William Gurstelle's Books

ReMaking History, Volume 1

Early Makers

By: William Gurstelle

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William Gurstelle begins his remarkable journey through history with this volume, Early Makers. Each chapter examines a remarkable individual or group of people from the past whose insights and inventions helped create the world we live in. What sets this series apart from other history books - including other histories of technology - is that each chapter also includes step-by-step instructions for making your own version of the historical invention. History comes to life in a way you have never experienced before when you follow the inventors' steps and recreate the groundbreaking devices of the past with your own hands. In this volume you will discover: The Cave Dwellers of Lascaux and the Oil Lamp Pythagoras and the Tantalus Cup Heron and the Gin Pole Egypt's Bag Press Otto von Guerke and the Magdeburg Hemispheres Levi ben Gershon and the Jacob's Staff Juliana Berners and the Fishing Lure Archimedes and the Water Screw China's Differential Windlass Be sure to also check out ReMaking History, Volume 2: Industrial Revolutionaries and ReMaking History Volume 3:Makers of the Modern World.

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269

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Maker Media, Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1680450565

ISBN 13

9781680450569

Absinthe and Flamethrowers

Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously

By: William Gurstelle

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Absinthe and Flamethrowers

Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously

By: William Gurstelle

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.

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225

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1569763070

ISBN 13

9781569763070

Art of the Catapult

Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

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Art of the Catapult

Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

Whether playing at defending their own castle or simply chucking pumpkins over a fence, wannabe marauders and tinkerers will become fast acquainted with Ludgar, the War Wolf, Ill Neighbor, Cabulus, and the Wild Donkey—ancient artillery devices known commonly as catapults. Building these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling. The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.

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195

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Chicago Review Press

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ISBN 10

1569766770

ISBN 13

9781569766774

ReMaking History, Volume 3

Makers of the Modern World

By: William Gurstelle

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ReMaking History, Volume 3

Makers of the Modern World

By: William Gurstelle

Makers of the Modern World is the third volume of William Gurstelle's unique, hands-on journey through history. Each chapter examines a remarkable character from the past, one of the people whose insights and inventions helped create our modern world. What sets this series apart from other history books - including other histories of technology - is that each chapter also includes step-by-step instructions for making your own version of the historical invention. History comes to life in a way you have never experienced before when you follow the inventors' steps and recreate the groundbreaking devices of the past with your own hands. This volume brings you to the early modern era and the invention of the electric light, the movie projector, and the automobile. Inside, you will discover: Alessandro Volta and Electroplating Humphrey Davy and the First Electric light George Cayley and the Aeronautical Glider The Lumiere Brothers and the Movie Projector Rudolf Diesel and the Automobile Engine Hans Goldschmidt and the Thermite Reaction August Mobius and the Mobius Strip Louis Poinsot's Loads, Moments, and Torques Be sure to also check out ReMaking History, Volume 1: Early Makers and ReMaking History Volume 2 :Industrial Revolutionaries.

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358

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Maker Media, Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1680450689

ISBN 13

9781680450682

Adventures from the Technology Underground

Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them

By: William Gurstelle

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Adventures from the Technology Underground

Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them

By: William Gurstelle

The technology underground is a thriving, humming, and often literally scintillating subculture of amateur inventors and scientific envelope-pushers who dream up, design, and build machines that whoosh, rumble, fly—and occasionally hurl pumpkins across enormous distances. In the process they astonish us with what is possible when human imagination and ingenuity meet nature’s forces and materials. William Gurstelle spent two years exploring the most fascinating outposts of this world of wonders: meeting and talking to the men and women who care far more for the laws of physics than they do for mundane matters like government regulations and their own personal safety. Adventures from the Technology Underground is Gurstelle’s lively and weirdly compelling report of his travels. In these pages we meet Frank Kosdon and others who draw the scrutiny of the FAA, ATF, and other federal agencies in their pursuit of high-power amateur rocketry, which they demonstrate to impressive—and sometimes explosive—effect at the annual LDRS gathering held in various remote and unpopulated areas (a necessary consideration since that acronym stands for Large Dangerous Rocket Ships). Here also are the underground technologists who turn up at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada high desert, including Lucy Hosking, “the engineer from Hell” and the creator of Satan’s Calliope, aka the World’s Loudest Thing, a pipe organ made from jet engines. Also at Burning Man is Austin “Dr. MegaVolt” Richard, who braves the arcing, sputtering, six-digit voltages of a giant Tesla coil in his protective metal suit. Add in a trip to see medieval-style catapults, air cannons, and supersized slingshots in action at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin competition in Sussex County, Delaware, and forays to the postapocalyptic enclaves of the flamethrower builders and the future-noir pits of the fighting robots, and you have proof positive that the age of invention is still going strong. In the world of science and engineering, despite its buttoned-down image, there’s plenty of fun, humor, and sheer wonder to be found at the fringes. Adventures from the Technology Underground takes you there. • Launch homemade high-power rockets. • Catapult pumpkins the better part of a mile. • Watch robot gladiators saw, flip, and pound one another into high-tech junk heaps. • Dazzle the eye with electrical discharges measured in the hundreds of thousands of volts. • Play with flamethrowers, potato guns, and other decidedly unsafe toys . . . If this is your idea of fun, you’ll have a major good time on this wild ride through today’s Technology Underground. From the Burning Man festival in Nevada’s high desert to the latest gathering of Large Dangerous Rocket Ship builders to Delaware’s annual Punkin Chunkin competition (a celebration of “science, radical self-expression, and beer”), you’ll meet the inspired, government-unregulated, and corporately unfettered men and women who operate at the furthest fringes of science, engineering, and wild-eyed arc welding, building the catapults, ultra-high-voltage electrical devices, incendiary artworks, fighting robots, and other machines that demonstrate what’s possible when physics meets human ingenuity.

