--- a/Centauro/Makefile
+++ b/Centauro/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/ClusteringVetoPlugin/Makefile
+++ b/ClusteringVetoPlugin/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/ConstituentSubtractor/Makefile
+++ b/ConstituentSubtractor/Makefile
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/EnergyCorrelator/Makefile
+++ b/EnergyCorrelator/Makefile
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS)
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/FlavorCone/Makefile	
+++ b/FlavorCone/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/GenericSubtractor/Makefile
+++ b/GenericSubtractor/Makefile
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/JetCleanser/Makefile
+++ b/JetCleanser/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/JetFFMoments/Makefile
+++ b/JetFFMoments/Makefile
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 examples: example
 
--- a/JetsWithoutJets/Makefile
+++ b/JetsWithoutJets/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/LundPlane/Makefile
+++ b/LundPlane/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/Nsubjettiness/Makefile
+++ b/Nsubjettiness/Makefile
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS)
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES) $(EXAMPLES2)
--- a/QCDAwarePlugin/Makefile	
+++ b/QCDAwarePlugin/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/RecursiveTools/Makefile
+++ b/RecursiveTools/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/ScJet/Makefile
+++ b/ScJet/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/scripts/internal/Template/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/internal/Template/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/SoftKiller/Makefile
+++ b/SoftKiller/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/SubjetCounting/Makefile
+++ b/SubjetCounting/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/ValenciaPlugin/Makefile
+++ b/ValenciaPlugin/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
--- a/VariableR/Makefile
+++ b/VariableR/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 all: lib$(NAME).a
 
 lib$(NAME).a: $(OBJS) 
-	ar cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
-	ranlib lib$(NAME).a
+	$(AR) cru lib$(NAME).a $(OBJS)
+	$(RANLIB) lib$(NAME).a
 
 # building the examples
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)