I’ve been thinking about building a rocket stove and/or earth oven. The rocket stoves seem to make good use of small branches that might otherwise end up in a landfill. And why not keep heat from cooking outside during the summer instead of using electricity to heat the stovetop and then run the air conditioner to cool down the house?

Here’s a unique idea on the instructables site for a tandoor oven (tandoori oven) made from a garbage can and a clay flowerpot. Check it out.

The old house I just moved into doesn’t have screens for most of its windows. The storm windows are separate — they aren’t integrated with the main window frames. I enjoy having windows open whenever possible, but prefer to have screens to keep out the flying bugs.

I’ve thought about trying to figure out how to make a wooden-framed screen to insert into the window frame. But, in all honesty, I am not very good at envisioning how to do this. A do-it-yourself book might show me how, but I think I’d be more successful if one of the home improvement stores offered a class on making wooden window frames. I’ll have to check out the classes from my local stores to see if anything along those lines is available. Knowing how to do wood joinery with mitered corners would be a useful skill.

Both Home Depot and Lowe's offer classes and clinics on common household DIY projects. Check their websites for ones scheduled in your area.

What’s the DIY project in your home that you most want to do, but haven’t yet? What’s holding you back? Time? Money? Knowledge? Share what you dream of remodeling or fixing by posting a comment below.

Anywhere farmers are growing corn, soybeans or wheat, you’re likely to see empty, used steel grain bins. Those grain bins are durable, and steel is recyclable when the building has served its purpose. Why not convert a used grain bin or two into a usable building — maybe even a house or getaway? Check out the photos below of nifty grain bin conversions.

You can probably pick up a small used bin for a few hundred dollars (or even free). Used bins are frequently available on craigslist or ebay. You could also put an ad in a local newspaper or on your local farm co-op bulletin board. There are companies that can move the bins to new sites — ask around at farm stores to find them.

Prices of new steel grain bins depend on the diameter, height and region of the country, but costs start at about $7,000 for an 18-foot-diameter bin, not including the cement foundation slab or assembly.

Basic carpentry and mechanical skills are required to convert a grain bin to another use. The number of doors and windows will be limited, as too many can weaken the structure. So plan ahead and check with an engineer if you have any doubts.

Readers, we’d like to see more reports and photos of grain bins that have been converted for other uses. Please post them on our free photo-sharing website. Look for the Creative Uses of Grain Bins gallery. Or send them to me at DoItYourself@MotherEarthNews.com.

PHOTO BY MARK CLIPSHAM

Mark Clipsham of Architecture By Synthesis in Ames, Iowa, converted this bin    into ground-level storage space with a playhouse above, using mostly salvaged    and recycled materials. It was a test project. We’ll have a complete article by    Clipsham on using two recycled grain bins to create a strong, high-performance    building envelope to create a home or other habitable structure in a future issue    of Mother Earth News.

It's Not Just a Grain Bin...It's a Home.

New steel bins create low-maintenance structures, such as this office and apartment on a farm in western Kansas. If the steel is recycled metal, it’s even more eco-friendly. Owners Louise and Vance Ehmke say, “Our grain-bin office/scalehouse/residence is just cool. It turned out far better than our expectations. Everybody who comes here (including the governor) says it is one of the neatest things they have ever seen. The structure itself is clearly unique, but the rustic, high-tech interior takes it off the charts!”

PHOTO COURTESY VANCE EHMKE

PHOTO COURTESY VANCE EHMKE

PHOTO COURTESY VANCE EHMKE

PHOTO COURTESY VANCE EHMKE

Dancing Rabbit Grain Bin Apartments

The grain bin below contains two one-room apartments. It’s insulated with straw bales on the inside and has been in use since 2003.

Brian Liloia, one of the residents, says, “Living in a grain bin is a pretty novel experience, and a novel residence, too. For the most part, it works pretty well, but careful consideration is needed around designing windows and doors. Overall, it's great living in a round structure, and telling people you live in a grain bin makes for some great reactions.”

PHOTO COURTESY DANCING RABBIT ECOVILLAGE

The entire grain bin doesn’t need to be used, of course. The little earthbag building shown below, by Kenton Knowles of Global Homes Design, utilizes a grain-bin roof that fits perfectly onto the round structure.

PHOTO COURTESY KENTON KNOWLES/GLOBAL HOMES DESIGN

More Ideas for Using Grain Bins

There’s a small village of grain bins in Montana. Inhabitable grain bins have their advantages tells of how grain bins were used to create a tearoom, workshop and church.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom matching grain-bin houses described in What To Do With an Old Grain Bin? are more noticeable with red roofs and trim.

The grain bin featured in The Classic Box, Well Rounded was combined with a shed to create a charming weekend home.

Have you used a grain bin to create a unique home or building? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Craft, sewing and woodworking projects are popular as hobbies, and to create useful household projects and special gifts. Occasionally, a project is so popular that the creator is able to turn the hobby or craft into a successful home-based business.

These three DIY projects have been notable favorites of Mother Earth News readers: “Build Your Own Mailbox,” “Old-timey Toys” and “Sunbonnet How-to: Make Your Own Sunbonnet in Less than Two Hours.”

Are you good with your hands? Have you created a successful home business based on a great craft or DIY project? Tell your story in the comments section below.