Books published by The Crowood Press Ltd

This practical book is a guide to making five kinetic, mechanical marvels. It combines basic mechanical principles with shaping and fitting components crafted from timbers and manufactured boards. An introduction to basic motion and mechanisms such as cams, cranks, levers and linkages to generate motion and movement in a wheeled toy is given. Useful construction and workshop techniques such as production aids for wheel-making are covered. Step-by-step instructions explain each project so that a simple push or pull action will magically bring the design to life.

For many people, even within the theatre industry, prop making is something of a 'dark art', practised by gifted individuals who manage to produce intricate works battling against short deadlines. However, the skills of prop making ar relevant to many industries and contexts, whether for art projects, carnival floats, live action role-play (LARP), model railways or film and television. The options and applications are endless, but the traditional skills remain the same. The Prop Maker's Workshop Manual is a definitive guide to the materials and practices used within the professional performing arts industries, covering both traditional techniques and modern practices. Supported by original hand-drawn illustrations and over 300 colour photographs, topics covered include: paper mache and card construction; flexible canes and withies; timber and steel frameworks; sculpting, moulding and casting processes; texture and paint techniques; GRP and epoxy resins; thermoformable plastics, including Plastazote and Wonderflex and finally, an introduction to life casting.

From the elegant bias-cut gown to the light and liberating day dress, this book looks at and celebrates the historic silhouettes, fabric cuts and contextual history of 1930s clothing

Covering all the motor bus and trolleybus products of Guy Motors, this book recounts the history of an iconic British coachbuilder. It begins with the early origins of Sydney guy's eponymous company, followed by the ubiquitous Arab bus and the eventual absorption of the company into the British Leyland empire. Starting with the small single deck vehicles of the 1920s, the story continues with the development of the six-wheeled chassis, with both internal combustion and electrically powered trolleybus formats. The book also examines the leading technological developments in braking, suspension and chassis design, now commonplace, that were to led to both the Victory and Wulfrunian products, neither of which were the commercial success originally intended. The story develops with the acquisition of the Guy Motors business by Jaguar and eventual absorption into British Leyland, and ends with the final Guy Motors-inspired designs sold under the Leyland brand. In addition to new images of preserved vehicles, the book is illustrated with an extensive selection of period images of vehicles in normal service and manufacturer's sales brochures.

Old time lawman Charlie Crow finds peace in Wyoming, but before he can settle down with the woman he loves, he must face a distant and dangerous past. The long forgotten trail leads back to the lawless Texas borderlands and a date with destiny. Old ghosts, graves and range wars; greed and double cross mark the long trail back to his youth.

Standing in the nave of a cathedral, it is hard not to wonder how ordinary human beings could have created sky-scraping, dizzyingly high buildings on which even the top-most parts were delicately decorated, in an age before even the simplest of power tools. Stone on Stone presents the full story of the men who built the cathedrals of the medieval era: who they were, how they lived and how with the simplest of hand tools they created the astonishing buildings that hundreds of years later still stand as monuments to their ingenuity and skill. Topics covered include the context for building such huge places of worship; the men who built: who they were, and the challenges they had to face; finding the materials; construction techniques; building control and finally, who paid for it all.

Working at the heart of theatre production, the stage management department is responsible for the smooth running of the show from day one of rehearsals to final curtain on the last performance. Stage Management examines, in depth, the roles and responsibilities of this indispensable team, including organizing rehearsals and performances, working with directors and designers to realise their creative ideas, and supporting the cast and other technical departments. This practical guide is packed with extensive example paperwork, top tips and industry terminology, offering expert guidance and advice on key tasks that can be achieved competently and with ease.

The ability to perform heat treatments in the home workshop can be a very useful asset, enabling you to make, repair and maintain tools, to anneal and normalize work-hardened metals, and even to create decorative finishes. Heat Treatment is a practical guide to this valuable range of workshop techniques and how to employ them safely and effectively. Featuring step-by-step photography throughout, this book covers metals and their properties; building a heat treatment oven for the home workshop; case hardening, flame hardening and tempering and finally, decorative finishes with colour case hardening, oil blacking and enamelling.

Applying a weathered texture to scenery in railway modelling can bring to life the settings involved, given a sufficient understanding of the technique's nuances, as informed by this guide from Deputy Editor of "Model Rail" George Dent.

Knitting with beads is a technique that has been used since the early nineteenth century, but has become increasingly popular in recent years. Now, with new methods offering exciting ways to experiment with materials and equipment, there is no better time to improve your skills. Knitting with Beads is a contemporary guide to a traditional technique covering a variety of different techniques, with beads threaded onto the yarn, as well as beads applied as you go along. these methods are developed further in a chapter on experimenting with year, beads and different stitch patterns, which offers readers the opportunity to develop their own ideas for using beads in their knitting. The projects section at the end of the book includes a wide range of items that allows readers to put these techniques into practice.

Part of a series of four books produced for college students on equine degree courses. This book deals with complex issues on a step-by-step basis and provides detailed explanations of technical and scientific terminology. It covers first aid, wound management, controlling inflammation, causes of infectious disease, among others.

Horseracing is the second-biggest spectator sport in Britain but, while it is widely viewed as 'a good day out', many people who enjoy the experience also admit to being rather baffled by much of what goes on. A Guide to Race-Going offers a wealth of guidance for newcomers to racing, but also contains much that will be of interest to regular race-goers. Topics covered include: how racing developed; the types of races; the people involved; picking and enjoying a suitable day out; understanding racecards; the basics of betting; how to get the best from watching a race.

