Who says office cubicles need to be dreary? In this book, author Kaden Harris (creator of www.eccentricgenius.caEccentric 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. 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

In the Eccentric Cubicle, Harris starts with classic, time-honored principals, then modernizes and augments his designs with performance enhancements and updated feature sets -- all while precariously balancing form, function, and oddness. Scavenging and repurposing materials and components at every opportunity, he challenges and inspires you to modify and adapt the projects and designs to meet your own scale, performance, and aesthetic requirements. Bring character and life to your office desktop with Eccentric Cubicle!

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 10 Ratings

Great Gift - 2009-12-29
Reviewer Rating:

This is a really great gift for someone who is hard to shop for. My Dad really loves the whole series and it gives him ideas of fun stuff to do with his grandson.

Funny, Witty, Fascinating, Cool! - 2009-05-19
Reviewer Rating:
I saw this book in bookstores and initially skipped it over. I finally bought a copy after reading somewhere about Kaden's great and helpful fabrication tips in this book.

I'm almost done reading it cover-to-cover.

The writing is very clever and funny. It feels like he's sitting there talking to you or giving a really good presentation.

The subject matter is great. Even if you don't plan on building a desk-ballistae or bubble machine or anything else in the book, the tips alone are worth the price. Between each major project are "nano" projects to help you get the most from your workshop and tools - whether you have a basement lair on par with Dr. Frankenstein, or if you have a shoe box with some screwdrivers and a utility knife - and that's it.

I highly recommend this book for anybody who likes to tinker and build things.

Rob Johnson

Eccentric Cubicle is entertaining, interesting and fun too... - 2008-05-28
Reviewer Rating:
Kaden Harris is an amazingly intelligent "character". Let me start of by saying his book is great and even though I was offered a free copy I went out and bought one anyway. It is worth the money and a great read.

Kaden and I went to an elementary school, with the Makers Faire people to convince kids that making is a great thing to do. Kaden brought his wares, including the Guillotine shown on the cover of the book. I can tell you the guillotine could easily lob off the heads of dolls and a finger too.

So there we stood. Waiting to speak to the elementary school kids. I was speaking as an inventor showing my latest and greatest and Kaden had his projects (guillotine included). At this point I was curious as to how Kaden would describe what the guillotine was used for. Would he be graphic or dismissive? Even I did not know what approach I would take. What do/should you tell Elementary school children about guillotines?


The kids came in and I waited and watched... Kaden then showed them how the guillotine worked and said, "This is a great kitchen gadget. You can cut carrots with it." GENIUS! The kids were amazed! It is a very cool carrot cutter.

Then Kaden answered the questions you'd expect from elementary school kids. The top two questions were, "Can it cut a finger off?" and "Can I try it?" The top two answers were... "Yes" and "No".

We had a great time. Kaden is a great story teller and even better maker. Eccentric Cubical shows neat projects and is well written. Even if you don't make the projects the book is a fun read. Buy a copy OR take one out at the library. I think you'll enjoy it just like I did.

brilliant - 2008-02-20
Reviewer Rating:
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?)

Crafts For Bored Cube Dwellers - 2008-01-30
Reviewer Rating:
'Eccentric Cubicle' is a book for hobbyists who have the time to make things and want to develop fun things for/at work. Filled with 10 chapters of weird things you can make, you better have some experience or are OK with getting your hands wet fast. With over 350+ pages of content and full color the book is a nice buy but it's for a VERY niche market. One of the first projects in the book is how to build a guillotine that you can set on your table and I don't know about your regular 9 to 5 job, but I am certain that this wouldn't fly at my place of employment. Luckily all the projects aren't of a violent nature and there is no doubt some that you would be interesting in taking a look at.

If you like to play around and build stuff, this book might be right up your alley!!

****

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