Tools Books

The word play in this book is delightful. A hammer named Mike, a pick named Tracey, and a hoe, named Don are just some of the tools in this book. In addition to the fun names, there are fun puns as well. But there is also a more serious side to the book. Mr. Slater is a teacher and has produced a book that will help children to discuss feelings of not being accepted by their peers. It would be an excellent book for elementary school children as a conversation starter on this very important topic. Joel Keelan

This book is a surefire winner for parents who read to their children for both entertainment and instruction. It is filled with delightful puns and word play for sharpening little minds or just enjoying the whimsy of English.

Nick the saw has a hard time impressing his fellow tools until he shows them how to be a hero. The story's great fun and the wordplay will be enjoyable for kids (and the adults who will read it to kids). The other tools are named after celebrities (such as Mini Screwdriver), exemplifying the wit and humor of the book. This story will have kids fixin' to smile.

The over 15,000 fighters supplied to Russia by America and Great Britain played a vital role in Russia's survival and ultimate triumph in WW II. That total encompassed Hurricanes, Spits, P-39s, P-40s and P-63s along with small numbers of P-47s and -51s. The exploits of the VVS aces who flew lend-lease fighters are recounted in George Mellinger's latest Osprey volume, #74 in their 'Aircraft of the Aces' series.

Of the fighters supplied, Britain's fighters drew a mixed response. The Huricanes were viewed as rugged but slower than its Bf 109 opponents, poorly armed with .303 popguns, etc. Though the Russians demanded Spits, upon arrival, they found the Spitfire's landing gear wasn't up to the primitive airfields found on the Russian front. Nevertheless, pilots such as Sergei Kurzenkov, Yakov Bakharev, Sultan Amet-Khan and Vasilii Adonkin became aces flying ex-RAF machines.

The P-40 and, especially, the P-39 were well regarded by Soviet fliers. Early P-40 models were rated highly for their ruggedness, heavy armament, long range and tight-turning abilities. Pyotr Belyasnik, Aleksandr Matveyev, Aleksei Khlobystov and Stepan Novichkov - Russia's top P-40 ace with 19 kills - were among the Stalin Falcons who did well with lend-lease Tomahawks and Kittyhawks.

Though considered a dog in USAAF service, the P-39, christened 'Kobra' in VVS service, performed superably over the Eastern Front. Heavily armed, fast and maneuverable at the altitudes where most combats took place, VVS pilots swore by the Bell fighter. Russia's most highly regarded fighter leader and ace, Aleksandr Pokryshkin, was so enamored of the Kobra that he refused demands from his superiors that his unit re-equip with Soviet-made fighters! The combats waged by Pokryshkin, Grigorii Rechkalov, Nikolai Lavitskii, Boris and Dmitrii Glinka, Aleksei Smirnov, the legless ace Zakhar Sorokin, Aleksandr Klubov and other Kobra aces are well covered in Mellinger's book.

How important were lend-lease fighters to Russia? Well, by war's end, over 100 Soviet pilots were aces thanks to lend-lease fighters, many of them becoming Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Over 80 black and white photos and nine pages of color sideviews of Hurris, Spits, P-40s, Kobras, P-47s and even an A-20(!) in Soviet livery help illustrate this fascinating chapter of Russia's air war.

OK, maybe 5 stars is a bit extereme. But what a pleasure to read if you have an interest in this pretty obscure subject.

Split into 4 main sections: Hurricane, P-40, Kobras (P-39), and other lend lease fighters. 80 B&W pictures mainly focusing on pilot portraits with aircraft behind. Hurricane section has more aircraft views and crash photos than others. Other lend lease fighters focus on Spits and P-63 in all of its 7 pages-2 pics of P-47 none of A-20. Nice, as always, art by Jim Laurier features 36 side views of all types covered and an A-20!! Only 1 written page (last one)devoted to A-20(with P-63 photo on it-???!!!), probably not much info on A-20 yet but good to at least include it and the P-63 photo haha. I enjoyed the Hurricane section and P-40 first hand accounts the most. Worth the money but as always WW2 VVS photo quality not as good as German or American books. Some repeat pictures from previous Osprey books on P-40 and P-39. All in all not bad and a must for modellers. Nice 7 page listing of Lend-Lease Aces Roster includes: Name, Rank, HSU, Unit, Victories, Sorties/Combat, Date KIA, and notes. 96pp. Recommended purchase for VVS historians, account of Lt. Kuznetsov cover story very interesting. Enjoy.

