Chicago-based artist and designer Artpentry, maker of the "Gentleman's Boombox" - a stereo/speaker combo built inside a vintage suitcase - turns his outfitting skills to another type of popular case: the toolbox.   Artpentry - aka Floyd A. Davis IV - shares the technique The Craftsman Experience, on which I've also appeared. (Good times!) He explains the process in the video below. It was shot live, so it's a little long, and not everything comes together perfectly, but you'll certainly get a taste of how to approach a project like this. Very cool to watch: 

 This would look awesome in an old secondhand toolbox with a nice patina.

A food dehydrator is on my list of kitchen appliances I should never buy myself. Like its brother, the deep fat fryer, I know I'd just get carried away, dehydratin' and frying stuff left and right.

But, that doesn't mean I don't wanna create my own tasty and natural dried foods every once in a while...particularly: jerky.  Of all kinds. So, I figured out a way to make some without any specialized tools.

Making jerky at home can seem quite complicated, and it can be if you don't follow the right steps. But, here's the ManMade guide, complete with everything you need to know. Grab some meat and meet us in the kitchen.

How To Make The Perfect Homemade Jerky

1. Choose THE BEST ingredients: that might sound quite obvious, but seriously, using high quality ingredients will make a huge difference. You'll be concentrating all the flavors, so they have to be delicious to start with. If you're using some sort of meat, choose one that's nice and clean and free of hormones (some places label their meat with this info). If you're going for fish, get a wild, fresh catch. For this guide we'll be using wild sockeye salmon.

2. Select your seasonings: figure out if you want it sweet or salty, spicy or mild and choose your seasonings accordingly. Remember that the flavours get enhanced as the jerky dries up, so keep that in mind and don't use something extremely strong or it'll be too overpowering. For this guide we are doing a spicy marinade.

3. Clean your meat / fish well: you can ask the clerk at the store to clean it for you or you can do it at home. Make sure your protein is free of any bones, cartilage, and chunks of fat.

4. Plan ahead: making jerky takes a bit of time as you need at least 12 hours to marinate the protein, plus cooking time.

5. Make a big batch: make more than enough! Remember that the protein will shrink as it dehydrates and you don't want to invest all this time to end up with 4 pieces of jerky.

RECIPE AND STEPS:

Ingredients

• A couple fillets of wild salmon (about 15oz each)
• Pinch of sea salt
• Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• Couple dashes of Tabasco Sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Paprika
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon of honey

Steps

1. Clean the fish and make sure there are no bones hidden in the skin. Also, remove the silvery flesh on top of the fillet as this will become tough when cooked, BUT leave the skin on, this one will get crunchy! Use a very sharp knife to slice the fillets as shown above (1/2 an inch max). Set aside.
2. Mix rest of ingredients in a non-reactive bowl.
3. Dunk the salmon in the marinade and coat all pieces. Leave marinating for at least 12 hours.
   
4. After 12 hours or more have gone by, remove the salmon from the marinade, pat dry with a paper towel and lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon pad - as an extra precaution, rub some oil on the paper or pad 'cause it'll get sticky.
5. Place in the oven at 200F and dehydrate for about 2-3 hours or until nice and crisp. Make sure to flip them half way through. 

And that is all! Wasn't it easy? Dudes I'm serious, once you make your first batch you'll be addicted and you'll want to experiment with tons of seasonings. Jerky also happens to be the perfect drinking snack.

Remember, whether you use salmon or beef, the steps are the same!

Enjoy!

This post was originally published on ManMade in August 2013

Last time we talked tequila, we showed you how to make a Pasado de Moda, an orange-and-tequila infused take on the Old Fashioned. Today, it's time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a fresh and crazy flavorful cocktail, made with Olmeca Altos Reposado.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army's 1862 victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla. It is not, as people often think, the Mexican Independence Day (that's Diez y Seiz de Septiembre). The holiday isn't really acknowledged in Mexico anyway, but any time there's an excuse to enjoy some tequila, we are most certainly a bordo.

But cross cultural mashups don't need a reason to exist! They are self-justifying! And they are delicious. And since we're teaming up with Olmeca Altos this year on a series of tequila recipe posts, we have all the excuses we need to come up with a funky Meksikanskiy Napitok. 

The Drink: El Burro Moscovita

What's with the Russian? Well, this cocktail begins with the same format as the Moscow Mule, which, as you know (what? you didn't?) actually has nothing to do with Russia. It originated at the Cocks'n'Bulls restaurant in Los Angeles in 1941. Which, even on those old globes and maps from when we were kids that have the USSR in bright orange or pink, is not anywhere close to Russia or any of the former Soviet Union. The Moscow Mule is a simple combo of ginger beer and vodka, but since tequila is way better than vodka, we're using that instead. To complement that bright agave flavor, let's throw in a squeeze of fresh lime. And lastly, to echo another famous cocktail that tends to have its special day each year around Cinco de Mayo, we're pulling in a bit of inspiration from the heart of Kentucky - the Mint Julep. Since Derby Day always falls on the first Saturday in May, we're grabbing its signature crushed ice and plenty of fresh mint.

