Extraordinary Projects For Ordinary People

Collected in this volume is a best-of selection from Instructables, reproduced for the first time outside of the web format, retaining all of the charm and ingenuity that make Instructables such a popular destination for internet users looking for new and fun projects designed by real people in an easy-to-digest way. Hundreds of Instructables are included, ranging from practical projects like making a butcher block counter top or building solar panels to fun and unique ideas for realistic werewolf costumes or transportable camping hot tubs. The difficulty of the projects ranges from beginner on up, but all are guaranteed to raise a smile or a “Why didn’t I think of that?” Numerous full-color pictures accompany each project, detailing each step of the process along the way. It’s an invitation to try a few yourself, and once you’re done, see if you don’t have a couple of ideas to share at Instructables.com.

Rubik’s cubes, fire-breathing dragons, and jack-o-lanterns. Pirate ships, pianos, and Star Wars figurines. With Instructables.com’s Amazing Cakes, you’ll be able to make cakes shaped like animals, mythical creatures, and vehicles. They may light up, breathe fire, or blow bubbles or smoke. They may be 3D or they may be animated, seeming to move of their own free will. Whether they’re cute and cuddly (like a penguin) or sticky and gross (like a human brain!), these cakes have two things in common: They’re (mostly) edible and they’re amazing! Instructables.com authors walk you through each step of the process as you cut plywood for cake bases, hardwire figurines for automation, and mix nontoxic chemicals for explosions and eruptions. The photos accompanying the step-by-step directions provide additional information about the processes and enable you to compare your final products with the originals created by the expert cake artists of Instructables.com. In addition to the cakes mentioned above, you’ll also learn how to make cakes shaped like: • Yoda • Helicopters • 3D dinosaurs • Moving tanks • Pi signs (p) • Bass fish • Zombie heads • Swimming pools • Ladybugs • Evil clowns • And more!

Tanohata in the 1950s was an isolated fishing village in the Tohoku region of Japan. Life there was so miserable that those who could leave did, and those who could not stayed on in a state of demoralization. By the 1980s, however, Tanohata had not only joined the mainstream of Japanese culture and economic life, but had done so with an adroitness that attracted national notice. The story of that dramatic transformation, written from the perspective of one who has both observed and participated in the changes for the last 20 years, brings into dramatic focus what is happening throughout Japan in the 20th century.

Are you prepared for the end of the world as you know it? It can be all too easy to think of disaster as something that happens to others. But the world is a volatile place, and despite our best efforts we can quickly find ourselves in dangerous or even deadly situations. Proper preparation can ensure that, when that does happen, we have the tools and knowledge necessary to survive. This guide is the ultimate reference on how to prepare for disaster and how to respond when it strikes. Through it you will learn the basics of how to survive and how to reduce your reliance on modern conveniences so that, no matter what happens, you won’t be caught unprepared. The information gathered in this volume includes knowledge and advice from experienced preppers, outdoorsmen, and survival experts. It will help everyone from the beginner trying to start a food pantry to the seasoned veteran who is looking for a few extra tips and tricks to become more self-reliant. The Ultimate Prepper’s Handbook contains information and techniques concerning: Starting a food pantry Home and self-defense Emergency first-aid Carrying a concealed firearm Dealing with specific disasters Medical assessments Bug out bags Survival shelters Foraging, hunting, and trapping Finding water Reducing energy use Growing your own food This book will not just get you ready beforehand—when a disaster happens, it will provide ideas for surviving, coping, and recovering.

Managing Difficult Projects pulls together the principles and practice of project management and presents useful diagnostic approaches, tools and structures in a clear and practical way. The book focuses on the diagnosis and resolution of “difficult” problems whether in large or small complex projects. The intent is to help corporate executives and project management practitioners apply proven processes, methodologies, systems, structures and tools to rally the information and the resources required for better decisions, faster delivery and improved results. This essential book shows how to plan effectively and to reduce risk at every step of project delivery, particulary vital during project implementation when 90% of project funding is spent. It covers new ground by proposing the use of the project management process as an integral part of setting and updating corporate strategy. In projects, context is everything! The text is amply illustrated with international case studies, charts, photos, graphs and data tables.

Bored in your office? Did your coworker just prank you and you’re wondering how to get him back? Is your boss constantly stealing your paperclips and you don’t know how to keep his mitts away from your desk? Office Weapons gives you the complete step-by-step instructions for thirty different daring office pranks. Check out these simple but effective weapons fashioned from office materials and be prepared next time someone borrows your special stapler or leaves the copy machine jammed. Just a few of the projects you’ll find inside: Office Booby Trap Simple Paper Clip Gun Office Sling Shot Arrows for Paper Clip Bow How to Make Cool Nun Chucks with Office Supplies Office Stationery Darts Binder Clip Catapult Office Supplies Grappling Gun These projects are made by the best in the business; the office workers who actually need them! They say necessity is the mother of invention; leave it to the Instructables community to put that theory to the test!

The one book that shows you how to fix anything anywhere in your home! There are a million things that can go wrong in your home. Faucets leak. Floorboards creak. Paint flakes. Chairs break. With How to Fix Absolutely Anything, you’ll have step-by-step instructions to tackle even the most confounding repairs in your home, including: • Installing a toilet • Replacing the belts on your washer and dryer • Patching up a hole in the wall • Bringing a power adapter back to life • Re-covering chairs • Getting wax out of your carpet • And many more! From changing lightbulbs to fixing a kitchen cabinet hinge, How to Fix Absolutely Anything is a collection of the most indispensible advice and tips from people across the world who face the same problems you do. Hundreds of color photographs and easy-to-follow instructions make this book perfect for all levels of experience. It’s a no-brainer for any homeowner, and the one gift to get any friend, family member, or loved one living on their own for the first time. Broke the microwave handle and don’t know what to do? With How to Fix Absolutely Anything, the solution is only a few pages away.