How To & DIY
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Minibook Publishing Tool
Books How_To Projects Technology 2026
I first encountered this delightful self-publishing format while visiting family in Sacramento. The city has many older neighborhoods with small houses and small yards. The locals take great pride in their sidewalk-facing gardens, including pro-social embellishments like
little library
boxes and such. One house had a dispenser with these little pamphlets. I was impressed and intrigued. -
Baking Good Bread On Demand
Books How_To Projects Reviews 2026
I've been a novice bread baker over the years, specifically breads leavened with yeast. I've made bagels and pizza crusts from scratch. I have a pizza stone in my oven and a wooden peel for that purpose. My last big endeavor was using my bread machine to make no knead bread (based on the famous NY Times recipe) with some success. All of this pales by comparison with the
Five Minute
approach outlined in the book discussed here. -
Sailing Kayak Mods & Camping
Boats Camping Everglades How_To Projects 2024
In 2018 I acquired a used Hobie Adventure Island sailing kayak. It came with trampolines that fit between the outriggers. As I learned the particulars of the craft it became obvious that getting out of the cockpit and sitting in/on the tramps wasn’t going to work for me. They also make it impossible to paddle the craft in any meaningful way.
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Treehugger Hitch (or Tree-Hook Knot)
Camping How_To Projects 2023
This is an idea I’ve been incubating for some time as a non-destructive “place anywhere” alternative to nails in trees or breaking living branches to hang things on. The knots required are very simple. Shown here is my first successful field test! It is tied using a short stick or similar object found locally.
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Hammock Camping Guide
Camping Hammocks How_To Reviews 2025
There are various configurations of camping hammocks that I'll outline below. Most are
gathered
with single tie-on points at each end. Some have integrated bug nets. Complete packages come with both nets & rainflies. After a brief survey of the different types, I go on to propose my criteria for theIdeal Hammock
. -
DIY Neck Strap Phone Holder
Commentary How_To Projects 2024
I've used two-part
holster
cases for my phone over the past ten years. Now that phones are nominally waterproof I converted one into a neck strap phone holder for sailing, kayaking, canoeing, etc. This is a vast improvement over thebag
cases which protect the device from water (not needed) but degrade the camera (not acceptable). -
Flashlight Thoughts
Camping Commentary How_To Reviews Technology 2020
I'm not too fond of headlamps for a few reasons… they are generally too bright when you are working close, shine in people's faces when you look up, and kill your night vision. And what about your hat?!