How about that for cross-cultural?

Ingredients:

• Lots of fresh mint
• 4 oz. really good ginger beer (try Fever Tree, Bundaberg, or Fentiman's)
• 2 oz. Olmeca Altos Reposado
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• Crushed or cracked ice

Technique:

Place 8-10 mint springs in a rocks glass, and press with a muddler or heavy wooden spoon to release the oils. Add the Altos tequila and lime juice, and stir to combine. Fill the glass with crushed ice, then pour in the ginger beer. If there's any room in the glass after it melts, add more ice. Grab a few more sprigs of mint, smack 'en between your hands a little, then wipe them around the rim of the glass before placing on top. 

The Snack: Basil-Watermelon Skewers

We didn't have a red, green and white Mexican flag lying around (I know, right? WTF?), so we went for the next best thing: fresh green and red fruit skewers! This quick snack is ridiculously easy to make, but feels just unusual enough to be special. Plus, it's not heavy like all those greasy, cheese-y Tex Mex foods everyone tends to slurp down on Cinco de Mayo to soak up all that inferior tequila they're shooting.

This snack is fresh, bright, and respectable, and goes with a quality tequila like Altos perfectly. How do you make 'em? Just take big chunks of watermelon (red) and basil leaves (green), and impale those suckers on a bamboo skewer (white).  Serve them with some cucumber wedges (perhaps with a little chili powder sprinkled over them. Squeeze a little fresh lime and sprinkle coarse salt over everything,  Done and done.

You can follow @AltosTequila on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for lots of great entertaining ideas and tequila recipes. 

Yum:

This post is sponsored by Olmeca Altos Tequila, but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that support ManMade.

You've heard the worn-out phrase "the greatest thing since sliced bread." But, really, this overused comment only highlights a deeper observation: why sliced bread is such a great invention in the first place.

It is, of course, because sliced bread leads to sandwiches. They are, perhaps, Western culture's greatest culinary achievement, named after an aristocratic gambler, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who requested that his valet bring him his meat tucked between two slices of bread so that he could continue to eat while playing cards, without getting his cards greasy or put them down to dine.

Whether that story is true or not, no one can deny the magic of combining baked grains with other food stuffs to create a portable, all-in-one-bite package. Nearly every Western culture has its variation: the pizza, the taco, the flatbread wrap, so one thing's for sure: the combo of a grain-based dough, some meat and veggies, a little sauce, maybe a bit of cheese, is better than simply sliced bread. It's the greatest thing in the world.      

The Five Commandments of Making Great Sandwiches

1) Great ingredients make great sandwiches. Bread (or a tortilla, crust, or flatbread) is the reason you're eating a sandwich in the first place. It provides not only structure to hold the whole thing together, but the essential toothsome chew that makes the experience of eating a sandwich satisfying in the first place. So, make it count, and use a fresh, artisinal-style or peasant loaf.

Likewise, slimy coldcuts can't compete with great bread. They can only standup to anemic Wonderbread-like loaves and processed cheese, which may taste like childhood, but doesn't really taste good.

So, stick to quality ingredients, better sauces, fresh vegetables, and you'll have something that's much more than the sum of its parts.

2) Great sandwiches have at least one fresh and one preserved/aged ingredient. The perfect sandwich is all about balance, and balance comes from a complementary mix of fresh and presevered or aged ingredients. Here, aged simply means something that's had a bit of time to sit and let all of its flavors meld together: most of your sauces like ketchup, barbecue sauce, spicy mustard, most cheeses, cured meats, pickled vegetables, even jellies. A freshly cooked steak begs for an aged cheese or funky pickle, and cured ham needs the pickmeup of fresh greens and veggies to make it sing. The idea is to match the brightness and clean flavors of new ingredients with the worn-in tastiness of ingredients or sauces that have had a second to meld.

3) The order of ingredients matters as much as the ingredients themselves. Chef Tom Colicchio, of the Craft series of restaurants, including sandwich joint 'wichcraft, says,

It needs to be constructed so that it doesn't fall apart. Selecting the right bread is essential—it should be firm enough to absorb moisture without getting soggy, but not so firm that the contents fall out when you clamp your jaw around it. Cheese goes next to the bread to reinforce the structure. Don't put condiments next to lettuce, or they will slide off, right onto your shirt. Greens should go on top, so that they don't get crushed, as should anything wet (tomato, for example), so that the bottom of the sandwich doesn't get damp. Place smaller components, like pickles, between the meat and the cheese, so that they're held firmly in place. 

