation and hardware selection.

You may want a VHF (2m) or VHF/UHF (2m/70cm) radio, depending on local activity.

See here for some kits you can build:

• http://qrpkits.com/
  
• http://www.4sqrp.com/kitIndex.php
  
• https://www.qrp-labs.com/
  
  There are more. I would suggest you search for "qrp kits".
  
  All of the above will help you learn electronics. When you're ready, check out Experimental Methods in RF Design.
  
  Search here for some ARRL-affiliated local clubs: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club
  
  Hope this helps! 73

Sorry I'm super late to reply--holiday weekends! In commercial yarn it can be hard to find a lot of variety in terms of types of wool. Anything not specifically labelled Merino is likely to just be "wool pool" wool. It'll be a blend of lots of different sheep/breeds that conform to a type & quality profile. These wools are usually coarser than Merino, and cheaper because of it too.

If you can find it, Shetland or Corriedale are wools I've seen in commercial offerings that I think are good for sweaters. I'm personally knitting an Aran sweater out of my handspun Romney wool. If you're interested in learning more about the different options, I highly recommend checking out this book!

This book is really, really helpful if you're looking into sewing some more stuffed animals later! Tons of tips and even cute plushies to sew. He looks cute just be sure to not use thread that contrasts so much next time.

Also if this is your first time I really recommend you use one of the prewritten adventures.

Curse of Strahd is a great one.

This will give you all the pre-drawn maps, established story, encounters, etc that you will need. Takes a lot of the work out of crafting an entirely unique adventure and allows you to focus on DMing.

Very good progress!

I'm a lady but my fave knitting book is Knitting With Balls: a hands on guide to knitting for the modern man. You might like it!

Read these two books:

• http://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Design-Construction-Popular-Woodworking-ebook/dp/B0051Q8CW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409710996&sr=8-1&keywords=chris+schwarz+workbenches
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Workbench-Design-Book-Philosophy-Building-ebook/dp/B005JEKJZI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409710996&sr=8-2&keywords=chris+schwarz+workbenches
  
  Then make up your mind.
  
  Most of the good benches have a lot in common. Thick, heavy tops. Total weight exceeding 300lbs. Legs like tree-trunks. A vise on the front and on the end. Legs and stretchers in plane with the front of the bench.
  
  After that, there are a lot of personal choices to be made like vises, deadman or no, split tops, tool trays, shelves, tool storage at the rear, square vs round dog-holes, etc. In reality, this stuff barely matters once you get the core details right.
  
  My bench-in-progress is basically a longer (7'), narrower (22") version of Schwarz's personal Holtzapffel, except with a Veritas twin screw. If I ever get bored of the twin screw, retrofitting a leg vise is a simple matter, and then I will have something more closely resembling a Roubo, albeit with a quick-release vise on the end. If I get bored of that, I can always replace it with a tail or wagon vise. At the same time, this style of bench will get me up and running faster than I would have been with a Roubo, which is a good bit more work to build.
  
  

Well done!! If you like this sort of thing and you obviously do - then you should check out Norwegian Wood: Chopping Stacking and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way. It's about the history and culture of firewood prep in Scandinavia. Pretty interesting read if you are into wood and wood piles!

I'm going to be DIYing as many paper flowers as I can. Flowers are crazy expensive but I love them and want my wedding to look lush and whimsical.

So I got two books, The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers and Paper to Petal.
Im also thinking of having one large flower for my bouquet, like this

On mobile.

Book about yarn - if you like diving into knowledge!

The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307352161/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_3.aNwb10BQCV

If you want to know about something google it and the word techknitter. Amazing blog - so much knowledge - hard to navigate.

This book will really give you some great information, as well as inspire you to get out and be a humble axeman.

http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood-Chopping-Stacking-Scandinavian/dp/1419717987

Only partially true.

You want the bottom facing down and the top facing up, to guard from rising moisture as well. And you would also want bigger gaps, so air can pass through and help keep it dry.

Source:

Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way

There's an awesome book called "Wildwood Wisdom" by Elsworth Jaeger that is amazing. You could live anywhere with just this book (although it's written for North America).

For anyone looking to build a Roubo (or other "lifetime" workbench) - I strongly recommend reading through Chris Schwarz's book Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use. He has a good discussion about wood species in the book. Here's a sneak preview: he is a big fan of southern yellow pine.

