I found this wonderful old book at a garage sale over the summer. It is a great reminder of the independence, ingenuity and motivation of our grandparents when they were young. Not to mention lack of safety standards. 
The Boy Mechanic, 700 Things for Boys to Do is full of hundreds of projects and illustrations for everything from building a model steam engine to rigging up your dog to a cart to push you up and down the street, pocket knife toss games, building your own glider for jumping off of tall hills to some of the more moderate-yet handy projects and ideas such as a few of my favorites below.Click on images to enlarge.
Every crafter needs a quick funnel now and then, how simple is this?!
Man I could’ve used this trick last week, no kidding.
This string and bag trick is just plain handy. Gets me thinking about advent bags for next Christmas. Could also be used for craft show packaging. Lots of ideas with this one!
Love this perfume project! I’ll wait for the lilacs to bloom.
I’ve always used this technique, it’s still the only way I can tell the days in a month.
You can still find copies of this book on the internet and a free download of (a version of) The Boy Mechanic HERE.
37 comments:
these are amazing, thanks cathe =))
Lots of homespun wisdom in there. They should have these in a life skills class.
Oh, I so heart that text ! I want that too ! What a brilliant idea about obtaining your own oil for perfume. LOVE that. Have a great weekend my dear !
Where do you get these treasures?!
I remember the fist calender trick as well, it's realy handy, the Romans must have been thinking of their knuckles when they added those days to months...
My dad has that book! I too use my fists for counting the days of the months...my mom taught me that trick when I was little!
Blessings!
~Nadine
Love it! Thanks for sharing
I love vintage books like this! Full of practical ideas. I'm totally going to try the bag/handle trick with my Divine Twine and decorate with some labels or something. Thanks for sharing!
xx,
Whitney
What a lovely book!
Although I would have kept the string for crafting with and just put my hand in the freezer for as long as I could manage to get a tight ring off - old jewellers' trick from and old jeweller!!!
Cathe, I find your blog/site truly inspirational and, although I've never left a comment before, have used many of your printable things in my daily (yes, okay, not quite daily) journal/art journal/scrapbook.
Just discovered your fantastic blog via Twig & Thistle! So full of wonderful ideas - definitely be back for more =)
I bought a copy of this at a garage sale probably 20 years ago. Great book. I've always wanted to make the ice sail boat thingie but they're not real useful in the OC!
Cathe - I saw a toolbox at the flea market last summer with this same graphic called "The Boy Mechanic's Toolbox". Must've been a companion to the book. I'm still kicking myself for not buying it.
What a neat book!! Great ideas. Thanks for sharing. Love & blessings from NC!
This book was I believe, the first in the series put out by Popular Mechanics. They are great books. I bought my husband the The Boy Camper. There is some great information in it. Unfortunately mine is not one of the originals. For anyone interested Hearst Books has recently republished this series.
Very cool! I especially love that you can download the book. Of course it would be nice to find a copy like yours, but until that time, the download is the next best thing. Thanks for pointing that out.
Hmmm...life was simpler back then. What a wonderful find and sage wisdom for all. Thank you for sharing so generously.
What a find!! Thanks for sharing - this is just too cool!!
Love it! Thanks for sharing
It seems I've seen that book somewhere other than here...I might have it come to think of it. I love the idea for extracting oil from the flowers. I'm going to try this. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this wonderfull discover. It´s amazing. love this old books with great ideas, so old and so actual. The old is new. Thanks, KISS
This was really fun to read, Cathe! I'd never seen the knuckle trick for remembering how many days in a month. We all go around reciting the little ditty to remember.
I love the information found in these old books and how it's written. May try that bag idea for sure.
How fun! BTW, I learned the months by using my fists as well! :D
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
Ah - this is a great book! I bought it for my sisters' families for Christmas this year (it's recently been reprinted, I believe - well, I don't know how recently, but I bought several copies new from a bookstore). All the kids - from age 7 through 16 - really like it! But I would've loved to have found old copies, instead of the new reprint! I didn't even think to look ....
They are re-editing books like that now. I have bought the 'Daring Book for Girls' already, but I think they have taken too many of the exciting things out in favour of keeping adequate safety standards! Great post!!
Awesome book thanks for sharing:)Kristianne25
So tickled I found your site! Not sure what's handier, The Boy Mechanic or the JSIM blog!
Yes! I have to use the knuckle trick every time!
That's a great garage sale find! Full of old timey wisdom!
My dad had a copy of this when I was growing up. Great to look at and soooo much fun.
Also, American Boy's Handy Book. That's also a good one.
Sara
sarathelaundress@yahoo.com
That is awesome! can you believe I've never even heard of that "knuckle calendar"? What a great find! (also, you can use something nicer like a sweet almond oil instead of olive oil for the perfume!)
www.buenostyle.com
You my Dear are TRUELY amazing!!!!
Great find! Thanks for passing it on!
Ellen
That is a great book to have! I've heard of the ring one and the knuckles for the months. I really like the bag idea, and also the bottled oil from the flowers. The skill from years past.....
Ulrike
~~~
OMG, what a time suck ;-) I now need to spend hours reading this, thx to you.
The Boy Mechanic is back in print, my son got a copy for Christmas. Try Amazon!
Thanks Ruby, However the new revised "safe" version is missing all of the fun, life & limb threatening projects that have no doubt burned down many a homes. LOL!
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