Go and do likewise.

4) You gotta do at least one thing yourself. While all the ingredients for a great sandwich can be purchased at the grocery store, it's up to you to make them sing. You can't buy pre-sliced bread, packaged cold cuts, a head of iceberg lettuce, and some jarred mayo and make something exciting. Sure, sandwiches are often a great quick meal, but think about what you can do to add your own flair to storebought ingredients.

The difference between slicing a fresh deli pickle and a jar of Vlassic sandwich slices is immense. Store bought mustards and mayos are great, but try adding a bit to them to make them sing: a clove of fresh garlic, some lemon or lime juice, a bit of hot sauce, some fresh herbs, etc. Quick pickling your own onions, radishes, or cucumbers is easy, and worth the extra effort. Sometimes, just toasting the bread can be a game changer.

5) Once you build it, you've got to keep it together. A great sandwich is often a sloppy adventure. Even following the tips in commandment #3 can't always build an indestructable edifice that can stand up to munching and manhandling. So, use the techniques employed by sandwich shops and cafes to keep things together; it'll make your homemade sandwiches rival anything from a restaurant. Wrap 75% of your sandwich in wax or butchers paper for some external structure, or get some of those long toothpicks and make a few stabs. Often, a simple slice down the middle cuts its deconstruction potential in half, and even after the first bit falls apart, you've still got a whole other half in tact.

What are some of your favorite sandwich recipes? Any techinques you love to employ to make great sandwiches at home? Please post them in the comments below.

Taking your lunch to work doesn't mean you have to look like you're brown bagging it. Here are a few durable and classic lunch bags that will keep your grub safe all the way to noon.   A few years back, we highlighted a project to make your own waxed canvas lunchbag. This great bag was pretty simple to make and worth making for the durability and looks of a custom canvas bag. But, if you're looking to find a pre-made version that will protect your grub and hold up for the long run, here are 5 worthy options you can pick up with just a click.

1. Marlowe Lunch Bag ($50) Handmade by Peg + Awl, this bag is simple and understated, with an exterior pocket to stash a few things within easy reach. Even though it looks like a bag you'd throw away after a trip to the store, it's solid and easy to clean so you can keep it around a bit longer.

2. Frost River Lunch Bag ($40) Leather strap and brass tab makes closing easy, with heavy duty materials made to make the bag survive whatever life may throw at you.

3. Kaufmann Mercantile Waxed Canvas Bag ($50) Oil tanned leather strap and brass buckle make this a classic bag with all the durability of high quality craftsmanship.

4. Lightweight Waxed Cotton Bag ($50) This bag is still durable enough to keep everything safe through lunch, but the lightweight materials fold down small when it's time to get back to work. Simple and easy magnetic closure for a minimalist design.

5. Simple Waxed Bag ($20) When all you need is a bag, but need something more durable than brown paper this simple waxed bag is the way to go. Because it feels just a bit wasteful to toss paper bags away everyday, this one can be wiped clean and used again day after day.

6. Stanley Classic Lunch Box ($40) This isn't even close to a lunch bag, but I'd be remiss to talk about lunch at all without mentioning this manly staple. A lunchbox just like this one tagged along for about 2o years with my grandpa as he delivered mail and it held up to that daily abuse exactly like you would expect. If you want something that will last forever, go with a proven classic.

As The Hand and The Eye puts it, it's probably easier to point out which neon signs in Tribeca were not made by Let There Be Neon that which ones were, their reach is so extensive.  Their little shop is has created New York City's most famous neon signage including even Nucky Thompson's Old Rumpus Bar from Boardwalk Empire. And making neon signs is no easy trick...    The process involves the intricate dance of bending tubes of glass over a blue flame while simultaneously blowing continual amounts of air through them to keep the passage for the eventual argon airtight. After the glass bends as one would like, there's an extensive back and forth process as the artist weaves it into the hardened shape he'd like and then back to flame he goes until it's right (or broken). 

Click here to read about Let There Be Neon and take a little look through their shop.

We love a bold, graphic wall treatment - whether type-based, a mural, or ever-changing chalkboard design.

Sugar and Charm have mad wall design skills and they have shared a few tips to help us create our own graphic designs. The trick is to take a small image - printed on a 8.5x11 piece of paper, perhaps, and blow up to whatever wall size you can find. 

Their technique relies on a large-scale chalkboard wall, but you could use markers, paint (or paint markers), or whatever medium you love most. Oh, and this whole thing is quite inexpensive, really, considering the big impact it can create.

