(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best crafts & hobbies reference books

For some reason this didn't show up the first time I posted, so sorry if it shows up twice :-)

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2 (Snow is kind of reminiscent of rain)

3 (food related because I would serve hot meals on it; unusual because it is multifunctional)

4 is for my two year old daughter because she has the normal version, but loves it so much (probably her favorite thing) that it is now in three pieces with the cover off and losing pages every day, but this one has a carry handle and is smaller for toddlers and easier to carry around.

5 You need to read it because I've been told I need to read it.

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7 because Catwoman

8 The picture of beauty! :-)

9 Because it's a classic. . . it's sweet, has adventure, and teamwork. . . dinosaurs.

10 because it's a sword that I will always have with me because it's a keychain

11 I'm on my 4th week of P90x, and I hate yoga day because I can't do all the moves, so I don't have the desire to do it, but this would help on moves where I am not as flexible.

12 I want these so I can make necklaces with them.

13 Because it has a swingset and a playhouse and my daughter (and when he's older, my son too) would love this, and I love them very much. So seeing them happy makes me happy :-).

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15 seeds are much smaller than golfballs

16 Nothing smells as good as a freshly bathed baby :-)

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18 I could practice my letters and spelling (as long as each letter was only used once) :-)

19 My current obsession is being a mom! All of my other obsessions are geeky stuff, so this is perfect!

20 I know this really needs no explanation as to why it is so grand and awe-inspiring, but here are 10 good reasons. . . First of all, it's huge because it's a rug. Second of all, it is from one of the greatest movies of all time, Star Wars Episode V. Third, it looks sooooo soft (it's so fluffy, I'm going to die). Fourth, how many people do you know who have this in their home? Fifth, it has claws. Sixth, it's smiling. Seventh, you could hide under it during a home invasion. Eighth, you could cover up with it if your power went out in a snowstorm. Ninth, (since you love cats) I bet cats love laying on a wampa rug. Finally tenth, it would be the perfect addition to this boy's nursery (I've shown this picture a lot on RAoA, but I can't help it. He's too cute!)

Bonus Item 1 will be PMd to you when I found out your real name, not if but when :-)

Bonus Item 2 Looks yummy!

fear cuts deeper than swords

This was super fun by the way! Thanks!

Bookshelf time! Books are expensive, but the holidays are coming up, and that's a decent excuse to buy a present for a writer on your list or yourself.

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If you want to get pumped about writing a novel, get Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell. It's a short, easy read, ~100 pages, and the ebook is $4; put that on your phone and you can read it in a couple afternoons. Bell's premise is there's a place in the middle of most great books where the main character has to take a hard look in the mirror. Nail this scene in your head and the rest of the plot forwards and backwards falls into place.

If it turns out you like James Scott Bell, his Plot and Structure is a great lesson on how a story is constructed. We all have these pieces of stories in our heads, and it's sometimes hard to know where they would fit in a story, how they come together to make a story. Understanding how a story is put together is critical.

How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James Frey is another good book to get you pumped. It is a modern classic. If you have one book on your writing bookshelf, this is probably the one I would recommend.


Writing Active Hooks by Mary Buckham seems a bit esoteric here, but I've personally found this essential. I wrote for years as an amateur and even took classes in writing, and no one told me about active hooks or about how important they are. I had to stumble upon the concept by accident. Basically, a hook is a convention or tool you use to grab and then hold your reader's attention. It's how some authors keep you awake and reading at 1 a.m. You want this in your toolbox.

All the previous books here are applicable to all genre fiction, but Randy Ellefson's excellent worldbuilding duo Creating Places and Creating Life are relevant to speculative fiction in particular. Creating Places covers creating planets, geology and mapmaking, systems of government, systems of travel and backstory. Creating Life takes you through creating species, famous persons, monsters and biology.

I'm also going to include Evan Marshall's The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. Every successful writer has to figure out their own method or procedure for creating finished stories, and ultimately you have to put the pieces together yourself; no one can do it for you. And personally, I find Marshall's plan to be too restrictive. But if you've been trying for years to put it all together and can't, Marshall might be able to help. He is very strict about what you can and can't do, but if you follow his instructions step by step, you'll end up writing a novel. One thing I find interesting is the projected length of your novel determines how many POV characters you're going to use, and he has formulas for how many chapters to allocate to each POV character. If you write with multiple POVs, it's worth your while to have a look.

To clarify, I bought both books, used, for $11, including shipping from two sellers, via Alibris.

You might also try AbeBooks. ...and Book 3

When searching for cheap books on Alibris, I find that Google returns better results than the Alibris search tool.