Pretty sure you want a 14" bandsaw.

I just got a copy of The Bandsaw Book out of the library after buying an old Grizzly on CL. I'm still happy with the saw, but I wish I'd read it first.

Do yourself a favour and read a book which gives a good overview of what we know from science, before you do more harm to yourself. "Unweaving the Rainbow" would probably be a good choice.

Then come back and see if you could tell people with a straight face that your religion -- or any religion -- contains much which is actually useful (and true) in comparison.

I love paper flowers. Have you seen this book?

Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand by Rebecca Thuss

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385345054/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Fte8Cb8VH5H5K

Or this one

The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers: A Guide to Making Unbelievably Realistic Paper Blooms by Lucia Cetti
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617691003/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lue8CbSBMRXBK

http://www.amazon.com/New-Traditional-Woodworker-Popular-Woodworking/dp/1440304289
-Just got this one and it covers a lot of fundamental's with a few projects for jigs etc.

and Made by Hand http://www.theunpluggedwoodshop.com/made-by-hand/the-book
-Similar theory but the projects are a little more advanced and interesting.

I strongly recommend starting with a simple operations plan that covers what trains will do on your layout. You don't need to use prototype rules but if your trains have nothing to do besides go round and round for no reason, you will get bored after a couple weeks. Knowing why your railroad exists will inform your track plan much better than what will fit in your space.

For example, I'm building a railroad which carries supplies to a dam construction site.

Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong is the bible for model railroad track planning.

I also like Byron Henderson's website for learning basics while waiting for the book to arrive from Amazon, and for tips and tricks which the book doesn't cover.

Thanks!

The California poppies are based on this tutorial, but using double-sided crepe instead of tissue paper. The big fluffy white flowers are coffee filter flowers from this tutorial with a fringed center added. All the rest came from a lovely coffee-table paper flower crafting book, Paper to Petal.

There's this book on Amazon. I have it and its pretty neat!
https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Heads-Trophy-Crochet/dp/178494064X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497453130&sr=8-1&keywords=animal+heads+crochet
(Sorry, don't know how to link well)

There is a lion head in it that you can possibly modify.

Lion head from the book:
http://imgur.com/yMd24e2

I knit my first scarf with the pattern from this book. (Which happens to be the best name for a guy's knitting book ever).

It's something great to do while watching TV. Just avoid drinking and knitting. I can show you exactly where on my projects where I had a little too much to drink...

This is the peacock from the Genuine Origami by Maekawa. Had a blast, but I'm definitely gonna start from the beginning to ease into it!

This book helped me pick the best joinery for my project. I'd highly recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illustrated-Guide-Joinery/dp/1561584010/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369137961&sr=1-1&keywords=joinery

Agreed that it's awesome but this one may be even better: https://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Revised-Design-Theory-Construction/dp/1440343128

This should be a bot.

Two books your brother might love are Understanding Wood by Bruce Hoadley (the "Yep, it's wood" guy), and Workbenches by Christopher Schwarz. Both are chock full of phenomenal information about how wood works and how to work it to suit your needs. I would even recommend the second one to someone who didn't want to build a bench, simply because it gives so much insight into the how and why of woodworking in general.

John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation is a great book:
https://www.amazon.com/Track-Planning-Realistic-Operation-Railroader/dp/0890242275

I like Lance Mindheim's books for modern operations on smaller layouts too:
http://lancemindheim.com/book-store/

Check out Wildwood Wisdom ( https://www.amazon.com/Wildwood-Wisdom-Ellsworth-Jaeger/dp/0936070129 )

Easily one of the most important books ever written for this lifestyle. 

new guide blocks, thrust bearings, fresh blade, link belt. Probably tires and potentially motor bearings depending on its age. Aside from all that (which should run you ~120 for everything) it just needs a lot of adjustment, alignment, and cleaning to be everything you'd need from a 14" bandsaw.

Definately dont go off the wheel diam. to determine blade length. There are many 14" bandsaws and many slightly different length blades.

snodgrass knows his bandsaw adjustments.

I would also recommend The bandsaw book as an excellent resource for all things bandsaw.

https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Heads-Trophy-Crochet/dp/178494064X
Its the best thing i have brought so far, it has taught me so much about crochet.
No way could i free form this! Maybe one day..