To get the step by step tutorial visit Sugar and Charm: Transferring Type and Logos to a Chalkboard Wall

There are a couple reasons many bachelor pads still look like a college dorm and most of those reasons fit in a wallet. It's hard to find quality furniture options that are cheap enough for a starting out budget, but here are some good mid-century modern options for your consideration. And what's more, they're all under $200.   

The clean simplicity of mid-century modern design still has quite the appeal in our current society and it isn't hard to see why. I'm personally looking at moving to a new place in the next couple months and I'll definitely be looking back through some of these options.

Click here to view the full list from Primer Magazine.

I think what I love most about making drinks is the presentation. There are so many ways to make a drink look great, and this would have to be one of my new favorite. Take a look.   When entertaining guests, one of the aspects to make the evening memorable are great drinks. While it starts with quality ingredients, the finishing touch really does make the impression. That's what makes this such an interesting technique to add a bit of smoke to the cocktail.

Look like something you plan on doing next time friends are over? Tell us all about it.

For the ManMade take, check out our post: How to: Make Your Own DIY Smoked Cocktails

We know you love your mom, but life gets busy and we all fall behind. Luckily for you it's not too late show that incredible woman how much you love her with these unique gifts from Amazon Prime that if you buy today, will still arrive in time for you be the favorite son!   

And if you don't get to it until Friday or Saturday, that's okay. Just be sure to call on Sunday and tell her you love her, and that her gift should be there tomorrow.

And if you don't have Amazon Prime, today might be a good day to start a trial, or find a friend who does. Here's a little something for everyone:

The Mom who Loves Coffee, but Thinks She has to Go to Starbucks to Get It

Pack over 80 years of design excellence into the coffee-making routine with the Bialetti Moka Express ($33.75) which produces rich and authentic espresso that serves up to 6 people. Or one very caffeinated mother. 

The Gourmet Mom

If your mom spends a lot of her time in the kitchen, why not buy her an apron that will be both functional and stylish? If you can get past the fact that the company is called Flirty Aprons, the 22 different apron styles ($25.16) offer a variety of choices to keep your mother feeling young and beautiful in her everyday life. 

The Active Mom. (...Or the Aspirationally Active Mom):

Fit Bit One - $94.27

My mom actually has one of these and it's the perfect gift for the one who's looking to monitor her progress toward some fitness goals. It tracks your steps, the number of calories burned, and even includes a silent alarm to wake you (but not your partner) – all while syncing to your phone. 

The Wine-Loving Mother

If she is already a wine aficionado, chances are she's harder to buy wine for. This Sagaform Wine Carafe ($27.99) is hand-blown and comes with an oak stopper for the mother who loves wine and its accouterments, and saves you the headache of picking out the wine yourself. 

The Master Gardener Mom

This Japanese Hori Hori Landscaping Digging Tool with Stainless Steel Blade ($26.88) has wowed gardeners for quite awhile with its dependability and versatility, and it's one of Chris' mom's favorites. 

The Techie Mom

Whether she loves to live on the forefront of technology or simply has constant errands to run, this Morphie Space Pack ($149.99) not only extends her phone's battery life but also adds 16GB of memory so she can store all those adorable pictures she loves to take. 

The Book Loving Mom

Wild: From Lost to Found on The Pacific Crest Trail ($8.61) tells the story of one young woman's empowered from heartbreak to healing in the wake of a shattered life. In addition to being made into an Academy Award nominated movie, the book has touched thousands of lives and might be a powerful statement of how you see the strong woman that raised you.

The Mom Who Loves Tea

Electrical kettles boil water faster than the stovetop, and require no extra effort. She can leave it plugged into the wall on the counter top, and have a quick cuppa anytime she wants. We love the goose neck on the Bonavita 1.0L Electric Kettle 

Good luck!

This post was originally published May 6, 2015, but we're re-sharing it this year because we think it's still totally relevant!

Here's all the info you'd ever want about different meat cuts, what part of the cow they come from, and how to cook them -- all compiled into one massive infographic. Never again find yourself standing in the butcher section stalling as you realize you don't really know exactly which cut is best for whatever you're hoping to prepare.   

Click here to view the tasty infographic from Lifehacker.

A bicycle is an amazing machine. Easy to ride, but full of all sorts of moving parts that work together smoothly when everything is aligned, just so. As an active cyclist, I advocate for making friends with your local shop - they'll likely give you basic adjustments for free. But there's plenty of tune-ups you can do at home to keep things running smoothly, and save the trip.

 So, as riding season seems to finally be poking its head in and cyclists of all types are getting prepped to ride regularly, here are five easy tune-ups you can do to get your bike ready for spring.    

