4 comments about Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters.

1. I just received this book in the mail and was so excited that I did a quick scan to see what I could "put together" NOW! There were so many fun things to do in this book. Very inventive. I love the way Gurstelle gives praise to the past by creating a steam cannon designed by DaVinci (which was inspired by Archimedes). I can't wait to build even more!



2. I just bought this, based on experience of Gurstelle's other books ("Art of the Catapult" and "Backyard Ballistics").
   
   I wasn't disappointed at the content, though anybody who has spent time on the internet (especially sites like Instructables or Howtoons) will have seen versions of most of the projects before. The only project that was wholly-new to me was the Mechanical Toe.
   
   What did disappoint was the quality of the book - nice shiny covers enclose dull, yellowing pages. The paper used does not promise long life, and I do not think it would survive if I kept it with the rest of my Making library (in my shed).
   
   So, buy it if you like Gurstelle's style, or if you don't want to spend some time filtering the dross from the Web, but don't buy it if you plan to keep it for several years.



3. While I'm not handy with my hands, my sister-in-laws husband is, and they have a son that I got this for. It has a lot of really good projects that can be done with things like PVC pipe, and that boys will love to play with afterward.



4. Fantastic little book! Full of historical little tidbits and notes, mixed in with common sense instructions about a lot of fun "guy" projects that even girls could have fun doing! Loved it. Bought one for a grandson, then bought one for a friend. Might buy another one, too.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Flooring (Black & Decker).

1. I suspect that one of the most insane decisions in my life is deciding to redo my kitchen - on my own. This makes all kinds of practical sense, given what labor costs. But I am incorrigibly un-handy. But in a fit of pseudo-parsimony (you never really save any money doing something yourself - you just buy tools instead of labor) and a determination to recover my macho I have sailed into the unknown of plumbing, cabinetry, plastering, tiling, and, worst of all, flooring.

   No sooner did it become obvious that replacing the floor was inevitable than I realized that I was completely clueless about what to use and how to go about it. Of course there is no lack of people who will tell you what they would do, but this is one of those things that you live with forever and it needed to be wholly what I wanted. At this point I scanned the shelf of the local handyman's heaven and found this little cheery volume.

   For the most part it's quite practical. Chapters on planning, design, and preparation nurse you through the start up and dreaded removing of the old floor stages. Then there are chapters on hardwood floors, ceramic and stone floors, resilient flooring, and carpeting. More follows on finishing and repair. More than enough to answer the basic questions of how to close the knowledge gap and make a sensible decision about how to proceed.

   There are countless photos, and the writing style is clear, even if it is a bit dull. Of course, dull is a good thing when making a major household change. One gets excited when the day is over and the job done, not by unexpected drama in the kitchen. This seems as good a reference as any I've seen, and covers far more than I ever wanted to know. I expect that someday soon my cats will be walking on something entirely new. Complaining as they go, of course.




2. I've only helped a neighbour lay a wooden floor before so I needed all the help i could get. This book is informative with good pictures and ideas. It details everything from the tools you need to the different types of flooring and how to lay them
   I now feel confident to embark on purchasing and laying my own wooden floor. Highly recommended for a beginner



3. I'm a novice DIYer and new homeowner of an old place, and I like to get all the help I can before talking to experts. This helped me get informed on some flooring options, and was certainly helpful with illustrating to my carpenter what I wanted in different areas of my current renovation project. I probably would rate it higher if I've had the chance to do the work myself, but that's for later.



4. This is a great book for the do it yourself person. Great full color pictures. Complete step by step details on how to do a particular job. Have looked at several books like this and the Black and Decker book was tops. Not only does this book give you step by step instructions for a project, it also gives you a list of items needed prior to starting project. FYI I am fenmale and feel I can do any floor job with the aide of this book.



