Handbook of Homemade Power

[Patchouli]

by Mother Earth News. Came across this older little paperback recently and put it in my stash of books. Remember when they used to say we'd run out of surface ready petroleum and natural gas in 30 years (1974)?

Some random quotes upon opening up the book: "The Dodge Dart alternator I adapted to my system goes, used, for $15.00-$20.00 out here on the west coast...but I got three absolutely free from a mechanic who said he didn't want them around anymore!"
"Known as a Pelton wheel, this type was developed from the "hurdy-gurdy", a paddle wheel used in California by the forty-niners."
"To transfer the heat down into storage -- water tanks surrounded by bins filled with 50 tons of fist-sized rocks -- Thomason installed a perforated pipe along the apex of the collector/roof. A light downward flow of water from the pipe and across the metal was sufficient to move the heat."
Table of contents includes wood, water, wind, solar, methane. No photographs, but illustrations. I'll include a few photos in the next post.
Looks like it is available on thrift books website. Remember, it was published in 1974, giving us an advantage of not using or needing technological stuff.

 

[Patchouli]

 

[randyt]

Awesome book, I've had my copy for years. Anything from TMEN prior to maybe mid 1980s is worth hanging on to.

 

[Tirediron]

back when energy independence was grass roots. until the government got hold of the idea and corrupted it.

 

[Tirediron]

https://journeytoforever.org/ another decent source on self reliance without the hype and brand names

 

[Mountain trapper]

back when energy independence was grass roots. until the government got hold of the idea and corrupted it.

Just curious, how did the government "corrupt" energy independence. Except for taking advantage of tax credits, the government had nothing to do with my electric system.