My great-grandfather was a handy guy. In the 1940s he built a bunch of furniture, lamps, door knockers, and various home do-dads that can still be seen at our family cabin. He owned a couple Popular Science craft books which got passed down to me:
Cyclopedia of Things to Make (1937) and
Complete Home Workshop Cyclopedia (1945). I was paging through these books and found several book related projects (click images to see larger):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1D6zOfJs1rLlfdIJPdVFwumfufsIdeWpLQp8q3gUBDMkJDm5OVZxoz9m1Ch6-eyI3JhMJDaV5bFeq4EocoqDbswvghnbtGmYZQFJGvPFDZaEK6MWC8tTMHkFCZowcy2_h9NIKJyH_wak/s1600/Aquarium-Bookcase.jpg) |
Storing your books under a homemade fish tank doesn't seem too wise. View larger. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uVcYRWl42dWKVGzhnDYAeJHU_gLg_KqqCCq_ah7OxhfE44_7bdaJNBoH5W1x_IP81EOhwkQjjqzkBXR5TUHXn7mT4CxWWoZmJrivDT3XPjgxhVe7ShBLWry5eVVpgslCiFxa0qEidf4/s1600/tree-stump-book-ends.jpg) |
My great-grandpa used this tree stump guide to make a pair of lamps. View larger. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYPR7TPpbw1KWZPw-hWMdjg0qMB5UV1ufYgYF7a7SNxe8V-nnFfrV4Z-ipK7OoRQvRCX7GSmUB6mrAB3rA-AIkiGcbhWU-wK0-6MBkOJ3-ZCs-OHOscTM0kLM6CpDEmtbuW_-PeoDK4Qg/s1600/Book-Ends-1937.jpg) |
Novel garden-gate book end decorated with jig-saw cat and dog engaged in argument. View larger. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1vQloY0OAGos54sNB7NeRTo5BdOW5hpRLYMmt9Nk-7IHcq6cX-pl9NvET0Bm3gEQEcVaHaFWmCeLlEQX49_iGgrGwjhDPaVmdFCpeytKYtBL7R0XeRPDTWYkrRA604AGOX9LKx4mH40/s1600/End-table.jpg) |
This guy doesn't seem too pleased with his end table. View larger. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTerD3fUU3eXJcQW9M4zBsMmVnkD1xJFSOEypOooPhPvc0mqwDKS10VJyqxtHPSbzHlmvedM2HbTB88ExWmMjaHKugAaMS-eHMKahMPSUHvhJ2X5FkVTnFqnb5pU0vRukRb6TLod-Ej8s/s1600/newspaper-rack.jpg) |
This newspaper rack isn't necessarily for books, but I'll allow it. View larger. |