ERIC'S GARAGE Once in a while it's nice to give your brains a break and start thinking with your hands. Over the years I've accumulated just enough tools to turn my garage into a small workshop and what has started as a basic home repair kit has slowly evolved into a bit of a playground. There is something therapeutic about doing some hands-on intuitive engineering, bound only by the three following postulates: Don't throw that washer away! You might be able to use it later. If it doesn't fit at first, try a bit harder. If it's hot, don't touch it. Here is a small record of some of the "things" that saw the light of day in my garage. STEINWAY DEPOT A 37-key toy piano made entirely from HomeDepot materials. This project took me about 70 hours from paper to varnish and it was my oldest daughter's third Christmas present. [pictures and info] SPYPOND RACER Spy pond is a rather sorry excuse for a pond in Alington MA. Still it was at the center of a challenge with a friend of mine, the object of which was to each build a sailboat from a cheap 6-foot inflatable boat and race our respective vessels around the pond before the end of the summer. [pictures]