Well I had to rate it something, or Amazon's software wouldn't accept the note . . . I guess five stars will have to do.

As of October 9, 2001, this book is again immediately available directly from our stock, and usually ships in 24 hours.

I appreciate your patience in waiting for the reprint, but here it is, available right now, and at no price increase.

Thank You!

Mike Arman

Having taken the time to actually read the book and put it to good use on my Sportster. I definately give it a thumbs up attitude.

Having met one of the authors about 10 years ago was the icing on the cake. I used to have his addy, but I lost it. If anyone knows where his bio is, I'd like to see it.

Valkrie

Having taken the time to actually read the book and put it to good use on my Sportster. I definately give it a thumbs up attitude.

Having met one of the authors about 10 years ago was the icing on the cake. I used to have his addy, but I lost it. If anyone knows where his bio is, I'd like to see it.

Valkrie

I've been using this book for several years now. And each year I buy copies for our farm interns and staff. I think the book does a great job of showing various pieces of equipment with the how and why it works. The vignettes of farmers who use those tools is very helpful in offering a three dimensional real life picture of how the tool may or may not work on our farm. Great book, one we refer to often for ideas and to make sure we all have the same "picture" in our heads of what a tool can and might do.

Now you don't have to embarrass yourself at the coffee shop asking questions you feel you shouldn't have to ask about the basics of mechanical weed control.

This book addresses the four main concerns that farmers have about mechanical weed control: cost, effectiveness, dependability and soil impact. The field equipment sections are the most descriptive that I have ever seen.

This book presents an excellent overview of Ethernet technologies suitable for network managers who are thinking of moving to switched or fast ethernet.

It's also a great book for anyone who wants a good description of how Ethernet technology works. The introductory chapter which gives an excellent history of Ethernet is also well worth a read.

The book also includes chapters on Network Management and Ethernet Cards, which are topics that are opften overlooked in Ethernet books. Each section is presented in a stand-alone way, so you can skip the bits that aren't interesting.

The book provides a nice overview of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet and clearly outlines how it works and gives several examples on how to deploy Fast Enet. For me, I found that it was just the right amount of detail.

I have been working on a "vanilla" 10meg ethernet (campus) for 18 months which will soon be upgraded. This book explains, in very easy to understand terms/diagrams, all the definitions & technical terms required to both get a good grasp on the basics and prepare for the leap to faster networks. If you are thinking of taking a 3 day seminar on Fast/Switched Ethernet or maybe a college course, this would be a better investment of your time and money. The only caution I would give is that it was written in 1995 and some of the "cutting edge" items are missing but it sure lays the groundwork to understanding advanced networks

My mom purchased a killer used table saw, but lacked the confidence in how to use it. I bought this book as a gift for her and ended up reading it before I gave it to her!

As a girl, I watched my Dad in the shop, but he didn't like questions so I grew bored. Now, I wish I'd have paid attention and tried to use it when I had his tutelage. This book answered a lot of the questions I have about using a table saw and safety. I can now discuss "shop" with my husband and understand what he's talking about. I might even be brave enough to use a table saw now! :) I liked that some of the pictures in the book depicted women using the saw too!

As the other reviewer said, this doesn't go into detail for techniques for specific projects, but will give you an overview of what to look for in a table saw, how to maintain your table saw, and what you can do with your table saw. You won't become a pro overnight, but this book is a good primer to get you started.

