Soft-Tech, Spring 1978

“Soft Tech is a term we’ve used and defended since the late sixties. Soft signifies that something is alive, resilient, adaptive, maybe even lovable.”

Published: Spring 1978
Collection: Special Publications
Links: Internet Archive, Download PDF

Sections:

Tools8
Invention30
Solar46
Wind70
Transport76
Steam84
Biofuels85
Building98
Integrated Systems136

Soft-Tech, Spring 1978

1. 1. INTRODUCTIONS by J. Baldwin (JB) and by Stewart Brand (SB)
    4
  2. LOCAL DEPENDENCY by Stewart Brand
    5
  3. RAIN (Journal of Appropriate Technology)
    7
  4. Rainbook
    7
  5. Energy Primer (Revised and Updated)
    7
Tools
1. 1. ONE HIGHLY-EVOLVED TOOLBOX by J. Baldwin
    8
  2. Whole Earth Access Company
    17
  3. More toolbox
    17
  4. Experiences in Visual Thinking
    17
  5. Pump Flashlights?
    17
  6. Do-It-Yourself Plumbing
    17
  7. Aushalser
    17
  8. Garrett Wade Company
    17
  9. Devcon
    17
  10. New Equipment Digest
    17
  11. Foundrywork for the Amateur
    17
  12. Drafting Technology & Practice
    17
  13. VW prime mover
    17
  14. Theatrical equipment and supplies
    17
  15. The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding
    17
  16. Handtool Handbook for Woodworking
    17
  17. The Oxy-Acetylene Handbook
    17
  18. How to Run a Lathe
    17
  19. SMALL TRACTORS by Richard Nilsen
    22
  20. The Marugg Company
    24
  21. Farm and Ranch Supplies
    24
  22. Hopperdozer
    24
  23. Central Tractor Parts Company
    24
  24. Dictionary of Tools
    24
  25. The Good Neighbor Heritage Catalog
    24
  26. Iron Horse Antiques
    24
  27. The Living BASICS from the UN
    24
  28. The Cumberland General Store
    24
  29. Ways of the Sierra Madre
    24
  30. Guide to Hand-Operated and Animal-Drawn Equipment
    24
  31. Garden Way Cart
    24
  32. Appliance Service Handbook
    24
  33. An alternative technology equipment directory
    24
  34. Cloudburst 2
    24
  35. Marks’ Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers
    24
  36. Australian Traditional Bush Crafts
    24
  37. Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
    24
  38. Sharpening
    24
Invention
1. 1. THE DOUBLE BUBBLE WHEEL ENGINE by Steve Baer
    30
  2. Zomeworks’ products
    32
  3. Breadbox solar water heater
    32
  4. Nightwall
    32
  5. The Pro Heater
    32
  6. Sili Shutters
    32
  7. Skylids
    32
  8. Beadwall
    32
  9. Solar Gravity Drivers
    32
  10. Skylight Water Heater
    32
  11. Sun Calculator
    32
  12. Drumwall and Water Heater
    32
  13. Sunspots
    32
  14. NITINOL by Fred Gardner
    35
  15. BUILDINGS AS ORGANISMS by Day Chahroudi
    40
Solar
1. 1. A-Z Solar Products
    46
  2. Solar Age Catalog
    46
  3. Solar Components
    46
  4. Solar hardware
    46
  5. Tuffak-Twinwall
    46
  6. Grumman
    46
  7. Sunstream solar hotwater system
    46
  8. Serrande Shutters
    46
  9. Ecosol 101 Energy Recovery System
    46
  10. Solar Directory
    46
  11. Shurcliff’s last catalog
    46
  12. Sun Earth
    46
  13. Solar Energy Society
    46
  14. THE CLOTHESLINE PARADOX by Steve Baer
    50
  15. SOLAR WATER HEATERS IN CALIFORNIA, 1891-1930 by Ken Butti and John Perlin
    52
  16. Solar Energy Thermal Processes
    64
  17. Enhanced Solar Collection
    64
  18. Pocket Solar Meter
    64
  19. Thermic Diode Solar Panel
    64
  20. California Solar Information Packet
    64
  21. Solar Age
    64
  22. Solar Energy Digest
    64
  23. Little arctic solar trackers
    64
  24. Alternative
    64
  25. Sources of Energy
    64
  26. SUNLIGHT CONVERGENCE/SOLAR BURN by Charles Ross
    66
Wind
1. 1. Windcatchers
    70
  2. Wind Workshop 2
    70
  3. Wind Power Access Catalog
    70
  4. Wind Energy Utilization
    70
  5. Here’s an interesting bit of news from our Department of Energy (DOE)
    70
  6. Wooden wind-generator blades
    70
  7. North Wind Power Co.
    70
  8. Energy from the Wind a Wind Technology Journal
    70
  9. Simplified Wind Power Systems for Experimenters
    70
  10. This Is How You Can Heat Your Home With a Little Windmill
    70
  11. Gemini Synchronous Inverter
    70
  12. Design With Wind
    70
  13. Storage Batteries
    70
  14. Homemade Windmills of Nebraska
    70
  15. The battle axe
    70
  16. Food from Windmills
    70
  17. Windmills
    70
Transport
1. 1. CARS by J. Baldwin
    76
  2. Pedal Power
    78
  3. Le Truck
    78
  4. Without Wheels
    78
  5. A Model Used Oil Recycling Act
    78
  6. Auto Enthusiast Directory
    78
  7. Mopeds
    78
  8. EcoDog
    78
  9. Economy Driving
    78
  10. HOMESTEAD BICYCLE TECHNOLOGY by Jim Burgel
    80
  11. Bickerton Bicycle revisited
    82
  12. Bicycling Science
    82
  13. Bicycles in Shanghai Street
    82
Steam
1. 1. Geothermal Technoecosystems and Water Cycles in Arid Lands
    84
  2. Coles’ Power Models
    84