5. I've bought this book for my laminate floor project. The book turned out to be a disappointment: it gives no more information than I found on a leaflet from a laminate crate. With great details and pictures it explains very basic things, like it targeted for a 6-years old doing his school science project. But it omits really important details and nuances: how to calculate a layout so you wouldn't end up with the 1-inch wide last row, where to use which molding and how to install it, and so on. And if some unexperienced and not technically-inclined person starts his project using only this book, he very quickly may find himself in the troubles, with lot of materials and time wasted.

1 comments about Smart Guide: Basements: Step-by-Step Projects (Smart Guide).

1. Part of the outstanding "Smart Guide" series from Creative Homeowner, Basements: Step-By-Step Projects is a no-nonsense, "user friendly" collection of step-by-step projects to insulate walls, update plumbing, install new wiring, eliminate moisture problems and much more in the basement of one's home. Color photographs, diagrams, and detailed instructions distinguish this excellent do-it-yourself resource which is confidently recommended for personal "do-it-yourself" and Interior Design technical reference shelf collections.

5 comments about New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual.

1. If you like to read and do home repairs this book is for you.



2. This is an excellent book for the novice do-it-yourselfer. I was intimidated with a lot of the work needed to be done on my new home, but this book made it all seem possible. It was clear what things I could tackle myself, and what things are best left to a pro. I particularly liked the section on fasteners - it was something I didn't understand, although I thought I should!, and it gave a detailed description of what to use where, and why. I had a lot of lightbulb moments reading this book.
   
   One note - be sure to pick up the new edition, which I hear is much improved (hard to believe)-it just came out feb 05 and is not the first one amazon brings up - the new edition is actually cheaper as I write this.



3. I've had this book since 1991 and it is still the BEST in its class. I own and have read many other "do-it-yourself" manuals on home improvment and thia one is hands down the best. It's simple to read, yet each new section give lots of details and great illustrations.



4. I received the first edition of this book as a gift back in 1975 and I have been attached to it ever since. This newly updated version is an absolute blessing. Great illustrations, easy-to-read-and-follow instructions and well organized. I reach for this book any time I am about to tackle to new do-it-yourself project. This book will more than pay for itself...and save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in labor and materials costs. My only wish is that RD had included some project plans like they had in the first edition. I built a beautiful floating platform bed from the plans in that book.



5. A great book for the new homeowner. It gives you all the basics you need to know in order to make those little repairs or remodel projects that seem to pop up around the home.

5 comments about Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs.

1. Myself, being in the building industry, really appreciated that there was a believer and a skeptic to write this book and build the house using the thoughts they had. I like the honesty of the authors and how they worked thru to a common goal, and shared each step along the way. I even found it to be a great book on general engineering, helpful in reminding me of things I already know, and reinforcing them in less conventional ways.
   This is a very hand's on book with loads of pictures and illustrations and for all of us with "pie in the sky" ideals, there is the balance of reality in time, costs, and functionality of green building.



2. This book is an excellent reference on how to build while taking the environment into consideration. I was really impressed with how they integrated traditional building techniques with Green Building techniques. The book covers what to think about before you even break ground, site work, foundation work, non chemical termite prevention, walls, windows, doors, roofing, flooring, and landscaping considerations. Where Green products make the most sense, they are used. In places where the authors chose a more traditional method (concrete in the foundation, small amounts of rebar, a mass produced new door, and timber roof trusses) they go into detail about why they chose that method (long term energy efficiency outweighing the initial energy cost of the raw materials). While grey water systems, rain catchment systems, composting toilets, and solar power systems are encouraged, they are not covered in any detail in this book. The demo house being built throughout the book is a tiny one room guest cottage, instead of a home that a family could live in (composting toilet outside) so that's why I only gave 4 stars. I would have loved to have seen a whole family home built, but maybe that would be several books.
   Not everyone can move to an ecovillage and live in a 200 sq ft cob home (even if they dream about it). This book brings green building into the reach of many more people and shows how to build a home that is much more likely to pass code and be a real possibility in today's society. I plan to use it as a guide when I build my own home in the future.



