The Best of Instructables Volume I: Do-It-Yourself Projects from the World's Biggest Show & Tell

by Gareth Branwyn

In just three years, Instructables.com has become one of the hottest destinations for makers and DIY enthusiasts of all stripes. Known as "the world's biggest show & tell," makers from around the globe post how-to articles on a staggering variety of topics -- from collecting rainwater for lawn care to hacking toy robots to extracting squid ink.

Now, with more than 10,000 articles, the Instructables staff and editors of magazine -- with help from the Instructables community -- have put together a collection of solid, time- and user-tested technology and craft projects from the site. The Best of Instructables Volume 1 includes plenty of clear, full-color photographs, complete step-by-step instructions, as well as tips, tricks, and new build techniques you won't find anywhere else -- even material never seen before on Instructables.

Some of the more popular how-to articles



While the book focuses on technology, it also includes such projects as creating cool furniture from cheap components, ways of making your own toys, and killer sci-fi and fantasy costumes and props. Anything but a reference book, The Best of Instructables Volume I embodies the inspirational fun, creativity, and sense of community that has attracted more than 200,000 registered members in just three years. Many of the articles include sidebars that show how other builders have realized or improved upon the same project.

Making things is cool everyone wants to be a creator, not just a consumer. This is the spirit of the "new handy heyday", fostered by Instructables.com, magazine , and others, and celebrated by this incredible book -- The Best of Instructables Volume 1 .

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts, How To

327 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

About the author

Gareth Branwyn is a writer, editor, and media critic.

He has covered technology, media, DIY, and cyberculture for Wired, Esquire, the Baltimore Sun, Details, and numerous other publications. He was an editor at Mondo 2000 and Boing Boing (when it was a print zine), founded the personal tech site, StreetTech.com, and worked for MAKE magazine for 8 years, lastly acting as their Editorial Director.

Gareth co-edited The Happy Mutant Handbook (with Boing Boing) and is the author of Jargon Watch: A Pocket Dictionary for the Jitterati, Jamming the Media, The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots, and Mosaic Quick Tour: Accessing and Navigating the World Wide Web (the first book written about the Web). His most recent book, a collection of his best work, with many new essays, is called Borg Like Me & Other Tales of Art, Eros, and Embedded Systems. The book was crowd-funded and self-published.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just scanned through all the 120+ projects in this book, and while most of them are way beyond my abilities (and interest - I have never felt the urge to make a "Ghetto AVR Programmer" - whatever that is), there were some very cool projects in the book.

A few of my favourites:
Real working light-sabre p252
Realistic Werewolf Costume p234 - seriously amazing!
Ipod Speaker made from one of those musical greeting cards p219
Lego flash drive case - p97
Gigantic Beanbag Sofa/Bed - p36 (WANT!)
Invisible Bookshelf - p16 Probably the easiest & a bookworm favorite!
Magic Wands - surprisingly easy, 20 minutes makes really amazing looking wand! examples: www.whimsicalwands.net & www.dadcando.com
Most irresistable: "Crafting a bento" p48 - making Japanese box lunches. These things are amazing, nutritionally balanced, and works of art! I need to get me some mini cookie cutters!

All of these projects and thousands more are already availabe on instructables.com, so I'm not sure why anyone would actually buy the book. Although, it would look great on a coffee table, or be a good bathroom book ;)

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adult nonfiction; DIY. If you don't have a zillion hours to navigate the instructables website, this is a good place to start. A sampling::
www.instructables.com/id/string-tripod
www.instructables.com/id/blinkybug-maker-faire-version
www.instructables.com/id/ENK3V66F3PIEONZ
www.instructables.com/id/pocket-drawings
www.instructables.com/id/jar-of-fireflies

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not call this book the BEST of Instructables. For those who are familiar with the website, www.instructables.com, there is a wealth of information. This book seemed to center mostly around projects I would never want to actually do because 1) they're too specific and need odd parts, 2) the outcome is nothing I would want, or 3) they're mostly electrically based. I was a bit disappointed.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat little book. Some of the projects are very practical and some are just for the "Wow!" factor of things you could do if you really wanted to. (Most readers will not turn their fridge into and LED light show, but the possibility is cool.) If nothing else, this will get you to the Instructables website, which has all manner of fun, interesting, practical and money-saving projects.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some people making some cool shtuff out there, and I was even more inspired to make my ambient-light-sensitive-light-up-red-robot-commuter-bag after flipping through it. However, the robot section left me cold.

[Smellsofbikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

They're not all winners, but some of these are simply amazing. And, like browsing a library is different than browsing an online catalog, you find stuff in here that you simply would never have looked at, on the instructables website.

[The Hofs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another MAKE book that my kids fight over! These books are right up there with Tintin in the coveting while someone is reading category!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow, some amazing DIY, some of it is just plain stupid or ugly, and i am too afraid to attempt anything i think is sweet,... so i guess im the lame one

[Dorcas · Rating 3 out of 5]

So cool. Initially, just checking it out for the duct tape rose instructions, but there's so much more.

[Firiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat little book. Some of the projects are very practical and some are just for the "Wow!" factor of things you could do if you really wanted to. (Most readers will not turn their fridge into and LED light show, but the possibility is cool.) If nothing else, this will get you to the Instructables website, which has all manner of fun, interesting, practical and money-saving projects.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice to have a book version of things i've seen on the website.