Sizing a Shoe Rack for a Hallway
Most people think that if you want to learn how to build a shoe rack, you need to head straight to the hardware store and buy a mountain of expensive, plastic-fastened kits or a loud, vibrating circular saw. They’ve been told that speed comes from electricity, but I’ve spent forty years on site proving that's […]
A Coat Rack That Holds Wet Coats
Most folks think you need a workshop full of expensive, vibrating power tools to make something decent, but they’re dead wrong. I spent forty years on site watching lads rush through a job with a circular saw, only to end up with splintered edges and a piece of kit that looks like it was chewed […]
Hanging a Heavy Mirror Safely
You’ll see plenty of videos online claiming you need a high-end table saw and a dust extractor to get a clean finish, but that’s a load of rubbish. Most people think that how to build a mirror frame requires a workshop full of expensive, vibrating machinery, when the truth is that a bit of patience […]
Cutting Mitres That Close
You don't need a massive, expensive table saw or a loud miter saw to get a clean corner; in fact, most of the time, those machines are just a way to hide a lack of patience. I remember one of my first apprentices trying to force a sloppy joint together with a pneumatic nailer, thinking […]
A Chopping Board That Will Not Delaminate
Most people think you need a workshop full of expensive, screaming machinery to make a decent piece of kitchenware, but they’ve got it backward. I’ve seen too many beginners struggle with how to build a chopping board by relying on dull, vibrating power tools that leave the wood looking bruised rather than cut. I remember […]
A Desk Sized to a Person
Most people think that if you want to build a proper piece of furniture, you need a workshop full of expensive, screaming power tools that'll leave your ears ringing and your lungs full of dust. They'll tell you that you can't possibly learn how to build a desk without a table saw or a heavy-duty […]
A Bed Frame You Can Dismantle
Most people think you need a workshop full of expensive, vibrating machinery and a mountain of sawdust to tackle a project like this, but they’ve got it all wrong. I spent years watching apprentices struggle with noisy, cheap power tools that only served to tear the grain and leave them frustrated. When I first learned […]
Picnic Table Geometry That Is Comfortable
Most people think that if you want to know how to build a picnic table, you need to go out and buy a shed full of vibrating, noisy power tools and enough expensive screws to sink a ship. They’ll tell you it’s all about the high-end cordless gear and the fancy jigs. I spent forty […]
A Log Store That Dries Wood
Most people think you need a shed full of expensive power tools and a pile of fancy pressure-treated timber to get a decent woodpile sorted. They spend more time reading instruction manuals than actually cutting wood, and frankly, it’s a waste of a good afternoon. I remember a lad at the college, bright enough but […]
Building a Shed From the Floor Up
Most people think that if you want to learn how to build a shed, you need to go out and buy every cordless gadget the local hardware shop is pushing. They think a pile of expensive, battery-operated junk is the shortcut to a finished project. I spent forty years on site, and if there’s one […]