A Sawbench for Hand Tool Work
You’ll see plenty of videos online claiming you need a massive, expensive workshop and a fleet of power tools just to get started, but that’s a load of rubbish. Most of those setups are just noise and vibration that won't help you find a true line. If you want to learn how to build a […]
Folding Trestles for Occasional Work
You don’t need a workshop full of expensive, battery-operated jigs to figure out how to build a trestle. Most people think they need a table saw and a dust extractor just to get a decent workbench surface, but that’s a load of rubbish. I spent forty years on site seeing lads waste hours fighting with […]
A Freestanding Divider That Stays Put
Most people think that if you want to partition a space, you need to go out and buy a massive, expensive kit or drag a noisy circular saw across the floor for three hours. They think complexity is the same thing as quality. But I’ve spent forty years on site, and I can tell you […]
A Window Seat With Storage
I remember standing in a student’s workshop back in the late nineties, watching a lad struggle with a vibrating, battery-hungry circular saw, trying to force a straight line through some oak for a built-in bench. He was sweating, swearing, and the cut was as crooked as a dog's hind leg. He thought he needed more […]
Using the Space Under the Stairs
Most people think you need a shop full of expensive, battery-operated jigs and complex laser levels to figure out how to build storage under stairs. They spend a fortune on fancy cabinetry kits only to find the angles are a mess and the fit is nothing short of rubbish. I remember a job back in […]
A French Cleat Wall for Tools
I spent thirty years on site and another ten in the classroom, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that a cluttered workbench is a sign of a cluttered mind. Most people think they need fancy, expensive modular systems to get organized, but that’s just more plastic junk destined for a landfill. The […]
A Step Stool That Will Not Tip
Most folks think you need a workshop full of noisy, expensive power tools just to figure out how to build a step stool. They’ll point you toward a circular saw and a cordless drill, telling you it’s the only way to get the job done quickly. But I’ve spent forty years on site and ten […]
A Toy Box With a Safe Lid
Most people think you need a workshop full of screaming, vibrating power tools and a mountain of expensive jigs just to figure out how to build a toy box. They see those glossy DIY magazines and think they need a circular saw and a cordless router to get the job done before the weekend is […]
Kitchen Shelves That Wipe Clean
Most people think they need a workshop full of noisy, expensive machinery just to figure out how to build a kitchen shelf, but they’ve got it backwards. I’ve spent forty years on site and another ten in the classroom, and I’ve seen more blokes ruin a perfectly good piece of oak with a jittery circular […]
Building for a Humid Room
Most people think you need a workshop full of expensive, noisy power tools to tackle a project like this, but they’ve got it backwards. I’ve spent forty years on site, and I’ve seen more ruined pieces of timber from a rushed router than I ever have from a steady hand. If you want to learn […]