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226

Publisher

Clarkson Potter

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307351254

ISBN 13

9780307351258

Defending Your Castle

Build Catapults, Crossbows, Moats, Bulletproof Shields, and More Defensive Devices to Fend Off the Invading Hordes

By: William Gurstelle

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Defending Your Castle

Build Catapults, Crossbows, Moats, Bulletproof Shields, and More Defensive Devices to Fend Off the Invading Hordes

By: William Gurstelle

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.

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178

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1613746822

ISBN 13

9781613746820

Absinthe & Flamethrowers

Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously

By: William Gurstelle

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Absinthe & Flamethrowers

Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously

By: William Gurstelle

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225

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Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1556528221

ISBN 13

9781556528224

ReMaking History, Volume 3

Makers of the Modern World

By: William Gurstelle

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ReMaking History, Volume 3

Makers of the Modern World

By: William Gurstelle

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358

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Maker Media, Inc.

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ISBN 10

1680450689

ISBN 13

9781680450682

Introduction to Bayesian Statistics

By: William M. Bolstad,James M. Curran

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Introduction to Bayesian Statistics

By: William M. Bolstad,James M. Curran

...this edition is useful and effective in teaching Bayesian inference at both elementary and intermediate levels. It is a well-written book on elementary Bayesian inference, and the material is easily accessible. It is both concise and timely, and provides a good collection of overviews and reviews of important tools used in Bayesian statistical methods." There is a strong upsurge in the use of Bayesian methods in applied statistical analysis, yet most introductory statistics texts only present frequentist methods. Bayesian statistics has many important advantages that students should learn about if they are going into fields where statistics will be used. In this third Edition, four newly-added chapters address topics that reflect the rapid advances in the field of Bayesian statistics. The authors continue to provide a Bayesian treatment of introductory statistical topics, such as scientific data gathering, discrete random variables, robust Bayesian methods, and Bayesian approaches to inference for discrete random variables, binomial proportions, Poisson, and normal means, and simple linear regression. In addition, more advanced topics in the field are presented in four new chapters: Bayesian inference for a normal with unknown mean and variance; Bayesian inference for a Multivariate Normal mean vector; Bayesian inference for the Multiple Linear Regression Model; and Computational Bayesian Statistics including Markov Chain Monte Carlo. The inclusion of these topics will facilitate readers' ability to advance from a minimal understanding of Statistics to the ability to tackle topics in more applied, advanced level books. Minitab macros and R functions are available on the book's related website to assist with chapter exercises. Introduction to Bayesian Statistics, Third Edition also features: Topics including the Joint Likelihood function and inference using independent Jeffreys priors and join conjugate prior The cutting-edge topic of computational Bayesian Statistics in a new chapter, with a unique focus on Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods Exercises throughout the book that have been updated to reflect new applications and the latest software applications Detailed appendices that guide readers through the use of R and Minitab software for Bayesian analysis and Monte Carlo simulations, with all related macros available on the book's website Introduction to Bayesian Statistics, Third Edition is a textbook for upper-undergraduate or first-year graduate level courses on introductory statistics course with a Bayesian emphasis. It can also be used as a reference work for statisticians who require a working knowledge of Bayesian statistics.

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Page Count

608

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Published Date

ISBN 10

1118593227

ISBN 13

9781118593226

Ready the Cannons!

Build Wiffle Ball Launchers, Beverage Bottle Bazookas, Hydro Swivel Guns, and Other Artisanal Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

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Ready the Cannons!

Build Wiffle Ball Launchers, Beverage Bottle Bazookas, Hydro Swivel Guns, and Other Artisanal Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

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.