This was my first book on table saws, as I am about to buy my first table saw. Being an engineer, I know my way around power tools in general, but I was a bit concerned about proper techniques with regard to safety, how to prevent kickback, and some of the finer points of using the saw. This book has all the basic information - good for beginners - and has great captions on each and every (color) picture that help explain the equipment and concepts very well. This book is not for those who wish to do fancy woodworking and intricate furniture building - I'd recommend a book that describes the details and procedures for the various types of cuts/options in more depth. This book is great for anything short of that, highly recommended, a good comprehensive primer.

This book is a great primer. It covers all the essentials of choosing a table saw, setting up and operating a table saw. Plenty of pictures to illustrate the points the author is conveying. Plus there are plenty of tips to make sawing easier and accurate. Great book if you're a beginner with a table saw.

Very good and informative book. I wish it had color photos instead of B&W

Robert Terzuola's many years of experience as a custom knife maker are thoughtfully distilled into this handy and interesting book. "The Tactical Folding Knife" details and explains the many aspects of the design and construction of a modern folding knife. This book presupposes a certain level of technical proficiency regarding the use of the industrial tools needed to produce a folding knife of this type, but this fact does not detract from its accessibility for both the experienced machinist and the curious enthusiast. This book is broken down into chapters that illustrate not only the basic design and construction of a locking liner folding knife, but also includes chapters describing the characteristics of different component materials, helpful tips regarding specialized tools and a section on the care and maintenence of a finished knife. Although I don't think I will rush out and buy a lathe, I do feel that this book illuminates the subject in a way that can be appreciated by the layman as well as the experienced machinist

Robert Terzuola's name will be instantly recognizable to knife collectors the world over as the veteran maker of some of the finest tactical knives available. In this excellent book, Terzuola shares his knowledge of the new 'hot' item among collectors - the tactical folding knife.

The book covers design, shaping, fitting and finishing tactical folders in a refreshingly readable style. Simple enough for even non-knife enthusiasts yet detailed enough for new makers looking to improve their work - a great combination. Accompanied by masterful advice, clear step-by-step photographs, and superb diagrams of the famous linerlock mechanism, this book is worth every cent for the information value alone. If you are a beginning maker or simply interested in how much craftsmanship goes into these tools, you need to look no further than this book.

I first came in contact with this set while in college studying woodworking about 6 years ago. While in school I referenced it many times for a complete 'how to' to a 'how do I do that again.' Now, I am still in the woodworking business, and this is a great set of books to have around to consult for what ever reason, thus, I recently got my own. I especially like a chart he has for doing compound angled miters- I must have looked at that a hundred times. Though the pictures are obviously dated, the skills and basics techniques he writes about are timeless, and are a fantastic jumping off point for someone to figure out how to make anything. He teaches you everything you need to know, I highly recommend this set.

This is the first of three volumes by Tage Frid that are literally a brain dump of techniques and approached to woodwork. Frid is a true working craftsman. He began as an apprentice at a time when most work was done by hand, and survived the transition to machinery without missing a stroke of his plane. Teaching both at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rhode Island School of Design, Frid has influenced over a generation of professional and amateur wood workers.

This book is an exhaustive study of joinery. Frid starts with the traditional sections on wood, the tools, and the preparation of stock. Sections then follow on dovetails & other multiple joints, tongue and groove constrution, mortise and tenon, and mitered joints. What is different from other books on the subject is that Frid's explanations are clear and well illustrated, he covers many of the 'tricks' of the trade, and he will address a problem from several directions.

If you could remember everything in this book you would be a woodworking wizard. If you are more forgetful, like me, you will keep this book in the shop where you can grab it when planning out your work. If you have to have only one book on joinery Tage Frid's work may be all you need.

These are great books full of good information. Not all of his furniture is
in a style that I would choose, but it's constrution is great. The DVD is good.
Although not packed full of woodworking skills, it's nice to watch this master work
in his shop. You'll wish you could spend a few days working with him.

Bob Boog's Techno-Selling: Cutting-Edge Tips, Tricks & Tools, Plus Humorous Blunders To Avoid For Anyone Involved In Any Kind Of Sales is a superbly presented, reader-friendly guide for sellers of all experience levels who want to start using the resources of the World Wide Web and the Internet to quickly and easily market products and/or services to buyers across the nation and around the world. From creating an online office to anecdotes of cyberspace-do's and cyberspace-don'ts, Techno Selling is an excellent and highly recommended introduction to the manifold rewards and pitfalls related to making the Internet work for you!

