In the early 19th century, the civil engineer Charles Joseph Minard's eloquently rendered charts convinced us that sometimes infographics trump text. They don't always work, of course—imagine how boring On the Road would have been if Jack Kerouac had drawn it as a time line—but the medium lends itself to lists and how-to guides. The folks who published the book Show Me How understood this: Graphics explain things, and lots of graphics in comic-strip form can explain several hundred things.

The sequel, More Show Me How, probes new levels of topical obscurity. Opening the new sequel to random pages is addictive, if only because of the awesome strangeness of the tips provided. For example, the first page randomly chosen for this sentence—270—shows how to free yourself from an anaconda, and how to outlast an angry gorilla, #268 (step two: "Groom gorilla if possible"). Peppered among the quirkiness, however, the book also offers some how-to guides of the kind that DIYers and home craft makers can appreciate. Here are our nine favorites.

Craft a Metal Detector

This inspired design repurposes a calculator, a transistor radio and an empty CD case to make a metal detector. Tip: Add either a chiropractic plan or a mop handle to hold it without stooping.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Assemble a Backyard Raku Kiln >>>

Assemble a Backyard Raku Kiln

Smoke and heat stamp their random figures in the glaze during this traditional Japanese firing process. This book shows how haunting ceramic designs can emerge from an insulated trash can heated with a propane torch. And even if the kiln fails, you still get to blow a propane torch into a trash can.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Construct a Thumb Piano >>>

Construct a Thumb Piano

A wood block, bobby pins, staples and a screw are all you need to assemble a little wood block with pins that you press with your thumbs.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Shrink Jeans Perfectly >>>

Shrink Jeans Perfectly

Take these four steps to hipster Nirvana: skin-tight jeans.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Get Rid of Water Rings >>>

Get Rid of Water Rings

Say goodbye to water rings when you use mayonnaise! Mayonnaise: It's not just for your hair.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Paint Moss Graffiti >>>

Paint Moss Graffiti

One of the book's hidden gems, this guide shows how to paint moss onto a wall and cultivate it, like a paint-on Chia Pet.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Build a Bat House >>>

Build a Bat House

The bat house, a dark box with wire mesh for bats to hang from, is one of the most interesting animal habitats in the book. The beehive also looks like a winner.

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[link href='https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a6262/offbeat-diy-projects/' link_updater_label='internal']Stay Warm in a Fire Bed >>>

Stay Warm in a Fire Bed

This is an epic fix to a survival problem: how to get through a cold night in the wild. This eight-step process involves rocks, coals and logs.

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