Somone posted about that old book
The Book for Boys (or words to that effect). With the aid of that and Mrs Beeton's book, one could rebuild society after the apocalypse.
I wish to add to that proto-library of useful tomes with "The Home Workshop" from 1948, printed on quality paper that hasn't gone yellow over the years. It starts with woodworking etc and various projects are demonstrated by this gentleman.



You can see quite clearly how he has dressed in a casual manner for the task in hand as it would be folly to risk unnecessary wear on one's day-to-day attire. It would be quite prudent to replace your pocket watch and chain for an older one to prevent sawdust and other detritus from marring the finish.

The book features other handy projects such as forming and soldering a tin-plate cake tin, the making of a fold-away ironing board complete with nailed-on asbestos plate and how to make a handy meat-safe out of spare timber.

There is a wealth of mechanical tips also. However, these are best left to the more unrefined fellow.



See his shoddy overall, his boots suited to the labouring classes and his rum approach to smoking without a cigarette holder. He demonstrates how to overhaul the steering rack on a motor-car, lubricating the chassis and engine and how to lay up the vehicle for winter. There are also instructions on how to put on a gas-mask, seal your house from gas attacks and how to install a radio set.

This book has proved priceless for me, as I once built a pair of sawhorses and sharpened some chisels on an oilstone.

Warning: May cause improved diction and the need to speak like a Pathé Newsreel announcer.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 13:47, 6 replies)

I was already reading it in the voice of Mr Cholmondley-Warner

(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Tue 9 Nov 2010, 14:10, closed)

"Warning: May cause improved diction and the need to speak like a Pathé Newsreel announcer."

I read it in that manner anyway.
( snee held his breath since, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 14:13, closed)

win

(mersault, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 15:46, closed)

James Mays Man Lab
This is what I was hoping the Man Lab programme was going to show.

Woo-How on BBC3 was much better and funnier plus showed some good tips.
(langers, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 17:03, closed)

I have a DIY book called The Practical Handyman
It's full of pix like this:
Note the pipe. A chap can't do work in his shed without his trusty pipe.

(IHateSprouts is baking a huge pie shaped like an enormous pie, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 17:48, closed)

Oh Horrah!
More of this sort of thing. Oh yes!
( DukeEuphoria Comes highly reccomended, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 13:15, closed)