By Kaden Harris
First Edition
October 2007
Pages: 391
ISBN 10: 0-596-51054-3 |
ISBN 13: 9780596510541
(Average of 2 Customer Reviews)
Who says office cubicles need to be dreary? In this book, author Kaden Harris of Eccentric Genius introduces aspiring and die-hard Makers to a highly entertaining parallel universe of surreal office-based projects that are sure to pique the curiosity of even the most jaded office mates. From desktop guillotines and crossbows to mood-enhancing effects and music makers, each project presents a different set of challenges and opens new avenues of Maker lore.
Full Description
From desktop guillotines and crossbows to mood-enhancing effects and music makers, each project presents a different set of challenges and opens new avenues of Maker lore. There's a strong emphasis on the basic mechanical theories and principles of the devices presented in the book, as well as the fabrication techniques you need to use. But this is far more than a book of project "how-tos". Eccentric Cubicle offers oblique industrial design and fabrication philosophies, countless cultural reference points, and innumerable bad puns.
This book is a dream come true for you office-bound souls who are tech DIY enthusiasts, hobbyist engineers/designers, and Makers at heart. Imagine having your cubicle sport projects such as:
- A mechanical golfer
- Lucid dreaming induction device
- USB-powered bubble blower
- Fog machine
- A desktop guillotine
- And a whole lot more
Bring character and life to your office desktop with Eccentric Cubicle!
Featured customer reviews
fantastic, February 20 2008
Brilliant. Utterly bonkers, but brilliant. Instructions on how to build a selection of fun and funky things to enhance your office life. Though I'm not sure how your boss will react to a personal guillotine, or a steampunk 'ballistamail' (for those oh-so-important intercubicle memos).
Full of amazing things to make, with detailed instructions along the way. A must for any MAKE enthusiast, though some of the projects look to require more than a passing knowledge of the toolshop! Someone referred to it as 'guerilla DIY', a tag which fits perfectly.
If you work in a cubicle, you need this book. If you don't work in a cubicle, you need this book. After all, who doesn't want a desktop bubble machine (built from an old CD spindle case and computer power fan?)
Plans and tutorial for do-it-yourselfers, December 06 2007
A well-illustrated book of small modeling projects, illustrated by blueprints, pictures, and step-by-step instructions on how to make a few unusual models using simple components that one can find in a junk yard or garage sale. It seems like the author had a novice in mind (the book has a chapter describing and depicting some simple tools), but, in my opinion, will require a bit more skilled and persistent do-it-yourselfer interested in working with metal and wood. Fortunately, there is no necessity of a large workshop with power tools.
In my opinion, the items are neither eccentric, nor will fit well in a cubicle of the most employers I have worked for, but this should not matter to those of us who enjoy the very process of bulding things and making them work.
Media reviews
"Kaden Harris' prose is clean, spare and danged funny (witness such section headings as "A Warning to Woodworking Purists" and "The Rites of Springs: Roll Your Own Boinginess"). It just does my heart good to know he's out there, thinking of ways to keep stuff out of the waste stream, and better yet, returning it to use. I almost wrote "good use," but didn't -- only because not everybody needs a mini guillotine on her desk. Seriously though, it warms my heart to think that somebody somewhere spent the time to make a desktop chopper and document the process so other out-of-the-box thinkers could follow along. That Harris was the one to do it is outright providential. If you like the guerilla DIY style of Make and Craft magazines, you'll like this book. 'nuf said."
-- Susan Prosser, Amazon.com
"As I've often said about DIY books, you can have tons of fun simply reading the book. Harris is an engaging and downright funny writer who is constantly including sassy asides, historical trivia, and jokes. For example, on the bubble machine project, he included 6 large grapefruits and a volleyball net into the parts list, just for yucks. A lot of DIY books are dry and to-the-point. Not this one...Eccentric Cubicle is an educational and entertaining read, whether or not you want a mail-flinging ballista on your desk."
-- John Baichtal, GeekDad: Wired Blog Network
"If you're comfortable working with tools and such, this book will be a fun stretch for you. If you're brand new to the MAKE culture, this is probably a bit beyond your initial capabilities (unless you're just plain stubborn, incredibly talented, or both). But if you're into these types of contraptions and want an entertaining read by a talented builder *and* writer, by all means go for it."
-- Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings
