The folks at Purgatory Iron Works are making a series of 10-minute how-to videos for beginning blacksmiths. Current introductory topics include anvils, building a forge (part 2), and making charcoal (part 2); if there are topics you'd particularly like to see, the host is taking requests.
posted on Apr 22, 2008 - View this thread

Hands Behind Your Back. Do the Indie Kid (SLYT).
posted on Apr 11, 2008 - View this thread

Quamut — learn how to write cover letters, crochet baby booties, make a home, how to self-medicate, and do other stuff.
posted on Mar 24, 2008 - View this thread

Improve your Rock Band drumming technique. Rock Band as in the videogame, that is.
posted on Jan 11, 2008 - View this thread

A Big List of Sites That Teach You How To Do Stuff. That is what this is.
posted on Nov 30, 2007 - View this thread

Halo 3: Easter eggs, including the excellent Red Vs Blue in-game dialog easter egg; the RvB Halo 3 beta initiation; 3D images and how-to (dig out your glasses); achievements, ranks, armor, skulls, and campaign scoring explained; Bungie's favorites (videos, pics, maps, game variants to download to your 360)... and that grenade stick.
posted on Nov 28, 2007 - View this thread

Algorithms for dumb security questions
posted on Nov 18, 2007 - View this thread

So You Want to Create a Font (Part 1, Part 2). For something with a less presumptive title, there’s this, this, this, this, this, or even this, Eric Gill’s An Essay on Typography.
posted on Oct 29, 2007 - View this thread

Hannu's Boatyard is a site by a Finnish guy who offers free plans for two dozen simple plywood boats you can build, along with photos illustrating the build process of each. He also describes basic woodbending technique and some of the design process, in a pleasing writing style that makes me want to get off the internet and make things. My favorites: Portuguese style dinghy; tiny stubby halfpea; round, Welsh-style coracle -- if you click on no other link today, click on the coracle link and scroll down at least to the black and white photo.
posted on Oct 12, 2007 - View this thread

With a grand prize of $50,000, the Build a Better Burger Contest is the biggest hamburger recipe contest in the world; with the upcoming contest being judged on Sept 29th, you can take a moment to stroll through hamburger history, with recipes for all 17 years worth of prizewinners. Not enough burger for you? Then try making any of the 10 runner ups from 2005 & 2006. Still more, you demand? Peruse the database of over 5,000 contest entries broken out by category, even the most jaded burgermeister is sure to find something original & delicious to try.
posted on Sep 4, 2007 - View this thread

How to move an obelisk.
posted on Aug 25, 2007 - View this thread

Find inner serenity by making it easier to find your keys. Become an early riser. Create a "Landing Strip" to become more organized. All these and more at 100 Great Tips to Improve Your Life.
posted on Aug 15, 2007 - View this thread

How to make a secret hollow book.
posted on Jul 30, 2007 - View this thread

The How-To Geek provides hints and tips for a variety of operating systems and popular pieces of software. The how-tos cover a pleasing range of head-slapping I-should-have-known-thats to relatively advanced techniques. Follow the latest page to read the site in blog form.
posted on Jul 8, 2007 - View this thread

That dream home isn't shaping up the way you'd hoped? Build one from scratch! You could start with a lovely thatched hut. Here's some more. Here's an African one. No vegetation up there where you live, above the Arctic Circle? You can build an igloo. For somewhat warmer areas, a yurt. No Asian import for you? There's the tipi. Need more space? A longhouse is just the thing. For more substance, a sod house. Even better - adobe. Have a look at these "Cave" houses. More ambitious? Build a castle. Whatever you put up, you'll probably need an outhouse. Unless you live on a boat.
posted on Jun 29, 2007 - View this thread

Learn the 5 basic survival skills Planning that hike through the Northwest Territories this summer? You will need survival skills. Learning survival skills is an ongoing process that will last for your entire life. There is always more to learn and experience, which is part of the fun of being a survivor. And as your expertise grows the knowledge and abilities you gain is often useful in other areas. For example survivors prepare ahead of time, and they are experts in the art of ingenuity and inventiveness. Need more? Well try the survival blog for helpful answers to such questions as "How Long can I survive without food or water?" or "How can I maintain water discipline?"
posted on Jun 29, 2007 - View this thread

How to tie a Prince Albert. Or, a four-in-hand, a full Windsor, a bowtie, an ascot, and a few others to suit your particular fancy/fetish.
posted on May 26, 2007 - View this thread

Things you can do with empty Altoids tins. People are spending a lot of time coming up with uses for Altoids tins. You don't have to buy the mints. Pinhole camera. Photos taken with that camera. Key for practicing Morse Code. Another one. Religious shrines. Postage assistant. Miniature luggage and furniture. Quilted. Etched and plated. Ipod speakers. Ipod case. Previously mentioned on MeFi: Ipod battery pack; survival kit. Of course, you could stash your drugs in one - but maybe you shouldn't.
posted on May 23, 2007 - View this thread

How to improve your voice and speech. Also, other helpful tips to help make life easier, such as how to tell if someone's lying to you, how to make people like you, how to handle yourself in a stupid argument and most critically, how to control your ejaculation pic NSFW.
posted on May 20, 2007 - View this thread

doFlick.com is a library of educational and instructional videos. It's short on content at the moment but it could turn out to be a useful resource. Who wouldn't benefit from knowing how to fold a plastic bag neatly?
posted on May 16, 2007 - View this thread

How to make a Ninja mask with a shirt.
posted on May 6, 2007 - View this thread

Is my penis too small? Am I gay? What does ______ mean? Sensible, snark-free* sex advice and information from the practical to the spiritual. Plus, links galore and, sex advice for teens. *Although in that particular link, no longer updated and near-impossible to search by topic
posted on Apr 30, 2007 - View this thread

How to conduct a job interview. 5 steps to conducting good job interviews and finding the right candidates. Contains answers to the infamous why is a manhole cover round question. Also, 10 common mistakes managers should avoid when conducting same. On the flispide, here are some tips for interview preparation, the 25 most difficult questions an interviewee can prepare for and some things to avoid saying in interviews.
posted on Apr 30, 2007 - View this thread

"Alright Joes, come with me for a strip search." [NSFW unless you work for the Bureau of Prisons] The correct way to conduct a strip search. [via]
posted on Apr 27, 2007 - View this thread

A communication primer. A pretty basic, but well-written primer on effective communication, and proper understanding of the communication process, barriers, listening, feedback and non-verbal hints. Don Clark's site contains a lot of well-formed ideas on leadership and human performance without resorting to mumbo-jumbo and buzzwords. Not your typical MBA / self-help bs.
posted on Apr 26, 2007 - View this thread

It's spring; build a boat, therefore.
posted on Apr 2, 2007 - View this thread

Let's build...Blarney Castle, a model building to test on an earthquake simulator, Thoreau's cabin, a stirling engine, the NYC transit system, a model bridge, Galileo spacecraft, the Mars Polar Lander, a flying Martin XB-51, Aliens universe papercraft, a train layout under your bed, a stereoscope, a flying saucer. Or we could let The Swell Maps do it: Let's Build a Car. And don't forget, "Your country needs scale model planes for the emergency."
posted on Mar 20, 2007 - View this thread

Ira Glass sits at a soundboard and schools us on the art of storytelling.
posted on Mar 20, 2007 - View this thread

Autoplaying an Encrypted Thumb drive: Step by step instructions to get a thumb drive encrypted with TrueCrypt to automatically mount on Windows when inserted. Truecrypt requires Administrative Access.
posted on Jan 31, 2007 - View this thread

Comic Strip Artist's Kit Carson Van Osten's tips for cartoonists and animators, scanned huge for easy printout.
posted on Jan 11, 2007 - View this thread

How to Cough or Sneeze
see also coughsafe.com
posted on Dec 1, 2006 - View this thread

How to regain control of a spooked camel. There really is a guide to everything on the internet, and it doesn't have to be computer-related either. How to get out of work. How to be a girl (for boys), and of course how to be a boy (for girls). How to disassemble a toilet. How to install a new toilet. How to display civic pride without sounding lame. How to set up a threesome (good luck with that one). How to kill your friend and steal his girlfriend. How to survive a long fall (presumably in case one of your friends throws you out of the window so he can get it on with your woman).
posted on Nov 13, 2006 - View this thread

today I learned (learnt?) how to exercise while sitting at my computer, keep an open mind, have a conversation, taste dark chocolate, give foot massages and draw a duck. what did you learn?
posted on Sep 12, 2006 - View this thread

dg28.com: photographer eduction - 'Technique - Photography is all about light, and digital is no different. I try to light as much of my work as I can, and this was true before "Dig' day"'. Some great photography tips and techniques here, apparently from portrait photographer Neil Turner. Via Civil_Disobedient at Ask MetaFilter.
posted on Sep 3, 2006 - View this thread

There's a new site, just up and running, that aims to be the YouTube of How-To. Not exactly overflowing with clips just yet, but it could perhaps become a handy web resource, if people really start uploading stuff, and if the folks running it keep pumping out the in-house productions that so far comprise the majority of the site's content. Anyway, it's already the place to go if you want a tutorial on how to make a California roll, or how to hang a door. And if nothing else, some of these clips are just screaming for a mashup treatment. They're calling it VideoJug.
posted on Aug 28, 2006 - View this thread

"If that's what's on, then that's what they watch. It's either that, or a cricket match between Scotland and Bermuda. Now, I am an educated man, Charlie, but when someone tries to explain cricket to me, all I want to do is hit him in the head with a teapot." Cricket Explained (An American Viewpoint) for those, following a recent cricket thread, that want to get it, but don't quite yet.
posted on Aug 3, 2006 - View this thread

I've linked their site before, but now Fecal Face has instructional How Tos: Stuff a Mouse, Make an Oil Painting, Screen Print a Poster, Make a Mini-Comic/Zine. The site has many other features as well but remember that where there's art, the occasional nsfw image may wait, brooding.
posted on Jul 27, 2006 - View this thread

Inspired by the deep fried bacon double Quarter Pounder? Behold the deep fried brat in all its monounsaturated glory.
posted on Jun 25, 2006 - View this thread

Urban Etiquette : Confused about when to answer your cellphone? Not sure when to take off your iPod? Baffled as to what to say to that guy you saw in that movie with that chick when you see him on the street? Worry no more. In too much of a hurry to read this long article from New York Magazine? This short guide has you covered. Here are a few more New York specific examples. When all else fails, ask Mr. Social Grace. [more inside]
posted on Jun 22, 2006 - View this thread

Starting a Religion is not as obvious as you think. In true form, Iggy Chaos (hilariously) gets ready to setup his.
posted on Jun 21, 2006 - View this thread

FINALLY, the HOWTO you've all been waiting for...
posted on Apr 26, 2006 - View this thread

We all have a lot of questions that are very hard to answer. Like how to prepare cereal, how to prepare a Pop Tart correctly, and how to walk like a ballerina. Luckily, wikiHow is there to help us dummies.
posted on Feb 24, 2006 - View this thread

File this handy Reuters article for future use: How to bury your dead.
posted on Feb 16, 2006 - View this thread

From Nellie the Elephant to his arrangement of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Michael 'Olga' Algar shows you how to play your favorite songs by The Toy Dolls. [First two links are embedded video. And, unfortunately, the guitar lessons are in .rm format.]
posted on Feb 11, 2006 - View this thread

Standup comedy cultural hot button Wikipedia hack. Standup comics! Need a cultural hot button topic for a joke? Check out Wikipedia articles with the most revisions. Comedy gold. Just pick a topic and start riffing.
posted on Nov 30, 2005 - View this thread

À la carte explores French cookery in just about every angle one can imagine. Featuring an extensive list of recipes, suggested menus, and in-depth articles ranging from how to plan a meal, to what tools to use, including everything one needs to know about knives. Like Strawberries, & crêpes? Want to know more about ice creams & sorbets? Obsessive is an understatement.
posted on Nov 25, 2005 - View this thread

Instructables for showing what you make and how to make it. Not just any DIY site, the creator Saul Griffith has an impressive pedigree. The site comes with all the things you'd expect from a new collaborative widget including Creative Commons licensing options and of course tags. From the about page: "We like to think about the physical world as something that is programmable. We like to think of objects or stuff you make as 'code'. In other words, we are approaching the physical world as something that is describable and replicable." Dive in and learn how to make a pimped out megaphone helmet, Hungarian bookshelves or canned applesauce. (via)
posted on Nov 18, 2005 - View this thread

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience." George Washington's Rules of Civility.
posted on Sep 12, 2005 - View this thread

Temperance. Silence. Order. Resolution. Frugality. Industry. Sincerity. Justice. Moderation. Cleanliness. Chastity. Tranquility. Humility. Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues. "He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times."
posted on Sep 10, 2005 - View this thread

Foudre en Boule avec des micro-ondes (Making ball lightning in your microwave). Complete with movies and audio spectrum analyses. From the Plasma Research website. Also: how to build a stable plasmoid in your microwave; simple ball lightning generation in your microwave; and, last but certainly not least, how to build yourself a glow discharge plasma panel. "This panel is not able to generate some thrusting effects, but you will be able to explore some OAUGDP properties like the air drag reduction effect and to test the EM Cloacking effect."
posted on Sep 8, 2005 - View this thread