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174

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1613734484

ISBN 13

9781613734483

Whoosh Boom Splat

The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters

By: William Gurstelle

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Whoosh Boom Splat

The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters

By: William Gurstelle

These are the homemade machines that you’ve dreamed of building, from the high-voltage Night Lighter 36 spud gun to the Jam Jar Jet, the Marshmallow Shooter, and the Yagua Blowgun. Including detailed diagrams and supply lists, Gurstelle’s simple, step-by-step instructions help workshop warriors at any skill level achieve impressively powerful results. With Whoosh Boom Splat, you can build: - The Jam Jar Jet—the simple pulse jet engine that roars - The Elastic Zip Cannon—a membrane-powered shooter that packs a wallop - The Mechanical Toe—a bungee-powered kicking machine - The Vortex Launcher—a projectile shooter that uses air bullets for ammunition - The Clothespin Snap Shooter—the PG-17 version of a clothespin gun that fires fiery projectiles - The Architronito—the steam-powered cannon conceived by Leonardo da Vinci And many more! In addition to learning how to make these cool gadgets, you’ll find sections packed with information on what makes each machine unique. Gurstelle describes the machine’s historical origins as only he can: with verve, fun, and the sort of quirky details his legions of fans love. Whoosh Boom Splat is a must-have for every extreme tinkerer.

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162

Publisher

Potter Style

Published Date

ISBN 10

030749876X

ISBN 13

9780307498762

Backyard Ballistics

Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

By: William Gurstelle

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Backyard Ballistics

Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

By: William Gurstelle

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.

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242

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1613743548

ISBN 13

9781613743546

Whoosh Boom Splat

Build Jam Jar Jets, Elastic Zip Cannons, Clothespin Snap Shooters, and More Legendary Launchers

By: William Gurstelle

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Whoosh Boom Splat

Build Jam Jar Jets, Elastic Zip Cannons, Clothespin Snap Shooters, and More Legendary Launchers

By: William Gurstelle

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.

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137

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1613739109

ISBN 13

9781613739105

ReMaking History, Volume 2

Industrial Revolutionaries

By: William Gurstelle

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ReMaking History, Volume 2

Industrial Revolutionaries

By: William Gurstelle

Industrial Revolutionaries is the second volume in William Gurstelle's unique exploration of history's great inventors. Each chapter revisits the life and times of one of the forward-thinking revolutionaries who helped create the world we live in. You will not only learn about their great inventions, you'll also get step-by-step instructions for recreating them yourself. History will come to life as you have never experienced it before when you build it with your own hands. Inside this volume, you will discover: Joseph McKibben and the Air Muscle Squire Whipple and the Iron Bridge Abe Lincoln and the Campaign Torch Samuel Morse and the Telegraph J.F. Daniell and the Storage Battery Ben Franklin and the Leyden Jar Charles Goodyear and the Vulcanization of Rubber Be sure to also check out ReMaking History, Volume 1: Early Makers and ReMaking History, Volume 3: Makers of the Modern World.

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Page Count

331

Publisher

Maker Media, Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

168045062X

ISBN 13

9781680450620

Building Bots

Designing and Building Warrior Robots

By: William Gurstelle

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Building Bots

Designing and Building Warrior Robots

By: William Gurstelle

A guide to designing and building warrior robots, including information on choosing materials, radio control systems, electric motors, robot batteries, motor speed controllers, gasoline engines, and drive trains.

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Page Count

258

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1556524595

ISBN 13

9781556524592

Art of the Catapult

Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

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Art of the Catapult

Build Greek Ballistae, Roman Onagers, English Trebuchets, and More Ancient Artillery

By: William Gurstelle

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Page Count

195

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1569766770

ISBN 13

9781569766774

Backyard Ballistics

Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

By: William Gurstelle

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Backyard Ballistics

Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

By: William Gurstelle

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Page Count

242

Publisher

Chicago Review Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1613743548

ISBN 13

9781613743546

Practical Pyromaniac

Build Fire Tornadoes, One-Candlepower Engines, Great Balls of Fire, and More Incendiary Devices

By: William Gurstelle

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Practical Pyromaniac

Build Fire Tornadoes, One-Candlepower Engines, Great Balls of Fire, and More Incendiary Devices

By: William Gurstelle

Combining science, history, and DIY pyrotechnics, this book for the workbench warrior explains humankind’s most useful and paradoxical tool: fire. William Gurstelle, author of the bestselling Backyard Ballistics, presents 25 projects with instructions, diagrams, photos, and links to video demonstrations that enable people of all ages to explore and safely play with fire. From Franklin’s stove to Diesel’s engine, explosive and fascinating tales are told of the great pyromaniacs who scientifically revealed the mysteries of fire such as “Gunpowder” Joseph Priestly, who discovered oxygen; Antoine Lavoisier, the father of chemistry; and Humphrey Davy, whose chemical discoveries and fiery inventions saved thousands of lives. By following the directions inside, the curious can replicate these breakthrough scientists’ experiments and inventions from the simply fascinating one-candlepower engine to the nearly magical fire piston and an incredible tornado of fire.

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