"Wow" is all I could say after I read this book. With the Internet and email so commonplace, it made me realize we can either get on board or get left behind.

This book shows and tells in simple terms how to put this technology to use to put more money into our pockets. From "Steps to Making a Simple Photo Brochure" to how to build a website and much, much more...this book has it.

The author, Bob Boog, has been in sales since 1978 and from reading this book it is obvious that he knows his stuff. He teaches hard cold experience: what's worked and what hasn't and not just theory.

This book is really a must-read for sales people and business people who want to use technology to increase their revenue. I read Bob's previous book, "Selling Homes 1-2-3" and was so informed and entertained that I had to get this book, too. I'm an avid reader...and this book is up toward the top of the list.

"Wow" is all I could say after I read this book. With the Internet and email so commonplace, it made me realize we can either get on board or get left behind.
This book shows and tells in simple terms how to put this technology to use to put more money into our pockets. From "Steps to Making a Simple Photo Brochure" to how to build a website and much, much more...this book has it.
The author, Bob Boog, has been in sales since 1978 and from reading this book it is obvious that he knows his stuff. He teaches hard cold experience: what's worked and what hasn't and not just theory.
This book is really a must-read for sales people and business people who want to use technology to increase their revenue. I read Bob's first book, "Selling Homes 1-2-3" and was so informed and entertained that I had to get this book, too. I'm an avid reader...and this book is up toward the top of the list.

Wow! I am very impressed by Kes Sampanthar's latest invention, ThinkCube!

Having played with a wide variety of tools, like Pocket Innovator (precursor to the Knowbrainer, both from Gerard Haman), Thinkpak (from Michael Michalko), Whackpack & Innovative Whackpak (both from Roger von Oech), plus a host of minor others, for more than a decade in real world business settings, ThinkCube is a zesty, refreshing change.

I recently experimented with it in a small group business setting.

Despite the short orientation with it (luckily the author/inventor has an excellent corporate website, Metamemes, to equip me with valuable prior knowledge), the group has been truly amazed by the practical results.

In a nut shell, ThinkCube turbocharges my group's combinatory play & randomm juxtaposition to the next level. The permutation of forced associations from seemingly irrelevant connections has been really unbelievable.

In fact, after generating all the crazy ideas, the same thinking or brainstorming process has been repeated to produce the next steps in putting those wild ideas to work immediately. These steps eventually culminate into my group's SMART Game Plan. (SMART stands for Specific Objectives, Metrics, Accountability, Resources, Timing for Implementation & Completion).

As I am most familiar with the application of the famed Synectics process, especially in making the strange familiar & the familiar strange, the metaphorical connections arising from the ThinkCube process intervention add an extra punch to the whole thinking or brainstorming process.

At this juncture, I wish to share with readers a wonderful insight from Tom Peters, who in his wonderful book, `Liberation Management', drives home with this really great observation:

"The essence of creation - in all endeavours - is chance connections between ideas & facts that are previously segregated. Entrepreneurship is the direct by-product of chance, of convoluted connections among ideas, needs & people."

Likewise, Jay Abraham, a high-powered marketing whiz kid, once shares these very interesting observations in his book, 'Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got':

- ice cream was invented in 2000BC. Yet it was 3900 years later before someone figured out the ice cream cone;
- meat was on this planet before humans. Bread was baked in 2600 BC. Nevertheless it took another 4900 years for somebody to put together & create the sandwich;
- The modern flush toilet was invented in 1775, but it wasn't until 1857 that somebody thought up toilet paper;

According to him, "once these obvious connections have been made, they seem so obvious. So evident. We can't believe we didn't see them sooner. The endless number of these unmade connections exist to this day, especially in the business world."

He adds further:

"You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically uncover your income, power, influence, & success, the problem is you just don't see them."