This book is awesome:

https://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Design-Construction-Popular-Woodworking/dp/1558708405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483726386&sr=8-1&keywords=workbenches+from+design+and+theory

It's not step-by-step newbie friendly, but it should get you there. I learned a TON about benches from it. I haven't made a bench yet but plan to once I get enough time and space, and it's helped tremendously to understand different features on different benches. I doubt I'd ever buy a standard bench after learning about the different styles unless it was one made like OP's, which is a very good design.

Edit: revised edition here-

https://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Revised-Design-Theory-Construction/dp/1440343128

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/178494064X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_YLbzyb7009MDN

I would assume you could find something similar in this book. It's currently #1 on my most wanted list. Now that I'm done Christmas gift crochet, I'm planning on rewarding myself with this.

I believe this is pretty much required reading around these parts. If nothing else it'll give you some good ideas to build upon.

The new edge of the anvil is a good book for traditional processes.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Edge-Anvil-Resource-Blacksmith/dp/1879535092

I haven't found a good blacksmithing book with information on heat treatment. You should attempt to look up the recommended schedule from whatever manufacturer made the steel you're working. Absent that, Alro has a good booklet that covers a bunch of steels.

http://www.alro.com/datacatalog/014-toolsteel.pdf

This book has the most beautiful paper flowers I've ever seen. Some are really complicated but all are stunning.

http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Petal-Whimsical-Flowers-Craft/dp/0385345054

> The Practical Workshop: A Woodworker's Guide to Workbenches, Layout & Tools

I have not read that one, but if there are sections on workbenches it is the same author. You can also peruse his blog posts for free content or search youtube for any number of roubo bench build videos. Here is the book I was referring to:
https://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Revised-Design-Theory-Construction/dp/1440343128/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509648136&sr=8-2&keywords=workbenches

I would recomend This book for trying to create your own pattern! It's more special that way anyway, right??

Done, also reckon if we can get enough content, I'll hire someone to "bookify" it and make a PDF, and maybe make a physical copy, just for laughs. Can't be too expensive with all the custom printing services these days eh?

Something like this : http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

That's a good bunch of books! I'd additionally recommend the following two:

• Unweaving the Rainbow by Dawkins.
  
• The Demon-Haunted World by Sagan.

I sincerely recommend the book Unweaving The Rainbow that delves into the subject. Here's a quote from it:
>
> “There is an anaesthetic of familiarity, a sedative of ordinariness which dulls the senses and hides the wonder of existence. For those of us not gifted in poetry, it is at least worth while from time to time making an effort to shake off the anaesthetic. What is the best way of countering the sluggish habitutation brought about by our gradual crawl from babyhood? We can't actually fly to another planet. But we can recapture that sense of having just tumbled out to life on a new world by looking at our own world in unfamiliar ways.”

Back in the day when books were made of paper, this was the bible for a lot of people. It's a little dated but not bad.

But it depends what you're into. There's books on dovetails, on cabinetmaking, on finishing. For joinery I like this.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Bandsaw-Book-Lonnie-Bird/dp/1561582891

Bought this, read this, setup my saw. . . works great.

This along with the woodwhisper.com made setup a breeze and helped explain about the finer points of this tool (i.e. its hard to get enough tension out of most hobby saws - bigger blades are only better if properly tensioned).

Edge of the anvil is the only one I've ever read and it's quite good. Was recommended it by the blacksmith I did a couple classes with.


http://www.amazon.com/New-Edge-Anvil-Resource-Blacksmith/dp/1879535092

I love this book about drafting stuffed animal patterns. "Stuffed animals" by glassenberg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1454703644/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486267163&sr=1-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=stuffed+animals&dpPl=1&dpID=51VKR4cCGlL&ref=plSrch

I think I know how you feel. It took a much longer time until my ex-girlfriend was deconverted or even seriously started to question the very foundations of her faith. But she ended up an atheist, and of course there were tears involved in the process.

If you want to give him something uplifting, show him The most astounding fact or get him The Magic of Reality or Unweaving the Rainbow for Christmas (or winter solstice). It's money well spent.

Consider getting it at your local bookstore instead of Amazon. Amazon is evil. ;)

My favorite origami books are:

Origami for the Connoisseur https://www.amazon.com/dp/4817090022/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X5GGzb0NC14YA

and

Genuine Origami: 43 Mathematically-Based Models, From Simple to Complex https://www.amazon.com/dp/4889962514/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_L7GGzb1H9N4SY

Both books are well written and cover a wide range of designs (both in content and in skill level). The harder models in genuine will take hours to fold.