Richly illustrated with more than 200 photographs, Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings examines the history and workings of these legendary classes of passenger steam locomotives, the first of which, the North Star, was built in 1906. The book includes illustrated explanations of how Great Western Railway steam engines work, and gives details of the engines'' work on named expresses and in ordinary service. An overview of the survivors, heritage organizations and their futures is included. Technical specifications and timelines of each class are given, as are GWR and British Rail Motive Power Depot codes and train head codes.

The Rootes Group acquired some of the most famous names in the British motor industry: Hillman, Humber, Sunbeam and Singer cars, as well as Commer and Karrier commercial vehicles. Over the years, some of the models built by Rootes would become household names: the Hillman Minx, Humber Super Snipe, Sunbeam Alpine, Singer Gazelle, Commer Superpoise and Karrier Bantam. In its heyday in the late 1950s, Rootes was the fourth-largest manufacturer of cars and trucks in Britain, exporting to more than 180 countries worldwide, becoming a global automotive empire. In The Rootes Story - The Making of a Global Automotive Empire, the people and various companies involved with Rootes are profiled, as are the cars and commercial vehicles built by them, with specifications of principal models. Personal insight from employees is given along with valuable contributions from the Rootes family themselves.

Airbrushing Scale Model Aircraft provides guidance on buying airbrushing equipment, setting it up and operating it safely, and offers detailed explanations of how airbrushes and compressors work, alongside their various components. The reader is taken through basic exercises to learn how to control airbrushing equipment before moving on to more advanced paint application techniques. This book also includes guides to preparation, information on the use of primers, and a handy troubleshooting guide to help identify and resolve common faults. Also covered are masking techniques; painting wood effects; bare metal finishes; camouflage patterns; chipping techniques; clear coats, and finally, weathering.

Extreme macrophotography opens up a new world for photographers, particularly biologists. By photographing subjects way beyond just life size magnifications, this book takes you a step closer to the very cells that make up organisms. Written with clarity and detail, Julian Cremona''s book is the perfect guide and sister title to Extreme Close-Up Photography and Focus Stacking. His enthusiasm for and knowledge of his subject makes this book an essential companion for everyone interested in photography and discovering the minutiae of the natural world. It advises on equipment and on low-cost and DIY photography solutions; explains how to use a microscope and its potential for photographers; instructs how to light, support and prepare a subject for best results; covers focus stacking: how to produce composite images with incredible depth of field, and finally encourages experimentation and suggests ways to develop extreme close-up ideas.

Presents an exploration of how working towards collection informs the progression of training and the way in which the exercises are implemented. This work advices readers to focus on their own individuality, rather than being motivated or misled by external pressures, as they work towards a similar state with their horses.

Many people have a sewing machine tucked away in a corner, but little understanding of how to use it. With accessible and clear instructions, this book takes you on a journey, teaching and building upon basic skills to build up a repertoire of techniques and ideas, until you are a confident and creative sewer, able to design and adapt your own ideas and develop an individual sewing style. This new guide to understanding your sewing machine includes winding the bobbin; threading the machine up correctly and adjusting the settings. It also covers skills for making simple projects such as measuring, cutting, pinning, tacking and understanding fabrics. Common techniques for everyday use are given such as inserting a zip, taking up a hem and creating simple decorative applique designs.

Hats finish an outfit - they make a statement, provide panache and lift your spirits. This book explains how to make your own hats, using traditional construction methods with both specialist millinery foundation materials and a range of fabrics and trimmings. It showcases twenty-six hats and headpieces, each with step-by-step photographs and instructions, some using ready-made elements, others that are made from scratch. Celebrating the versatility of hats, it introduces the wide range of styles and shapes that modern millinery has embraced.

This beautiful book draws on Robert Race's extensive collection of traditional moving toys, looking at the ways the makers have achieved remarkable and varied results, often with very limited resources.

Italian motorcycles have a place in history - and many enthusiast's hearts - out of all proportion to the numbers that been built. If the number of motorcycles built by Italian manufacturers is small, the sheer number of Italian motorcycle factories will surprise readers. A-Z of Italian Motorcycle Manufacturers is the most complete directory of Italian motorcycles available today. In addition to covering the most famous Italian factories, this is a definitive guide to the marques that have had little or no coverage. Some might be familiar, while others are remembered for their racing achievements, and many will never had been heard of by most readers. Topics covered include the history of the once great factories; marques that build motorcycles exclusively for racing; details of the most important motorcycles each manufacturer built, and each marques' greatest achievement.

How does a 200,000-pound metal tube possibly get airborne? Are those rumbles you hear normal? Captain Julien Evans, an experienced Boeing 757 pilot answers these questions and more. He describes in simple language the makeup of a modern plane, its engines, controls and operational systems.

Foreword by Rick Priestley

Built as part of the massive expansion of Great Britain''s railway network during the nineteenth century, London''s thirteen mainline railway stations are proud symbols of the nation''s industrial and architectural heritage. Produced in association with The National Archives, and profusely illustrated with period photographs and diagrams, London Railway Stations tells the story of these iconic stations and of the people who created them and used them. Though built in an age of steam, smoke, gas lamps and horses, most retain features of their original design. This book will bring new light to these old buildings, and help you to see London''s mainline stations through new eyes.