Look for highly-rated sellers (4-5 stars!)

drtwist informed me of the AddALL book search and price comparison tool! Thanks, drtwist!
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Oops. Sorry. I hate it when people make posts like this and don't explain. I'm a dumb.

They are full of brief, simple, information-rich explanations of all the fundamentals of woodworking. Imagine a Reader's Digest-style overview of the many materials, tools, and processes of woodworking, but instead of random, disconnected blurbs, each paragraph contains several pieces of valuable information. Each point has excellent photos to illustrate. I've yet to find an explanation or photo that I didn't understand, felt was incomplete or superfluous. Assertions are generally accompanied by one or two reasons why they are so.

The first book begins with a simple anatomy of wood. A couple of pages on grain, and how it's significant: drying, gluing--brief. It goes on to discuss saws: types of, sharpening and tooth-setting, etc. Again, all in concise, simple language. Then other tools, with some illustrations to describe function, purpose, care and maintenance. Then onto joints and their methods.

That's as far as I've gotten since I got them last night. From the design of the cover, I worried that they might be dry, data-packed textbook-style manuals. This is not the case at all. While experienced woodworkers might see the books as being broad and shallow, they are perfect for anyone in the early stages of learning. They certainly don't contain everything on each subject, but has a lot of the most important stuff.

A bit different than a book like Cabinetmaking and Millwork, by John Feirer, it's extremely accessible while still being instructive. Cabinetmaking is an incredible, encyclopedic tome, packed full of great information on every imaginable aspect of working wood, but it's a bit daunting for newbies. I tend to crack it open and read bits here and there. With the Tage Frid books, I will sit and absorb them, cover to cover. Mr. Frid was regarded as a profoundly excellent teacher, and that absolutely comes across in his books. Simple, concise, and helpful.

The numbers stations you can pick up depend a lot on your location. I love my little Sony ICF-SW7600GR, and have listened to numbers stations on it. The numbers stations I hear are Cuban ones. A shortwave will let you listen in on pretty much anything. I've heard aircraft navigation beacons, conversations between hams, Morse code chatter, world band international programming, and Coast Guard contacts with distressed boaters. If you do get a shortwave before getting licensed, the book Passport to World Band Radio is well worth getting. It contains guide charts to international broadcasts you can tune in, and includes reviews of various shortwave radios you might consider purchasing.

You do know that in a properly executed numbers station, the code they use is uncrackable? Not uncrackable as in really difficult, but as in mathematically impossible. Don't let that detract from your desire, though. Listening in is still fun, and I think the uncrackable nature makes the code that much more mysterious. It is fun to spend an evening listening to the code, and let your imagination run wild as to what message, if anything, the spies in the field are getting. I've done it.

Have you heard of the Conet Project? It's a 4 CD recording of categorized numbers stations! The publisher has made it freely available for download, and encourages P2P distribution, so you can grab it from The Pirate Bay, or directly from the publisher's site. If you download from the publisher's site, don't forget to grab the PDF booklet, 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.

Celosias don't do well here in the PNW. They want damp soil and heat. Not our dry cool summer. I'd go with Asiatic Lilies, delphinium, roses, filler like salal (native) and early dahlias. It won't be easy, and I recommend getting professional help.

Ypu absolutely need to look at the gorgeous new book by Floret Farm/Erin Benzakine about cut flower growing in the PNW. Very inspirational, she's in Mount Vernon, and has a great website and youtubes, also. I'd buy the book for as a early, inspirational wedding gift. Total cut flower porn with lots of practical advice and planting schedules.

https://www.amazon.com/Floret-Farms-Cut-Flower-Garden/dp/1452145768

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAAYqL2nXNQ

Great suggestion. I bought this book a few years ago, and it has patterns for some really cute sock dolls. I actually found it in the library first - and loved it, and then found a great deal on the paperback edition on Amazon or eBay.

I also agree with the suggestions to make sock puppets with them. You can find tutorials online.

Hey everyone! I wanted to share this coin and the story of how I found it. I was browsing eBay last week when I saw a lot of five Indian coins for under $4. Catching my eye, I clicked in to see that three were common post-1945 copper pieces, one was an unknown Arabic or Persian princely state coin, and one was this. The eBay photos were awful and I didn't expect the two pieces to be much but I've been trying to get better with Arabic coins and figured it could be a fun piece. I posted it in a FB group and someone was able to quickly help ID it.


AE Broad Fals | 30mm | 5.61g

403 AH (1012-1013 AD)

Mahmud of the Ghaznavid Dynasty

Bust Mint, present day Lashkargah, SW Afghanistan

Album 1614
​

The coin is very rare copper piece that does not commonly appear. The "Broad Fals" name is used to differentiate the pieces that are 30-35mm from the more common Fals that measure around 20-30mm. Stephen Album, expert and author of the standard book "A Checklist of Popular Islamic Coins" writes "the very broad fulus of Bust were never well struck, and most surviving examples are unpleasantly worn, damaged, or corroded".