If you like that, you might like this too: Experimental Methods in RF Design.

If you can find this book(http://www.amazon.com/The-Bandsaw-Book-Lonnie-Bird/dp/1561582891) it will help you a lot.

Reading your edit above, don't over tighten the tension knob that can cause issues as well. Overall it sounds like you may need new tires.

That's incredible. I have this book: Genuine Origami: 43 Mathematically-Based Models, from Simple to Complex https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/4889962514/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VC8bBbZ0VFWS3

And there's a 3 headed dragon that is just gorgeous:

https://origami.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/origami-non-traditional-dragons-featured-uai-1600x900.jpg

Saw this one as well that looked interesting - http://www.amazon.com/New-Traditional-Woodworker-Popular-Woodworking/dp/1440304289/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397005210&sr=1-4&keywords=without+power+tools

For starters I'd recommend the Knitter's Book of Yarn and the Knitter's Book of Wool, both by Clara Parkes. Both are incredibly informative and have some great patterns to boot. I consider both of these required reading for anyone even remotely serious about knitting.

If you want to get really serious about wool, the Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook goes into crazy detail about the different breeds of sheep and the wool they produce. This book is extreme though, covers a lot of things that you probably would never encounter at your average LYS. It's more geared towards spinners than knitters.

Schwarz's book is good (note there's no T in his name). Also good is Tolpin's New Traditional Woodworker http://www.amazon.com/dp/1440304289/

Have you read the workbenches book?

Workbenches Revised Edition: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use https://www.amazon.com/dp/1440343128/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_unkXBbEVHHG3R

Definitely worth checking out.

The party gets enveloped by mist and finds themselves transported to a realm of darkness ruled over by an ancient and powerful evil.

That sounds terrible. I don't know about you, but I would not play that game. If you want to be nice about it, say this:

"Hey guys have you seen this cool d&d video series online called Critical Role? (or, this book Curse of Strahd, or Storm King's Thunder) they choose where to go and have options and levels all different monsters and stuff. I wanna play that!" Then, nobody can say you're bad, and if they do you can point to thousands of positive reviews for those items.

https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501602592&sr=8-1&keywords=curse+of+strahd+book#customerReviews

FYI this is a pretty standard price, it's only a little more than a dollar off the usual amazon price.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/product/0786965983

Books are just more expensive at the local store and it sucks. I want to support my local gaming shop, and I do buy my dice, minis, paints and special-edition books there. But it's a little unreasonable to spend almost double on a standard book because of goodwill. The first of the new waterdeep books is $49.99 at my local shop, but on Amazon BOTH books together costs about $58.

Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger Found it in the school library when I was 10.

Old wood guy has it right. Only thing I'd add is pick up a copy of The Bandsaw Handbook or The Bandsaw Book. You'll be glad you did.

It's making fun of this book.

Get a copy of R. Bruce Hoadley’s book, Identifying Wood by Taunton Press.

https://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

He’s got extensive photos of wood endgrain, the acid test for identifying wood. Face grain can be deceptive but endgrain is like the fingerprint of trees.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61RPEMNvt7L.jpg

>What will happen if I put teak oil on non-teak.

Nothing bad.

The thing is, oil finishes don't add a whole lot of water resistance to the wood. So, on teak/cedar/mahogany that's not much of a problem, whereas on other woods you could get water damage.

>Is there any way for an idiot like me to identify the wood?

Hard to say. You could always post some high-res pics and crowdsource the identification. If it's unfinished, wipe some mineral-spirits on it when you take the pics - makes it easier to see the details. Or you could go all-out and get Hoadley's other fantastic book (I say 'other' because I'm constantly recommending this one).

relatedly, I found out recently that what we know as the "fire piston" actually has its roots in the "South Seas Fire Maker".

The Iroquois pump drill is detailed on page 140 of the same book.

Here is an album of the relevant pages: http://imgur.com/a/2v64m

I strongly recommend the book. It's called "Wildwood Wisdom" by Ellsworth Jaeger. ISBN: 978-0-936070-12-4

amazon.com

I read Better Never to Have Been (which is not pro-suicide but rather anti-natal, but comes across as bleak if you haven't encountered the argument before) and immediately afterward picked up Dawkins' Unweaving the Rainbow. It was the perfect emotional counterpoint, if not a perfect logical one (to Benatar's argument at least).

