What do you think?
Rate this book
Practical Projects for the Handy Man: Over 700 Projects Including a Hammock, Kite, Toaster, Sundial, Lantern, Swimming Pool, Camera, and Much More
A collection of over 700 projects with illustrations which show readers how to build a porch, make a telescope, fix a camera, dig a swimming pool and more.
478 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 16, 2023
In the early 20th century, Popular Mechanics Press published this collection of "activities and improvements for home, garden, transportation, recreation," etc. Some, like the system of pulleys and weights to keep potholders always just above the stove, easily pulled down to use but then rising back up out of your way as soon as you let go, I am actually tempted to implement. Others, like the project for making your own hangglider and then pitching yourself off the nearest cliffside, I did not find tempting. But, even when not so practical, they were entertaining to read about.
I have to say that now, over a century later, reading them also provides a sense of how much less risk the typical adult is willing to tolerate in their lives (in the economically developed world, anyway). This is one of the principal reasons, I think, why chemistry and physics are not as intriguing in school as they ought to be; prior to college few teachers are willing to teach anything of immediate practical use, for fear that their students might try to, you know, use it, outside of the classroom laboratory.
"How to Make a Sailing Canoe". "How To Build An Ice-Yacht". "How To Make Blueprint Lantern Slides" (and numerous other photography-related chemistry projects). "How To Make A Small Storage Battery". "How To Make A Candle Shade". "A Small Bench Lathe Made of Pipe Fittings". All of them involve the risk of physical injury, whether from spilling chemicals, catching something on fire, or trying to use the (amateur-constructed) device when you're done. I think few publications would be willing to carry such content now.
I also enjoy the illustration style of 1913, for reasons that I probably cannot explain. If you like that sort of thing, well, there's a lot of it in here, intended not as art but as an informative diagram, and yet so much more artistically satisfying to me than most of what has been displayed in art museums since the middle of the last century. You may or may not agree, of course.
The front cover lists (and shows drawings of) book stand, still, camp stool, nut cracking block, rat trap, battery, cork remover, telescope, cart, and butter churn. If any of these catch your fancy, either to make or to read about somebody else making, you probably will enjoy this book.
I have to say that now, over a century later, reading them also provides a sense of how much less risk the typical adult is willing to tolerate in their lives (in the economically developed world, anyway). This is one of the principal reasons, I think, why chemistry and physics are not as intriguing in school as they ought to be; prior to college few teachers are willing to teach anything of immediate practical use, for fear that their students might try to, you know, use it, outside of the classroom laboratory.
"How to Make a Sailing Canoe". "How To Build An Ice-Yacht". "How To Make Blueprint Lantern Slides" (and numerous other photography-related chemistry projects). "How To Make A Small Storage Battery". "How To Make A Candle Shade". "A Small Bench Lathe Made of Pipe Fittings". All of them involve the risk of physical injury, whether from spilling chemicals, catching something on fire, or trying to use the (amateur-constructed) device when you're done. I think few publications would be willing to carry such content now.
I also enjoy the illustration style of 1913, for reasons that I probably cannot explain. If you like that sort of thing, well, there's a lot of it in here, intended not as art but as an informative diagram, and yet so much more artistically satisfying to me than most of what has been displayed in art museums since the middle of the last century. You may or may not agree, of course.
The front cover lists (and shows drawings of) book stand, still, camp stool, nut cracking block, rat trap, battery, cork remover, telescope, cart, and butter churn. If any of these catch your fancy, either to make or to read about somebody else making, you probably will enjoy this book.
October 18, 2025
I thought this was an incredibly interesting way to explore global exploitation and the consequences of industrialization.
The fact that a toaster is completely impossible for one person to create from scratch, requiring materials from all over the world, not to mention labor, and can still be as cheap as $3 in a store. Who pays the real cost?
The author doesn’t dive into history or cultural criticism deeply, but the themes are there. A very entertaining read.
The fact that a toaster is completely impossible for one person to create from scratch, requiring materials from all over the world, not to mention labor, and can still be as cheap as $3 in a store. Who pays the real cost?
The author doesn’t dive into history or cultural criticism deeply, but the themes are there. A very entertaining read.
October 5, 2011
A collection of projects ranging from simple sleight-of-hand tricks to amuse young children to more complex projects like building a steam turbine or a 2 hp windmill. It could be a gem solely for the language of the articles; with the instructions, it is an invaluable resource. The writers presume a certain level of mechanical competence in the reader, and some of the require chemicals are more tightly regulated now (i.e. no longer available at the local druggist).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews