(Part 3) Best crafts & hobbies reference books according to redditors

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!
===================

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.

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.

There are a couple books by Daniel Diehl


https://www.amazon.com/Constructing-Medieval-Furniture-Instructions-Historical/dp/0811727955


https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Renaissance-Furniture-Instructions-Reproductions/dp/0811710238/ref=pd_sim_14_1/142-4545725-4630636?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0811710238&pd_rd_r=b01e49ab-8613-48e2-a571-e1874305ee43&pd_rd_w=3bA84&pd_rd_wg=KIaRL&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=ZF9N4F2S9XH27Q99NXFJ&psc=1&refRID=ZF9N4F2S9XH27Q99NXFJ


https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Furniture-Instructions-Historical-Reproductions/dp/0811728544/ref=pd_sim_14_2/142-4545725-4630636?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0811728544&pd_rd_r=b01e49ab-8613-48e2-a571-e1874305ee43&pd_rd_w=3bA84&pd_rd_wg=KIaRL&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=ZF9N4F2S9XH27Q99NXFJ&psc=1&refRID=ZF9N4F2S9XH27Q99NXFJ

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

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

1

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.

6

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 :-).

14

15 seeds are much smaller than golfballs

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

17

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!

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.

This book may give you some ideas : Sheds: The Do-It-Yourself Guide for Backyard Builders

the art of making furniture: $4.50 with shipping

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806954264

the Tag Frid book: $12.50 with shipping

http://www.amazon.com/Tage-Frid-Teaches-Woodworking-Book/dp/091880440X#

Fine woodworking Techniques 2: $4.00 with shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Woodworking-Techniques-information-cabinetmaking/dp/0918804094/

Encyclopedia of wood, $4 with shipping

http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Wood-T-H-Jones/dp/0806969946/

And I'm too lazy to check the others. You probably could have dickered it down a bit. None of these books are rare or hard to find. You should have offered $1 each on the hardcovers and $0.50 each on the magazines and softcovers, for a total of $8, maybe then go as high as $10.

And then you should have been ready to walk away. The problem is that a lot of those books are part of sets, so an incomplete set makes a poor reference, as they may refer to missing volumes.

I would highly recommend this book. Not only does it teach you what you need for the test, it also explores the various areas of the hobby.

https://www.amazon.com/Now-Youre-Talking-Technician-License/dp/0872595978

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

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

Go look up sugar/candy motors.


This book is a decent place to start - http://www.amazon.com/Still-Have-All-My-Fingers/dp/0983523029

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.