Leonardo da vinci, whom I had met - in the form of a marble statute in the Vatican Museums, Rome as well as in Milan - during my recent holidays in Italy, once said,

"Everything is connected to everything else".

Well, let me put it this way, ThinkCube definitely empowers you to see more connections &/or juxtapositions in your work, your business & your life!

My only complaint about ThinkCube is that it's quite bulky to carry around, but I must say, the packaging, with its bright colours, visually appealing design & clean-cut style, is eye catching.

Best of all, the whole product works very well together to make my day!

Many thanks to you, Kes, for coming up & for sharing your wonderful invention with the world!

I'm familiar with the idea of combining random ideas and concepts to come up with new insights to problems. But Kes Sampanthar has put that process into a system that makes it much easier to go down that path... ThinkCube: A Professional Innovation Tool.

The process is easy to follow... 1) Define your goal for your brainstorming session. 2) Stimulate your mind by drawing six random cards from the Idea pack. 3) Think about your problem by combining two or more of the cards you drew in order to come up with new ideas. 4) Evaluate your ideas once you've come up with a number of them. 5) Elaborate on the idea if you think it has merit or is a winner. 6) Incubate those ideas that show potential but have some sticking points. Incubating is more along the lines of just letting the ideas percolate in the back of your mind while you're going about doing other things.

You may be thinking "well, I can do this on my own without any tools". That's true, but it might be hard to come up with a number of ideas and words that you can use to randomly combine. Because you have your own preconceived notions and mindsets, you're limited in your "random" references. Taking the material from another source like this can force you down mental paths you'd be unable to find on your own. The packaging of the system is pretty cool, too. The idea and word cards are packaged in a large orange cube, hence the name "ThinkCube". The coloring, style, and design all work well together to get your mind into a creative groove.

As a software developer, I'm always on the hunt for new ideas and designs that I can use to build quality software applications. After using ThinkCube a couple times, I can see how this will be a great aid for my job. Definitely a great idea and a product well-executed.

True innovation, like collaboration, requires a cultural shift. Inventor, computer scientist and self-proclaimed idea addict, Kes Sampanthar, recognizes this reality and has developed an awesome product to jump start innovation culture. That product is ThinkCube, an innovation system that enables a sort of orderly chaos. Kes and his wife, mechanical engineer Sue Sampanthar, collaborated on this breakthrough product.

"Infusion of innovation shouldn't hinge on a company mandate. It can organically emerge from the bottom up through changes in individual behavior," according to the ThinkCube Idea Handbook. I believe it's important that senior leaders set the stage, but innovation absolutely must happen organically--and ThinkCube gets the ball rolling. The system is designed for either individuals or groups of 4-7. The process Sampanthar has developed is called ThinkCubating, which begins with goal definition. As the process continues, the goal becomes better defined.

The ThinkCube is divided into 4 sections:

1) Idea Library
2) Word cards
3) Mutation
4) ThinkCubate

During the process, users draw idea cards from the Idea Library. Ideas range from inventions like electronic ink to trends and concepts like "swarm intelligence," an artificial intelligence technique based on the scientific observation of bee hives and ant colonies. Combining two or more cards, the user develops new ideas. This technique stems from Einstein's notion of "combinatory play" as the "essential feature in productive thought." As noted in the ThinkCube Idea Handbook, an example of combinatory play is Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in which he combined a wine press, coin punch and die stamps.

Just reading ThinkCube cards makes you think, and combining the cards to create or advance ideas is especially powerful. Each Word card includes groups of related words and definitions. Each mutation card includes groups of related verbs and definitions. Word and Mutation cards can be combined with each other or with Idea Library cards to create a new idea. So, a mutation card for "Update" could be combined with an Idea Library card for "Pavlovian Response." The goal may then shift to update Ivan Pavlov's Nobel Prize-winning psychological concept of "conditioned response." If an idea needs to simmer longer, the user can park it in ThinkCubate.

I'm using ThinkCube with colleagues to turn random bits of insight into breakthrough ideas. ThinkCube is an express ride around innovation roadblocks and is the most cost-effective investment in innovation a person or organization can make. I highly recommend this innovation system.