1. Check your tires and wheels. Tires are the thing that keeps you connected to the ground, so treat them well. Inspect your tires for any dryness or rot, and make sure there's plenty of tread still left. Look at them head-on, and note the amount of tread left...the curvature and shape of the tire. Depending on your tires and terrain, you should be able to get anywhere from 1000 to 2,500 miles from a set. If things look a little bare, ride down to your shop and have a mechanic assess whether or when you need new tires.

If you're good to go, fill 'em up! Ideally, you should do this anytime before a ride, so you don't get as many flats. Just look on the side of your tire, and note the recommended PSI or number of bars to inflate. For road and street riding (as in, not mountain biking), fill 'em all the way up. I like to ride at just under 100. Investing in a good floor pump will save you tons of time, keeping the mini-pump for en route refills.

Lastly, inspect your wheelset and make sure everything is spinning nice and true. Check that all your spokes are intact. If your wheels are warped or you need a spoke replaced, have them fixed immediately. It'll save you many headaches later. Fixing spokes can be fun, but for a casual rider, it might be worth paying your shop $15 for the job. 

2. Square Up Your Frame, Handlebars, and Saddle. Straddle your bike, standing on the ground, and confirm that your handlebars are at 90° to your wheel. Turn the handlebars and check to see that full turns to the right and the left follow perfectly. Make any adjustments by loosening your stem (the part that connects your frame to your handlebars), aligning it, and then tightening it back on angle. Don't skip this step - it's super important for safe riding, and you'll be surprised by how much things can move from ride to ride. 

Lastly, check your saddle (seat) by sitting on it. You don't want any shock absorption here: correct any front-to-back, side-to-side, or up-and-down movement by tightening the allen bolts. Trust me - this will help prevent any soreness in your tailbone or lower back.

3. Inspect Your Brakes. With your bike at rest, pull on the brake levers. You don't want them to go all the way back (or down) to engage the wheel. While this can be a matter of preference, you want to stay in the middle zone, between 40 and 60% of their possible span, for safe breaking. So, tighten up the cables on the breaks to about 50%, then fine tune this on a ride.

Next, check your brake pads and make sure there's still plenty of pad left. Confirm that your brake pads are stopping the wheel (the metal part), not the tire. If it needs adjusted, use a metric allen wrench to move the brake pad up or down.

Lastly, using just your fingers, confirm that the brake pads are compressing evenly on both sides of the wheel. This is also something to check before each ride, so that your not running either side of the wheel against the brake, making for unnecessary effort for you and wear on your bike.

4. Clean All Moving Parts [Especially Your Cassette] and Lube Your Chain. In order for your bike to run smoothly, you want as little resistance as possible. Use and old toothbrush or a special gear brush to remove any build up dirt, grime, leaves, and excess lube in your gear cassette. (Fixed gear bikes will only have one, obviously). Use a rag or chain cleaner to remove any crud or rust from your chain by running your pedals backwards.

If your chain has more than 2,000 miles on it, you'll want to replace it. It's akin getting your oil changed in your car, so don't skimp. If you're good to go, run the chain backwards, and drip a small, steady stream of lube (I like this teflon-based option) for one rotation only. As you ride more, you'll want to re-lube your chain every 100 miles. Don't use WD-40 for this, please. (Sorry, dad).

5. Learn How to Change a Tire on the Road. Flats are the worst, and while you can prevent them by filling up before each ride, sometimes, you'll lose a tube in the middle of the ride... when you're nowhere near your local shop or toolbox. For safety, I recommend that anyone who rides a bike should have both the knowledge and the equipment to replace a tire tube in the middle of nowhere...cause eventually, it's gonna happen. 

You'll need: two tire levers, a mini pump  and/or Co2 cartridge, and a spare tube (or two). That's it, and they'll fit into any saddle bag. Most bike shops will offer free hands-on courses for this, but here's a quick video that shows you how:

Seriously...I mean it. Don't get stranded, don't have to call for someone for help, and don't pay somebody $20 to fix it. It's totally doable, safe, and you'll feel like a master. The hardest part is seating and unseating the tire. And, like riding the bike itself, once you've done it once, you'll never forget how. 

This ManMade post was originally published in March 2013. We're sharing again because it's bike season!

ManMade is, essentially, a blog about making stuff (it's in our name ... DIY ... even though we often leave that part off). We try to offer our readers a perspective on masculinity that about doing it yourself. But we also care a lot about well-crafted, long lasting tools, clothing, and accessories. So you'll find us doing a lot of research and having lots of conversations about the things we think are worth buying (see our Essential Toolbox series, for example).