3. What a wonderful book! I love the way it is set out in two sections... the theory and the practical. The conversational style of writing means that I feel like I have a friend on hand, ready to talk me through the whole process, explaining terms, concepts and methods in a clear, concise way.
   I'd say if you are only planning to buy one book on alternative building methods, this should be the one.



4. My daughter and I purchased this wonderfully complete volume for a granddaughter who with her husband is moving to Oregon to build an eco-friendly home on a plot of land. This well-illustrated handbook should help a lot.



5. Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs
   
   I've been collecting books on alternative building styles for a couple of years. I have to admit a fondness for those with a lot of glossy color photos, but I've got a few with pages & pages of how to, as well. Building Green, though, has the best of both. The author's style of writing is so easy to read and understand. It's a big book. He takes you through every step of building a sweet little green guest house. His sidekick, Tim, the conventional contractor turned green builder adds in his two bits to give you confidence that Clarke isn't just a dreamer. Start with this book and you might not need all the others!

3 comments about The Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs (Consumer Reports: You Need to Know).

1. This book covers the basics of what consumers need to know to reduce their utility bills and reduce their consumption of Greenhouse Gases. The one section that is outdated refers to heating your house using cord wood. Please do not cut down trees and burn them to heat your house! Trees are the one carbon-capture technology that actually exists, everything else is smoke-and-mirrors. We need trees to help clean up the mess we are making of the environment!



2. This is an excellent and complete overview to the improvements you can make in your home to make it more comfortable and more energy efficient. By following it's advice, you can improve your efficiency by up to 30% - depending on the age and condition your home is - I've personally experienced 27% savings on a 2800 sq ft home built in 1989. This has been a hobby and passion of mine for over a year, I've used various resources on the Internet. This one book covers all the topics I've discovered elsewhere, educates the issues well, instructs how to make the efficiency changes based on expert experience, all in a layman's language that's easy to understand and follow. I wish they would have published it a year ago - would have saved me significant amount of time that I've spent researching and learning the hard way.



3. This is a great comprehensive guide. But if you're already energy conscious, there's not much new in this publication. For the general homeowner, it's definitely a must-have. Here are the most significant facts: new window replacements don't usually pay for themselves; CFL bulbs save a ton of energy and reduce carbon emissions at a low cost; front load washers save water but not much energy; your home loses energy through electrical outlets and switches; central cooling and heating is most efficient (don't use space heaters); and upgrading your central a/c and heater may be economical.

5 comments about My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure.

1. My Home, My Money Pit is unique among home improvement books because, in a fun way, it tells you what not to do.
   
   The book is a quick read and a great reference.
   
   I could go anywhere for step by step instructions; but, step by step instructions only work in a perfect world. My Home, My Money Pit provides a wealth of information needed to prevent a home project from becoming a disaster.
   
   My Home, My Money Pit is a book every homeowner needs. It's not the only home improvement book you'll ever need but you need this one. You need it to recognize potential problems before they happen and avoid them whether you are doing a project yourself or hiring a contractor. I've been doing home projects for over thirty years and I've read dozens of home improvement books. This is the only one of its kind.



2. Sometimes home improvement books can be informative, but a very dull read. Not so with My Home, My Money Pit. It has a wealth of highly useful information and is enjoyable reading. A great combination.
   
   Tom and Leslie have an ability to explain things very well and leave you with true understanding. It is almost like having them sit down with you and discuss it face to face.
   
   This book has become my go-to guide on taking care of my home.



3. My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement AdventureBEST HOME IMPROVEMENT BOOK I HAVE IN MY HOME IMPROVEMENT COLLECTION.



4. I am a third time homebuyer and this book was sensational. I loved that it didnt go on and on about silly minutae, the summaries detailing home improvements were funny, complete and succinct. Every page has a green tip, i.e. how to make your own furniture polish. It covers everything you want to know about making affordable home improvements room by room, as well as what to look for in product selection. All your questions are answered in one book. Buy it. The book itself is an investment. You won't be sorry.



