Setting Fence Posts in a Straight Line
Most people think that if they want to learn how to build a fence, they need to go out and spend a fortune on a heavy-duty power auger and a cordless impact driver. They think the noise and the speed are what make the job professional. I spent forty years on sites seeing the opposite; […]
A Gate That Still Shuts in Five Years
Most people think you need a shed full of noisy, vibrating power tools and a massive budget to learn how to build a gate. They’ll tell you that if you aren't using a heavy-duty mitre saw and a cordless drill, you’re just wasting your time. I spent forty years on site and ten years teaching […]
Bird Box Dimensions That Birds Accept
Most folks think you need a workshop full of expensive, vibrating power tools to figure out how to build a bird box, but they've got it backwards. I remember one afternoon teaching a lad at the college who was sweating over a circular saw, trying to cut thin cedar boards for a nesting box, only […]
A Cold Frame From Reclaimed Timber
Most people think you need a shed full of expensive power tools and a pile of pressure-treated timber to get started, but that's a load of rubbish. I spent forty years on sites seeing men struggle with heavy machinery only to end up with wonky joints and wasted wood. When it comes to learning how […]
A Compost Bin With a Front That Comes Off
You don't need a plastic kit from a garden centre or a degree in soil science to figure out how to build a compost bin. I spent forty years on site seeing people buy expensive, flimsy equipment that’s designed to crack the moment the frost hits, and frankly, it's a waste of good money. Most […]
Raised Beds and Which Timber to Use
Most folks think you need a shed full of expensive power tools and a heavy-duty mitre saw just to get a garden project off the ground. They’ll spend half a morning wrestling with a noisy circular saw, fighting the grain and leaving splintered edges that look like they've been chewed by a dog. But if […]
A Planter That Lasts Longer Than Two Years
Most people think you need a shed full of expensive, noisy power tools to figure out how to build a garden planter, but they’ve got it backwards. I’ve spent forty years on sites and another ten in the classroom, and I’ve seen more blokes ruin perfectly good timber with a clumsy circular saw than I […]
A Tool Chest You Can Carry
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 learning how to build a tool chest is just about following a set of blueprints to make a box with […]
Saw Horses You Can Stand on
Most people think you need a workshop full of expensive, battery-operated jigs to get a stable work surface, but they couldn't be more wrong. I’ve spent forty years on site, and I’ve seen more men trip over flimsy, store-bought stands than I care to count. If you want to learn how to build a saw […]
A Folding Bench for a Small Flat
Most people think that if you don't have a massive, dedicated outbuilding, you're destined to work on a kitchen table or a flimsy folding bench that shakes every time you strike a chisel. They tell you that a proper workshop requires square footage you simply don't have. That’s a load of rubbish. I spent years […]