Titles by William Gurstelle

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Titles Found: 7

Absinthe & Flamethrowers (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 16.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jun 2009

Written for reasonable risk takers and suburban dads who want to add more excitement to their lives, this daring combination of science, history, and DIY projects explains why danger is good for you and details the art of living dangerously. All of the projects—from throwing knives, drinking absinthe, and eating fugu to cracking a bull whip, learning baritsu, and building a flamethrower—have short learning curves; are human-focused, as opposed to technology-centric; are affordable; and demonstrate true but reasonable risk. The guide maintains that risk takers are more successful, more interesting individuals who lead more fulfilling lives. What would the world be like if Thomas Edison retired after 30 years working for the railroad, it asks, instead of getting fired for blowing up a rail car with one of his experiments? Though the manual doesn’t advocate getting fired, it does reveal that making black powder is pure excitement. Unlike watching an action movie or playing a video game, real, edgy life experience changes a person. Each potentially life-altering project includes step-by-step directions and illustrations along with sidebar tips from experts in the field.

Backyard Ballistics (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 18.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Sep 2012

This bestselling DIY handbook now features new and expanded projects, enabling ordinary folks to construct 16 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple match-powered rocket to the more complex tabletop catapult and the offbeat Cincinnati fire kite. The classic potato cannon has a new evil twin—the piezo-electric spud gun and the electromagnetic pipe gun has joined the company of such favorites as the tennis ball mortar. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.

Building Bots (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 26.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Dec 2002

This is the definitive guide to designing and building warrior robots like those seen on BattleBots, Robotica, and Robot Wars. It walks robot enthusiasts of all ages step-by-step through the design and building process, enabling them to create any number of customized warrior robots. With a strong emphasis on safety, chapters include designing a robot, choosing materials, radio control systems, electric motors, robot batteries, motor speed controllers, gasoline engines, and drive trains. Clear instructions are accompanied by photos, line drawings, and detailed diagrams throughout. A color section showcases a variety of glorious fighting machines. For beginners, there is machine shop 101 and robot physics, and, of course, chapters on weaponry that include spinner robots, thwackbots, cutting blade robots, lifters, and chameleon robots. When the bot of their dreams is built, suggestions on where to compete and game-day strategies and tactics help readers take the next step. An extensive resource section lists parts suppliers, pertinent Web sites, a radio frequency chart, and a glossary.

Defending Your Castle (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 16.95

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jun 2014

A man’s home is his castle, or so the saying goes, but could it withstand an attack by Attila and the Huns, Ragnar and the Vikings, Alexander and the Greeks, Genghis Khan and the Mongols, or Tamerlane and the Tartars? Backyard Ballistics author William Gurstelle poses this fascinating question to modern-day garage warriors and shows them how to build an arsenal of ancient artillery and fortifications aimed at withstanding these invading hordes. Each chapter introduces a new bad actor in the history of warfare, details his conquests, and features weapons and fortifications to defend against him and his minions. Clear step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build a dozen projects, including “Da Vinci’s Catapult,” “Carpini’s Crossbow,” a “Crusader-Proof Moat,” “Alexander’s Tortoise,” and the “Cheval-de-frise.” With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind many of the projects, and shows where to buy the materials. By the time they’ve reached the last page, at-home defenders everywhere will have succeeded in creating a fully fortified home.

Ready the Cannons! (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 16.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Oct 2016

From the author of Backyard Ballistics comes this new DIY handbook on building cannons and other fun things that shoot, from wiffle ball launchers and beverage bottle bazookas to super-powered water guns and model culverins. It combines military history and physics with do-it-yourself projects. Now ordinary folks can construct a dozen awesome artillery devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple supersonic ping-pong ball shooter to the more complex replica of the Napoleon Cannon. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, tells the history of how and when the artillery devices were used, and explains the physics behind the projects. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard watergunners, model-rocket launchers, and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.

The Art of the Catapult (4 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

Trade Paper Price 16.99

Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Jul 2018

Build your own ancient artillery and lay siege to history!

Calling all wannabe marauders and tinkerers! The Art of the Catapult introduces the exciting world of ancient siege warfare through hands-on model building and thrilling historical accounts. Learn how to construct ten authentic working model catapults, from the early Greek ballista to the mighty English trebuchet, using step-by-step instructions and detailed diagrams.

Unleash your inner engineer and explore the science behind these incredible machines. Discover the stories of legendary figures like Alexander the Great, Richard the Lionheart, and pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe, and recreate their epic battles. The Art of the Catapult is the perfect blend of history, engineering, and hands-on fun for budding backyard warriors and Tolkien fans alike. Get ready to:

Master the fundamentals of levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction
Build ten different catapult models, from simple to complex
Explore the history of siege warfare and the science of ballistics

For ages 10 and up.

Whoosh Boom Splat (3 Formats) ›

By William Gurstelle

PDF Price 12.99

PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Published Oct 2017

In this revised and expanded edition, William Gurstelle shows ordinary folks how to build a dozen fun and impressively powerful launchers with inexpensive household and hardware store materials. This new edition includes three new projects along with diagrams, photographs, and fascinating science information. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting and describes each machine’s historical origins as well as the science behind it. Workshop warriors and tinkerers at any skill level will love these new exciting DIY projects.