5. It's truly a positive spin- "anyone can do" book! Recommended for both first time and existing homeowners and small investors. Advice for budget to high end ideas for exterior and interior.Teaches/reminds of basics in all aspects of home ownership and dealing with outside contractors/vendors/etc.

5 comments about The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments: DIY Draperies, Curtains, Valances, Swags, and Shades.

1. This book is completely awesome. I don't need to purchase any other reference materials for ideas on how to do my windows. Love it, love it, love it!!!!



2. If you want to see step by step illustration, this book is NOT for you. There are nice examples of window treatment but there is no enough illustration for the parts that you really need to see how to do. Honestly it didint fill my needs, i need to check out another book



3. An inspirational book that gives good step by step instructions, complete with most standard drapery styles for all rooms in the house.



4. The photos are superb, no doubt about it. To me the pictures that sometimes went with the instructions were not enough. I felt that if there were step by step sketches or pictures to the instructions, it would have gotten an excellent rating from me. Overall, I still would give the book 5 stars.



5. I recently bought a new house with very large windows. I can't find store bought curtains, so I'm going to have to create my own designs. This book gave me several ideas that are new and unique -- things I'd never thought of. There are pages and pages of color photos to inspire you. Unfortunately, this is not a "how to" book but an idea book. Now, I have to figure out how to sew what I like!

5 comments about Easy Composters You Can Build.

1. Since I was in a hurry and did not read the description of this purchase I paid $3.95 for what I thought to be a book. This is a pamplet.
   
   It really does not "show" you how to build composters with verbal descriptions instead of detail diagrams.



2. it came in good time & package was good too.



3. My husband LOVES this book bought it for him for Valentines day. He CANNOT wait to build a compost of his own. Thank you



4. These little Storey pamphlets are always worth the money, and this one is no exception. Loaded with ideas and clear drawings for making your own composters.



5. Great little book that cuts through the crap:) and shows some very practical and workable designs. I use large scale open-front bins, made of wood, so that I can use the front bucket on my tractor. Our composted barn bedding, horse manure, chicken guts, and other "stuff", is like magic on our pastures and around our immature Live Oaks, etc. When we lived in the burbs I composted grass clippings and was kicking myself for not starting it years before. I just made a 4 cornered bin using t-posts and hardware cloth (wire). It was 4' square by 3' high. We put all our grass clippings and fall leaves in it and by early winter the pile was less than a foot high. This was from a half acre lot with a lot of trees, but the bin was in a fairly sunny spot. The only thing extra that I did was a couple of times I put a layer of twigs on top so that a little air could circulate after the next batch of stuff was added. Go ahead and go for it! You'll be glad you did! Good luck!

5 comments about The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: With 350 Projects and 2300 Photos (Black & Decker).

1. Good book with lots of color photos, helped me replace all elecrical outlets in a couple of rooms. Great to look at to get an idea for projects and "how to". Very informative on tool types and also the items you will encounter during the project. I would reccomemd to a rookie homeowner to an advanced. Wish had some info on ceiling fans, washing machines and dryers. But altogether great!! Want to buy the new one coming out!



2. The recipient of this book, a new homeowner, was thrilled with this gift! His father, a homeowner for over 30 years, wished he had been the recipient.



3. Excellent book! Very comprehensive book on materials, techniques and just a very detailed how-to DIY manual in general. Tons of detailed pictures and small steps to help the biggest layman out there. I am very happy with my purchase, got exactly what I wanted.



4. Between this and the B&D Home Improvement book, pretty much everything you need to know for basic homeowner do-it-yourself projects and repairs is covered. I've used it several times in a few months, and it is wonderful to have on hand as a reference. The book is sturdy and easy to understand too. It would get 5 stars if there weren't so much overlap with the Home Improvement guide--the two should be better coordinated to avoid redundancies.



5. Not only does this book have lots of useful, step-by-step instructions but it also has clear and detailed photos to help you along! Highly recommended!