An interesting tibit of information I found while researching this piece is that is was issued under the first Sultan. Sultan Mahmud was the first ruler across the Islamic world to use the title which would later be used across the world.

Here is the Zeno category of which my coin belongs. Here is an auction from Album where a similar AE Broad Fals from Bust, 403 AH sold for $110.

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

My mom has this book from the 80's that is like a bible about treating stains. She is the master stain fixer. I have to figure out what it was. she has saved very loved toys and hand made baby blankets from god knows what to a very expensive J Jill dresses from period blood

ohh found it. http://www.amazon.com/Practically-Anything-Editors-Consumer-Reports/dp/0890438439/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1314674904&sr=8-13

Sweet, this will kill a hot minute. Good luck everyone!

0-5 [Sneaky uses for everyday things(book used price)](http://www.amazon.com/Sneaky-Everyday-Things-Gadgets-Gimmicks/dp/B003NGENLU/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2H7GW81H3D1EG&coliid=I35JS7XHXLX4AF)

5-10 Four Rooms DVD

$10-20 Gremlin action figure

$20-50 Cowboy bebop Swordfish model kit

I do woodworking and recommend this book as a resource https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GXQY6U/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

If you do lots of sharpening I would recommend investing in a slow speed grinder (not a wet grinder, but hey if you've got the cash), or a 1 inch belt sander. Based on youtube videos of knife manufacturers it looks like most of them sharpen with some variant of a belt sander. You can always sharpen anything by hand, but major dings and divots really require more power.

Also, read this book! It helps you figure out some small business stuff and make a business plan and what not. Some of it won't apply, especially if you're doing digital patterns, but I found it really helpful. This book is also helpful but there's a lot of overlap between the two.

I purchased this book when I first started getting into box building. It goes over all the basics, tips and tricks, and has a ton of easy-to-complex plans. Highly recommended!

http://www.amazon.com/Box-Making-Basics-Design-Technique-Projects/dp/1561581232

You can find it used on eBay for cheap too if you get lucky. I got it for $4.56 I think. A great thing about books is you can still read them if they are used.

Arduino is pretty cool. It can help them get a feel for electronics.

• Arduino for dummies
  
• Arduino projects for dummies
  
• Fixing electronics
  

You're really asking an electronics questions, not a camera one. If there's an electronics repair subreddit this question would be better suited there. Old electronics just sometimes conk out, but they're usually able to be repaired, and not turning on at all is often a relatively easy problem to fix, especially if it still worked a few years ago.

But you're going to need at least some familiarity with electronics. I found this book really helpful (this is an Amazon link but I got it from my local library).

The Complete Book of Woodworking
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Woodworking-Tom-Carpenter/dp/0980068878/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1497970576&sr=8-7&keywords=woodworking+book
Some of the projects in here are a little complex for beginners but the book has a great review of all the basics so it a great reference book.

I have a book that I think you'll really enjoy. it the Model Railroader Steam locomotives cyclopedia- vol1 edited by Lynn H. Westcott. This book not only diagrams entire steam locomotives and explains how each part works but it also contains pictures and blueprints of almost every american made steam locomotive produced or prototyped. This book includes locomotives from Penncy, UP, Southern Pacific, Norfolk Southern, Reading, NYC, Northern Pacific and more. Here is an amazon link to an example of the book just to show you what it looks like.
http://www.amazon.com/Model-Railroader-Cyclopedia-Vol-Locomotives/dp/0890240019

There are forums dedicated to home made EVs:

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/

http://www.evdl.org/

Good book: https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Electric-Vehicle/dp/0830642315

There's also /r/electricvehicles

I just ordered this book which looks like it might be helpful.... It hasn't come yet, thought, so I can't say for sure.

I picked up Box-Making Basics 8 or 9 years ago. I keep it around as a reference all the time and have done probably half of the projects out of it, probably the most used book I've got on woodworking.

Woodcraft link in case you want it today, my local store usually has a few on the shelf.

Amazon link is a bit cheaper.

The plans were out of This book that someone gifted me many years ago. I've had my eye on building it for a long time. I followed the plans, but used thicker cedar for supports, used dowels instead of screws and plugged the screw holes with pieces of dowel. Otherwise, followed the plans, and the templates are a must with these tried and tested ergonomic curves.

Buy a soldering iron, some solder, a desoldering pump, a multimeter, and this book: http://www.amazon.com/How-Diagnose-Fix-Everything-Electronic/dp/0071744223/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381070477&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+repair+everything+electronic