  3. Day-Land steam engine
    84
  4. Live Steam
    84
Biofuels
1. 1. Energy: The Solar Hydrogen Alternative
    85
  2. Methanol & Other Ways Around the Gas Pump
    85
  3. Methanol: Its Synthesis, Use As a Fuel, Economics, and Hazards
    85
  4. The Pegasus Unit
    85
  5. Pegasus revisited
    85
  6. Producer Gas from Davis
    85
  7. THE GREAT METHANE BUBBLE by Jim Burgel
    88
  8. BURNING WOOD by J. Baldwin
    90
  9. Wood Heat
    90
  10. The Woodburner’s Encyclopedia
    90
  11. The Complete Book of Heating With Wood
    90
  12. Modern and Classic Woodburning Stoves
    90
  13. Stove Book
    90
  14. How to Install a Fireplace
    90
  15. Planning and Building Your Fireplace
    90
  16. Wood ’N Energy
    90
  17. Wood Stove Buyer’s Guide
    90
  18. Wood Burning Quarterly
    90
  19. Wood Stoves
    90
  20. Blazing Showers
    90
  21. Mexican water heater
    90
  22. The Lorena Cookstove
    90
  23. A beautiful woodburning boiler
    90
  24. Pioneer Lamps and Stoves Co.
    90
  25. August West Chimney Sweep
    90
  26. Sotz Splitting Maul
    90
  27. The Stickler
    90
  28. A quiet chainsaw!
    90
  29. Sachs Dolmar Chainsaw
    90
  30. Crosscut
    90
  31. Crosscut Saw Manual
    90
  32. Losing Ground
    90
  33. Plant a Tree
    90
Building
1. 1. THE UNDERGROUND WORLD OF BALDASARE FORESTIERE by Joseph Torchia
    98
  2. UNDERGROUND ARCHITECTURE by Malcolm Wells
    102
  3. The Use of Earth Covered Buildings
    112
  4. Underground building
    112
  5. Development and Utilization of Underground Space
    112
  6. The Skylight Book
    112
  7. National Construction Estimator
    112
  8. Porous paving blocks a Ferrocement:
    112
  9. Applications in Developing Countries
    112
  10. Inexpensive Evaporation Coolers
    112
  11. Adobe News
    112
  12. Mud, Space & Spirit
    112
  13. Homegrown Sundwellings
    112
  14. The Indian Tipi
    112
  15. Living in One Room
    112
  16. The Spacemaker Book
    112
  17. The Mariner’s Catalog Volume 5
    112
  18. Fredson Trailer Supply
    112
  19. Home Is Where You Park It
    112
  20. Living Aboard
    112
  21. Houseboat
    112
  22. Wind Vane
    112
  23. Nets
    112
  24. Grid Shells
    112
  25. Adaptable Architecture
    112
  26. Pneumatic Structures
    112
  27. Tent Works
    112
  28. Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings
    122
  29. From the Ground Up
    122
  30. Farm Builder’s Handbook
    122
  31. Ideas for All Around the Farm
    122
  32. Construction Manual: Finish Carpentry
    122
  33. Construction Manual: Concrete & Formwork
    122
  34. Illustrated Housebuilding
    122
  35. Designing Houses
    122
  36. The Green Wood House a
    122
  37. Wood Handbook
    122
  38. The Timber Framing Book
    122
  39. Stone Masonry
    122
  40. Modern Carpentry
    122
  41. Country Comforts
    122
  42. In Harmony With Nature
    122
  43. Building With Logs
    122
  44. American Preservation
    122
  45. Old House Buyers’ Guide
    122
  46. How to Rehabilitate Abandoned Buildings
    122
  47. Back to the City
    122
  48. The Owner Builder and The Code
    122
  49. Housing By People
    122
  50. Energy and Form
    122
  51. The Glass House
    122
  52. INSULATION HERESY by Richard Nilsen
    130
  53. The Solar Home Book
    132
  54. Solar Energy, Fundamentals in Building Design
    132
  55. An Introduction to Heat Pumps
    132
  56. Air powered pump systems
    132
  57. The Handbook of Moving Air
    132
  58. Architecture and Energy
    132
  59. Winona — towards an energy conserving community
    132
  60. Building Value
    132
  61. Concrete and Energy
    132
  62. The Food and Heat Producing Solar Greenhouse
    132
Integrated Systems
1. 1. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TRACT HOME by Richard Nilsen
    136
  2. Solar building code
    140
  3. Energy Conservation Code Workbook
    140
  4. Your Home’s Solar Potential
    140
  5. Good Shelter
    140
  6. Energy Basis for Man and Nature
    140
  7. Jobs and Energy
    140
  8. METRIC SYSTEM CON by Steve Baer
    142
  9. Boycott the Metric System
    145
  10. An Index of Possibilities (Energy and Power)
    145
  11. Ecodevelopment News
    145
  12. Appropriate
    145
  13. Technology Sourcebook
    145
  14. Economically Appropriate Technologies for Developing Countries
    145
  15. Other Homes and Garbage
    145
  16. Radical Technology
    145
  17. THE NEW ALCHEMISTS by John Todd
    148
  18. LAUNCHING THE ARK by J. Baldwin
    159
  19. FROM URGENCIES TO ESSENTIALS speech by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau
    166
  20. About New Alchemy
    167
  21. Ecotopia
    167
  22. Seriatim
    167
  23. END OF THE BOOK
    169
  24. INDEX
    170
  25. Business
    175
  26. Announcement of The CoEvolution Quarterly
    176

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