That's why we decided to launch the ManMade Store. It's our way of putting all those product recommendations in one easily-accessible place. Now, if you want to know which tools we think you should own, or what our fashion picks are, you can find them all in the ManMade Store. 

For now, we're just including products from third-party sellers, but we're definitely thinking about eventually adding a lineup of products that we can sell directly to you (stay tuned).

And it's important to note that we're just getting started. We have about 50 products listed so far, in four categories (Books, Food/Drink/Grilling,Style & Accessories, Tools & DIY), but the store is going to be an ongoing project for us. We'll be adding (and maybe removing) items from the store all the time, including seasonal gift recommendations, technology, art, and music. 

And if there's something you'd really like our help on (i.e. "What should I get my girlfriend for our three-year anniversary?"), please let us know (comments work great). We'll do some research and try to help out.

What an indispensable product you couldn't live without? Tell us what we're missing from the ManMade Store.

Spring is here, and soon summer. And with them comes all sorts of reasons to get outside and explore. So, take advantageof these last few weeks by prepping yourself and your outdoor gear ready for all those adventures to come. 

Backpacker magazine has assembled ten projects that you can create in a weekend that'll pay off on the trail. There are gear-based projects, like creating your own sleeping bag liner or an alcohol stove, to creating a storage workbench for stashing and fixing your supplies, and a few projects dedicated to making the trip a bit more enjoyable, like my favorite: how to build a backcountry bar kit. 

I like how they put together a few staples, and then provide a drink recipe agenda to last during 3-4 night trip.

Backpacker's web site leaves something to be desired, but the tips and projects here are solid. Go check them out, and we'll see you out there:

Top 10 Indoor DIY Projects for Backpackers  

Top photo from the ManMadeDIY Instagram page. Come say hi!

Adding new decor at home can be quite a hassle, unless you have a concrete idea of what you want. So,  get inspired with this guy-friendly concrete decor roundup! Hopefully one or two of these solid ideas will be to your taste. (Ok, I'll stop).   

1. A concrete bar:  Skip that wobbly wooden table and go straight to a solid concrete bar. This will add a very masculine twist to any area and, if you live in a super hot/tropical area, it’ll keep the room nice and cool.

2. Concrete planters: Don’t wanna over do it? Then try something more subtle like these concrete planters, which you can make at home. Add a few easy-to-keep plants and you’re set. This kind of planter are also a very sleek and modern way of adding some greens to your home.

3. A Concrete Home: Ok, this one is pretty intense, but it’s an a viable option if you’re planning to renovate your home. By leaving the concrete facade exposed, you provide an industrial look without too much effort - plus I bet it’ll save you tons of money on paint.

4. An exposed concrete wall: By combining a few warm elements in your home like wood and textiles, you can achieve this super sleek look. If you are planning to add a feature wall, you should definitely consider exposed concrete, it'll save you lots of time (no wallpaper hassles) and it will keep the room neutral.

5. Make a concrete table: A sturdy alternative to the average coffee table, this modern DIY project is both, easy and affordable. If you want to add a bit more shine to it, add a lacquered finish and you're set.

6. DIY Concrete Coasters - If you're looking for an easy way to start experimenting with concrete, check out this ManMade tutorial for casting your own coasters. 

When you're new to the world of DIY, starting even the smallest of projects can be a daunting task. How much money will it cost me? How much time will I waste? Do I even know what I'm doing? Questions like these can easily deflate a well planned weekend of hard work when you're not comfortable with yourself and your abilities. 

The secret to the rising popularity of DIY-ing lies within the drug-like reward factor of a finished project. Once you get started, you'll find that you cannot get enough of that "job well done" feeling. But getting to the reward requires a lot of self motivation and discipline. When you can conquer your fears of screwing up and wasting your precious time, you will find that making things for yourself doesn't take much effort at all. Joy has a way of making challenges a heck of a lot of fun!

Next time you find yourself in a challenging spot and you're close to calling it quits, remember 5 DIY Zen Tips to help get you back on track.

1. Fail Faster You may have heard this before, and a lot, but failing is the biggest catalyst for growth. Every time you mess up, it's an opportunity to challenge yourself to do better the next time. Did you get the wrong pipe size for the kitchen drain? You'll learn to double check your measurements before head out for supplies. Thought you didn't need that one tool to fix your problem? Now you own three of them. The faster you give into failure, see it as great opportunity, the faster you grow.

2. Wear a Uniform You've probably heard stories of authors who like to eat the same thing everyday for lunch or an artist that can only paint when listening to a specific kind of music. These "quirks" are a person's uniform; they help to get into the working mindset. If you find that you can't seem to focus on a project as long as you'd like because of non-work distractions, try on a uniform of some sort. Maybe your uniform is a favorite song, familiar reading glasses or a well-used pair of work pants. For me, it's my work apron. I don't always need it but it kicks my brain in gear to get stuff done. Plus, there are no pockets for a distracting phone in my apron! 