You could look into the Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook (I think that's the right one, anyways) for suggestions of how to spin/process the fleeces. There are a lot of sheep breeds that are primarily meat breeds in other places that still have nice fleeces!

Wouldn't this be more helpful: http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parks is the reference book you're looking for :)

Pick up a copy of The New Edge of the Anvil. Or go to either Project Gutenberg or the Open Library, search for blacksmithing books, download, and go to town. :)

This made me laugh because for a couple of months this book has sat in my Amazon basket, but I'm told i can't hang any up! Animal Heads: Trophy Heads to Crochet https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178494064X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8VeMybW848QCH

I have just the book for you. Better hurry though, only 18 left in stock.

This book better have a chapter on this

Here is an easy read that provides an introduction:(Amazon) Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way

Thanks, just ordered the updated version

https://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Revised-Design-Theory-Construction/dp/1440343128?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1440343128&pd_rd_r=4X36PYBVZ99NEWS5W1XE&pd_rd_w=qYXP1&pd_rd_wg=B0jL1&psc=1

That sounds like it was a lot of fun and learned a few things or two. I have watch the English Wood workers videos on plane making but I didn't think to check out to see if he had anything on work benchs. mostly I have been looking at Christopher Swartz's book on workbenches.

I've heard Dawkin's book [Unweaving the Rainbow] (http://www.amazon.com/Unweaving-Rainbow-Science-Delusion-Appetite/dp/0618056734/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335024410&sr=1-1) is also a must read. I haven't gotten around to it myself yet

And I think C.S. Lewis has a lot of books that influence modern christian thinking.

Also a The Man who was Thursday is a novel by G.K. Chesterton that also comes from the other side of the debate i.e. it's a christian book.

http://www.amazon.com/Wildwood-Wisdom-Ellsworth-Jaeger/dp/0936070129

I find anthology books to be helpful.

Pretty sure it's some wood, but try this:

https://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047?crid=14YQLJK8F11GX&keywords=identifying+wood+by+r.+bruce+hoadley&qid=1537504009&sprefix=identifying+wood&sr=8-1&ref=mp_s_a_1_1

A link? Amazon and its on sale for $30.

As for the background? Strahd is a spooky, scary vampire trying to make a woman (who looks like his long lost love) love him.

A few years ago I taught myself how to knit. I have a collection of yarns and needles and my mom gave me my grandmother's old knitting basket. I'm a department manager at my work and I'm knitting scarves for the people in my department to wear at work during the winter. If any of you dudes are interested in picking up knitting give this book a shot.

I was going to go "Wait, I thought there was a book on that." Then I realized the book is on knitting.

It does look rather interesting though.

http://www.amazon.com/Knitting-With-Balls-Hands-On-Modern/dp/0756622891

Those interested in this, may like this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood-Chopping-Stacking-Scandinavian/dp/1419717987

I have a really awesome book that was used as the textbook for my wood science class. http://smile.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419218805&sr=8-1&keywords=identifying+wood
Basically, it is a cane, which is a grass, not a wood. It has similar characteristics. I would type up the main points of the book, but I didn't bring it home with me...

If you guys are anything like me, this is straight up woodworking porn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1561584010

You're aware of the published adventure, correct?

https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983

Oh yeah, this is definitely a wood.

You're totally fine using a variety of manufacturers. I would suggest keep the plies and fiber the same though. That will make for a more consistent look across the shawl. Different fibers (or fiber blends) will stretch and drape very differently, which could result in a very wonky shawl when you go to block it.

If you are interested in how fiber and ply affect the final product, I'm totally obsessed with Clara Parkes Knitter's Book of Yarn. It will make you feel totally prepared to choose yarns beyond the pattern recommendation.

This one's endorsed by the coaching staff:

Amazon Link

Experimental Methods in RF Design

Worth every penny.

Ask this guy if you really get stuck. I have that book and rarely use it but it is worth a read.

Also see New Edge of The Anvil, also by Andrews. I believe it contains most of the same information with some slight revisions and updates.

Amazon (UK) Link:
New Edge of the Anvil: A Resource Book for the Blacksmith https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1879535092/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GHFUCbR6D5GG9

Sawing and chopping wood for a nice fire is so ingrained into Norwegians that sometimes we just have to do it. If you've forgotten your trusty saw or axe when such an urge grips you, you can usually find one at emergency stations like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood-Chopping-Stacking-Scandinavian/dp/1419717987

I'd explain more, but I've got some wood to chop...

