Books in Master Engineer series

Duct Tape Engineer: The Book of Big, Bigger, and Epic Duct Tape Projects shows you how to create the most enjoyable and impressive projects you’ve ever made—and they all start with a simple strip of duct tape. Build furniture, bags, outdoor items and more using simple tools and materials, with no special engineering skills needed. Start with duct tape basics that will aid in assembly: Learn cutting and tearing methods and taping techniques (yes, there’s more to it than slapping it down). Discover how to make sturdy duct tape sheets that can be cut and shaped. Using easily accessible tools and supplies like a utility knife and heavy-duty cardboard boxes, try your hand at making a desk and desk chair. Grab some foam and make a backpack, or create a custom hammock. Build a geodesic dome, and go truly epic with a giant pyramid catapult. Every project includes step-by-step instructions and clear diagrams and photos. Don’t miss Lance Akiyama’s tips and suggestions for supplies, project variations, and material substitutions. Follow the solid construction techniques and you’ll ensure that these DIY projects will become favorite classroom activities and family projects. Among the projects are:A lightweight bed frame and full-size dresser with working drawersOutdoor pieces like a hammock and garden swingA heavy-duty toolbox with pockets galore, and a stylish two-color messenger bagBallistics, including a slingshotA kayakYou’ll discover there’s much more to duct tape than fixing a leaky hose. Roll up your sleeves and let the engineering begin!

You don't have to be a genius to create these ingenious contraptions, you just need rubber bands, glue, paperclips, and Rubber Band Engineer, of course. Shooting far, flying high, and delivering way more exciting results than expected are the goals of the gadgets in Rubber Band Engineer. Discover unexpected ways to turn common materials into crafty contraptions that range from surprisingly simple to curiously complex. In vivid color photos, you'll be guided on how to create slingshot rockets, unique catapults, and even hydraulic-powered machines. Whether you build one or all 19 of these designs, you'll feel like an ingenious engineer when you're through. Best of all, you don't need to be an experienced tinkerer to make any of the projects! All you need are household tools and materials, such as paper clips, pencils, paint stirrers, and ice pop sticks.Oh, and rubber bands. Lots of rubber bands.Grab your glue gun, pull out your pliers, track down your tape, and get started on the challenging, fun, and rewarding journey toward becoming a rubber band engineer.

Robots are taking over the world! Meet some of the most amazing machines man has ever created, from battlefield 'bots to amazing androids, in Master Engineer: Robots. Before robots existed, people imagined them. In fact, more than 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci sketched plans for a mechanical knight. Since then, engineers have come a long way, introducing the first modern humanoid robot, Elektro, (who could count on his fingers!) in 1939, to today's sophisticated humanoid robots that can speak, walk, do chores and more. Throughout the book, cool photographs and diagrams bring science to life, while engaging text explains the evolution of the robot. Once kids discover the engineering behind robots, they can build a giant model (three feet, two inches tall!) of a humanoid robot using the kit included with the book. Eat your heart out, C–3PO!

After the huge successes of Rubber Band Engineer and Duct Tape Engineer, we finally take away the boundaries of a single category and let author Lance Akiyama create twenty devious weapons of backyard warfare. Each of these launchers are made from PVC, soda bottles, rubber bands, hairspray cans, and anything you might find in the junk drawer, and are capable of firing marshmallows, poker chips, tennis balls, sponges, and plenty more. This book is written for adults, but kids and teens can get in on the fun, too. Projects range from simple shooters to be built by novice crafters, to the more complicated Slide Action Rubber Band Gun, A Wrist-Mounted Crossbow, and even a Desk Drawer Booby Trap.

"T-minus ten . . . nine . . . eight . . ." the countdown begins. Anticipation swells. The crowd holds their breath. The engines roar to life, and the massive rocket slowly rises from the vapor on the launch pad, defying gravity as it disappears into the sky. Fortunately, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the dynamics and engineering behind these amazing machines. In Master Engineer: Rockets, kids learn how the fastest, most powerful vehicles on (and off!) the earth get their power, and how engineers continue to defy gravity with rockets. Packed with awesome action photographs, helpful diagrams and text, and a build-it-yourself model of a giant (five-feet, three-inches tall!) model of a Saturn V rocket, this book really ignites the imagination. In fact, it's a blast!

Robots are taking over the world! Meet some of the most amazing machines man has ever created, from battlefield 'bots to amazing androids, in Master Engineer: Robots. Before robots existed, people imagined them. In fact, more than 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci sketched plans for a mechanical knight. Since then, engineers have come a long way, introducing the first modern humanoid robot, Elektro, (who could count on his fingers!) in 1939, to today's sophisticated humanoid robots that can speak, walk, do chores and more. Throughout the book, cool photographs and diagrams bring science to life, while engaging text explains the evolution of the robot. Once kids discover the engineering behind robots, they can build a giant model (three feet, two inches tall!) of a humanoid robot using the kit included with the book. Eat your heart out, C–3PO!