3. Break Things Whenever someone asks me how I know so much about so many random things, I usually reply with, "I love to break stuff." And it's totally true. I love to pull things apart, to dig and inspect every little thing–even if I have no idea what the heck I'm looking at. Do I break some really expensive stuff? Absolutely. It's certainly not fun to do that, but you can bet I won't do that again! Every broken thing is a lesson learned and a step further away from risk aversion. When you are comfortable with breaking things then you're comfortable with taking risks and trying new things. You can't drive a car or wash dishes without the risk of breaking something–so you've come that far–keep going! Maybe dissemble your stereo or try to replace your breaks and rotors on your car. Take it all apart and put it back, just to see what happens. You'll be surprised to see how so many unrelated things are all built the same way! Pretty soon you'll be tuning engines and programming computers at the same time! The true secret to success in doing anything yourself is eliminating the fear of breaking things. 

4. Time Boxes Letting time slip away from you on a weekend project is easy to do. Sometimes, estimating the time a project could take is enough to keep you from starting it at all. So, if you ever cannot stop obsessing over a new project you have in mind give yourself a set amount of time to at least get started on it. Want to build a new bookshelf? Give yourself an hour to mark and cut the boards you need then give yourself another hour tomorrow. Avoiding a project because it will take too long is a great way to never get anything done. 

5. Ask for Help This one should go without saying. Go ahead and get yourself comfortable with asking for help from experts, the internet or people who are just barely more familiar with something than you are. If anything, you create a climate for brainstorming and collaboration that will ultimately yield better results. Find a stack of books you trust on the subjects you like or a YouTube channel that provides steady instruction. Sometimes a phone number of a wise, close friend can be the most valuable tool in your box.

Hopefully, these five things will inspire you to keep going and improving yourself and your work. Pretty soon, you'll see every need in your home, card (or your life, really) as a new challenge that's yet to be conquered.

What are some things you wish someone else told you as you got started?

Mr. Money Mustache is a one of kind guy who runs a blog specializing in "financial freedom--through badassity." His extreme devotion to practical frugality, the DIY aesthetic, and a re-using ethic has inspired many people to live a more care-free lifestyle, unburdened by much of the materialism we find around us. But as this poignant New Yorker article points out, there's a whole lot more to it...    I want to say briefly that I think it's very easy to fall into an echo chamber of millennial men talking about how they're "not materialistic, [they] just want a few quality things -- a good minimalist lifestyle." Now, personally, I subscribe quite hard to that belief and I've lived in accordance with that idea to varying degrees of rigidity at different times in my life. However I see how it can become a near fetish and people can become manic in their pursuit for the transcendent minimalist lifestyle. Which I normally wouldn't even bring up since I think mainstream cultures could use a little bit of a push in this direction, except that this is a place where a lot of us are attracted to quality things coupled with a minimalist aesthetic. 

This article in the New Yorker struck me as a thoughtful meditation on the realities of adhering to a minimalist lifestyle in the modern era and how one man chooses to navigate those difficult decisions for himself and his family. I was inspired by his ideas and his fortitude, while it also made me re-evaluate the imporantance of "minimalism" and frugality. I'd love to hear some thoughts from those of you that check out the article or from those of you who are more familiar with the Mr. Money Mustache website.

Here is the link to the New Yorker article.

Bikes, by their design, have moving parts. And as we know, anything with moving parts requires a little care and maintenance from time to time. If you, your friends, or your kids enjoy riding (and you should!), it's important to keep all those parts in good running order to keep everyone fast, make riding as easy as possible, and to stay safe on those roads.

The good news is: you probably already own most of the tools you need to make minor adjustments. The same Allen keys, screwdrivers, wrenches, and hammers already in your toolbox work great on your bike. So if you're a dad who needs to make sure his kids bikes survived the winter, or your a regular commuter who rides for transportation and fitness, these are the simple tools your need to make sure things are running smoothly and safely. 

So, once you've assembled the right basics tool kit for regular riding, it's time to learn to turn your garage (or living room) into the family bike shop. 

1. Chain lube: Hands down, the most important think you can do to keep a bicycle in good working order is to lubricate the moving parts, especially your drive train. For most riders, that means a quality lubricant designed, which includes penetrating oils to keep those hard to reach parts, and solvents to break apart existing dirt and grime.

