I’m sure I’ve linked to this site before, but what the heck: Jason Klass has an excellent bunch of pages devoted to making new gear and tweaking the stuff you’ve already got. One handy idea: An alcohol stove for hot coffee on a day hike. It doesn’t boil, he says, but if all you want is a warm drink you can get the job done with hardly any weight. Another excellent resource: where to find stuff for DIY projects. He’s also started a blog of late.