In a long-term crisis, folks will need to figure out how to handle their own repairs and maintenance. The ability to run to the local hardware store to pick up that one tool you don’t have yet will no longer be a viable option. Buying a new bolt to replace the one you apparently lost just isn’t going to happen.

Fortunately, with James Ballou’s book at your side, you will learn ways around these inconveniences. Not just another DIY manual, Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance is jam-packed with workable solutions for just about any repair dilemma. From making your own tools to performing quick repairs using any variety of household objects, this book not only shows you specific solutions but helps you to accomplish a new mindset–one geared toward expediency and creative solutions.

One of the great things about this book is the author approaches the subject with the assumption the reader is not all that experienced with DIY projects. Thus, while the old pro might find a few of the sections tedious, the people who might be most in need of this book will learn every step of the process. And, I daresay the old pros will learn a thing or two as well.

There is absolutely no filler or padding in this book. From cover to cover, every page contains great tips, suggestions, and instructions. Ballou obviously knows this topic well and is able to communicate it efficiently and effectively.

The downside to this book is you’ll never want to throw anything away again! You’ll start seeing all sorts of secondary uses for everyday junk, from wire hangers to old dowels.

While some of the repair methods described in this book might not be the most visually appealing, they will certainly hold up and stand the test of time. After a total societal collapse, which is more important?

The skills covered in this book range from tanning to forging metal, with just about any other workshop skill imaginable in between. This summer I’ve committed to myself to try out the backyard BBQ forge Ballou describes.

Overall, I’d give this book a 9 out of 10. Definitely worth picking up and adding to the self-sufficiency library. Makeshift Workshop Skills for Survival and Self-Reliance is published and for sale through Paladin Press.