The Big Book of Weekend Woodworking: 150 Easy Projects

Free Woodworking Plans plus plans for router table, TV stands, student desk, captains bed, baby changing table and much more.

Use your skills to make all kinds of cool projects including toys, kids tables, loft beds and more.

Set up your shop area for recreation or even a home job making useful furniture and gadgets for all ages. If your skills are not where you want them to be you can find excellent training courses on this page too.

It is funny how we see things as a child and how we remember them later. Not only was this hole in my mind continuing to get bigger but also when I go back to where I grew up as child things seemed much smaller. The dam I used to play at in the creek at my grandmother's place was over my head. Going back as an adult the dam was tiny and about weight high.

Some can turn their Woodworking abilities into a "work from home" job. Combine making Internet pages (there are many free places to put your pages) with your projects. Each project can have its own page where you show photos showing your progress from a piece of wood to the finished product. Then offer it for sale. To make your page more profitable, have Wood working products from Amazon and eBay for sale too. This way each page can bring revenue from your own work and others.
On this page you will find these including handcut dovetail, weekend, child's table, hex picnic table, shadow box, trellis, corner cabinet, lift bed, kids, trundle bed, bedroom furniture, dovetail blanket chest, snow sled, modern plans and more.

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Free Plans at Bottom of Page

When making a project for others make sure it is something they really want. Once time a grandfather made a boat for one of his grandsons. The boat was lovingly made with a lot of skill and care.

However when he presented the boat to the boy, he hardly looked at it and said, I don't want it." His mother being embarrassed, quickly jumped in and demanded that the boy take the boat.
The boy started to cry and continued to say that he did not want it. With all the up roar the boy was more than ever determined to refuse this gift that was being forced upon him. The grandfather quickly took the gift back and left but it could have worked out much better if all involved had done this differently.

First it would have been good for the boy to appreciate the gift but he was at an age where he was totally honest and didn't know or care about how others felt.

The grandfather should have asked his grandson if he wanted a boat before giving it to him. And if when he presented the gift he should have causally taken back the gift if the boy said he didn't want it and ask if any of the other brothers would like a fine gift that he had made.

The mother was right to be embarrassed because it didn't look good for her child raising skills for her son to be so rude. But then children at a young age can't and shouldn't be made to take things they do not want. The mom should have stepped in and took the boat away and said something like, "that is to bad you don't want this boat. Grandfather spent a lot of time building it and it is really special. However since you are not interested in it let us give it to someone who would love it instead." Maybe the boy would then realize the value of the gift and suddenly want it back. And if not, the transfer of the gift to another child would not have been so traumatic for both the grandfather and grandson.

So always make sure a gift is wanted before making one for someone. I don't remember what the end result of the story was but I can image the grandfather finding another child that would love to get the gift. His skill level was good enough that he probably could have started his own business and sold these boats. Of course it is wise to make several products to sell and not stick only to one.

Working with your hands will give you the satisfaction of supporting yourself and your family from your own business. Or this business can be something you do on the side to supplement your income. Also hobby work to make gifts for family and friends is highly enjoyable.

Having the skills to make a beautiful product is something most people would benefit from. This can be a back up in case you need to support yourself in this way or just be a gratifying hobby on the side. Both men and women can learn how to work in the shop. On a side note I was talking a walk yesterday and noticed that a man had both his son and daughter helping him in his business in building a home for someone. The girl was up there on the ladder using the nail gun and was working as much as the son. Maybe she planned to be a carpenter like her dad or was just earning some extra money for the summer but wherever the reason the skills she learns will be valuable in fixing up her own home someday. She might know more about it than her husband once she is married.

Susan Dietel
Web Programmer
Email: susansdesign@yahoo.com