You may want to consider this book.

Amazing, I've tried to fold this on 6" paper several times and failed. I end up crumbling it into a ball :/ and make a bolder instead.

I believe this is Jun Maekawa design? and is in the book Genuine Origami.

I may or may not have demanded the stag kit from my SO for christmas, which I whipped up on xmas day and is now proudly displayed above our TV.

And, as I'm 'bistitchual' I've also made the Ram and the Zebra from Vanessa Mooncie's Animal Heads >_<

My next plan is for the Tiger, so I will have to buy the book when my yarn ban ends...

Curse of Strahd

> Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came — all according to his plan. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.



http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453061504&sr=1-1&refinements=p_27%3AWizards+RPG+Team

Carpenters often use distinct smells and grain patterns to tell woods aoart. Pine, cedar, oak, douglas-fir, hemlock, popular, ash, maple. After you have cut oak flooring for a room you will always know the smell. Most people can tell pine from cedar by smell. Same with other wood.


Wood Identification is tricky with less common woods. They use the end-grain samples from the tree to tell them apart.

This is the book: http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Book-Yarn-Ultimate-Choosing/dp/0307352161/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Medallion Mitts from Knitting with Balls.
Twisted rib for cuff, medallion cable.
Yarn:
Queensland Collection Merino Spray,
Navy

Hah. This was also a suggested title.

https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467512126&sr=8-1&keywords=curse+of+strahd

http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983

Cheaper

amazon schijnt ze te hebben vanaf 15 maart.

Here it is

http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Strahd-Dungeons-Sourcebook-Supplement/dp/0786965983/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453048283&sr=8-3&keywords=curse+of+strahd

Now at Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0786965983?redirect=true&ref_=s9_im_co_g14_i1

I'm doing the same thing. The two books that are on my "to buy" list so far are:

http://www.amazon.com/Experimental-Methods-Design-ARRL-Inc/dp/087259923X

http://www.amazon.com/RF-Circuit-Design-Second-Edition/dp/0750685182

Do you mean the ARRL book?? Amazon, first google query, total search time: 5 seconds.

Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger.

http://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-Outdoor-Skills-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1551051222/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368375342&sr=8-2&keywords=kochanski

http://www.amazon.com/The-Outdoor-Survival-Handbook-Navigation/dp/0312093594/ref=pd_sim_b_5

http://www.amazon.com/Survive-Essential-Skills-Tactics-Anywhere/dp/0061373516/ref=pd_sim_b_22

http://www.amazon.com/Wildwood-Wisdom-Ellsworth-Jaeger/dp/0936070129/ref=la_B001K8CVQW_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368375505&sr=1-1

Here's a guide for further information

http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

Is this a joke?

This book has been passed around as a meme for a while due to the absurd title and cover photo. Typically with the caption "Yep, it's wood".

It was $35.95, compared to amazon's $26.37

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0942391047

I believe you need this book in your life !

i feel similarly ! btw, very little is altered from the existing book here

He needed this.

You still have the chance!

You can also by his other work, Understanding Wood, so you know what to do once you identify some.

Another of the classics

Links: Identifying Wood & Understanding Wood

I actually bought the book. Those are pores.

The book says of Balsa:
>Pores: Medium-large, distinct without lens, numerous to moderately few, solitary and in radial multiples of 2-3.

https://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

Quick, someone send the scientists this!

For wood that's already fallen/cut: http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

[Close enough] (http://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-R-Bruce-Hoadley/dp/0942391047/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292381895&sr=8-1)

> wood type

This should help.

I think this book focuses more on identifying wood but it might help.

try this: https://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478361215&sr=8-1&keywords=identifying+wood

Achète-lui ce livre

C'est un mème, mais ça permet d'identifier pour vrai les essences et ainsi identifier la bonne technique de restoration.

Identifying Wood: Accurate Results With Simple Tools https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942391047/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_A6FHzbQB5PTDJ

I know a good book.

https://www.amazon.com/Identifying-Wood-Accurate-Results-Simple/dp/0942391047

Obligatory.

For those curious.

Yep, it's wood

Yep, it's piano.

Some reading material for OP.

I found this at a local used book store and found it to be exceptionally handy.

Most enabling book ever: The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook