A fine collection that even old hands can learn from is the Foxfire series:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_booksMany libraries have the series and it would be wise to check them out before investing in the complete set. As the wiki entry says it is a mix of DIY, folklore, narrative and history. I found the non-instructive material to be both entertaining and valuable background to the instructive text but others may find it tiresome.
More details and buy here:
http://www.foxfire.org/thefoxfirebooks.aspxA nice overview, breakdown of subjects, and an alternative location to buy from:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/store/files/ssfoxfire.html