If you ride in wet, muddy situations, consider a "wet lube" that's thicker and repels water, making it less likely to wash away. It's a good choice for mountain bikers and winter riders. But it attracts particulates and dirt, and you need to wipe all that debris away after each ride. So, there are trade-offs. Our vote is to stick with a high-quality dry lube until you have a reason not to. Go with our standard Tri-Flow. The little applicator straw is amazing (don't lose it), and it smells like bananas. 

ManMade Recommended: Tri-Flow TF21010 Superior Lubricant with Drip Bottle- 2 oz - $5.86

2. Floor Pump: A mini-pump is wonderful when you're out on the road or trail, but at home, a traditional floor-drive pump with an accurate gauge makes quick work of making sure your tires are where they need to be. Use it before every ride to seriously reduce your chances of a flat. Get one that can work with both Presta and Schrader valves for a variety of tires, and you can add a needle use it to pump up soccer balls and such.

ManMade Recommended: Lezyne Classic Floor Drive Pump - $70.00 or Topeak Joe Blow Sport II Floor Pump - $40.00

3. 3-Way 4,5,6 mm hex wrench - Your bike multitool will have all the hex wrenches you need to adjust everything on your bike, but most of the regular adjustments - squaring handle bars, adjusting seat height, etc, will be accomplished with a 4, 5, or 6mm. This 3-way, Y-wrench tool makes super quick work of loosening and tightening, and it's design gives you lots of torque and accessibility. When I reach for a hex wrench, 95% of the time, this one works. Great upgrade. 

ManMade Recommended: Park Tool AWS-1 - $9.86

4. 6" and 8" adjustable wrenches - If you don't have a full set of dedicated metric combination wrenches, these sizes will work well for working with hardware. Often, kids bikes and some vintage and department store bikes will use threaded hex-head bolts instead of quick-release skewers to remove wheels or Allen screws for adjustments. These will help you keep things tight for safety. 

ManMade Recommended: Stanley 87-367 6-Inch Adjustable Wrench and  Stanley 87-369 8-Inch Adjustable Wrench

 5. Citrus-based cleanser: No harsh chemicals need apply. Nothing cleans a bike - from lube-covered drivetrain to shiny polished wheelsets like a simple citrus cleaner. Use to remove grime, use to wash away mud, use it to keep everything clean. Just be sure to relube the necessary parts where you just removed all the oil.

ManMade Recommended: Simple Green 11001 Clean Building All-Purpose Concentrate Cleaner, 1 Gallon Bottle - $13.93

6. Assorted screwdrivers: There are plenty of slotted and Phillips head hardware on a bicycle. #1 and #2 drivers in both styles will get you where you need. Thankfully, you already own these. If not, it's time to invest in a set you love. 

ManMade Recommended: Grace USA Home Care Screwdriver Set (6-Piece) - $39.99

7. Lots of cotton rags: Here's the thing when working with lubricated machinery: it's messy. Nothing beats dedicated shop rags for dealing with grease; the soft cotton won't scratch things, but the coarse weave soaks it right up. In my garage, I have a three-rag system: No grease for cleaning the frame, little spots of black for wiping up the chain stay and non-drive train parts, and then the heavily greased rag for dealing with the messy stuff. Once the clean rag gets a little grease on it, it becomes rag #2, #2 becomes #3, and so on. Once they get really crazy, they can go in the washing machine.

ManMade Recommended: Cotton Auto-Mechanic Detailing Shop by Utopia Towel - $9.00

8. Chain Wear Indicator: This is the one speciality bike mechanic tool we recommend keeping on hand. Why? Because like oil in your car, your chain needs replaced to keep things smooth. After all, that's what propels your bike forward. Every 2,000 miles is a good rule of thumb, but unless you're tracking your mileage, you have no idea when that occurs. This simple go/no-go gauge only costs $10.00, and will last forever and can be used on any bike. That's much cheaper than a trip to the shop or the cost of replacing a chainring, cogset, or derailleur pulley. If the gauge drops in between the links, it's time to replace. 

 ManMade Recommended: Park Tool CC-3.2 Chain Wear Indicator $10.25

To learn more about the right tools for more advanced operations, check out our bike rider's intermediate tool kit and our advanced home mechanic's list.

Have you every stopped and wondered how ATM's actually work? How they correctly distribute the right bills without mistakes? And how they do it all securely? Well check out this surprisingly enriching short video that unpacks how the guts of the beast actually come together to keep our money flowing...  

 The video comes courtesy of the Science Channel.

Prepare your gut turning muscles. Watch the whole thing, but especially at around 0:38 where he just casually leaps across what looks like a 20-foot gap:

More craziness to inspire you (and hopefully not get you killed) is here: https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesmedias

Ok, fine here's one more, where he's climbing the Eiffel Tower: