Review – Ted’s Woodworking

Ted's Woodworking Projects
Ted's Woodworking Projects

With the myriad plans and kits available online, it can often get confusing to know what will be the most worthwhile solutions to give our attention to.  Recently, when we were on the lookout for some new project plans, we came across Ted’s Woodworking, which seemed to have everything we were looking for – easy to use, comprehensive selections, materials list etc. etc. – below is our thoughts and review of this enormous collection of plans and designs.

Ted’s Woodworking is an enormous collection of woodworking projects, ranging from small garden tables, to custom beds and outdoor buildings.  The collection contains over 16,000 designs, each with full blueprints and materials listings.  This review provides a general overview of the package, it’s pros and cons, and our general conclusion of the entire collection.

To start with, the package is divided into various levels of project – allowing anyone, from beginners to professionals, to find something of value.  One of the unique aspects of the collection, is that each plan comes with a great general overview, as well as a full materials list to ensure that you have exactly what you need, and in the right quantities, to get started.  Surprisingly, they’ve even gone further with their attempts to assist the user, by outlining exactly which tools you need, and any additional screws, nails, hinges or other parts that you may require to complete the project.

Each project provides all of the above mentioned details, and then walks the user through a step-by-step task list, making sure not to miss anything along the way.

There are a few typo’s and spelling issues along the way, but the guide seems extremely thorough, and provides descriptions of certain tasks which may at first seem more complicated.  These parts of the step-by-step guide make the projects far more achievable, and leave the user with more confidence as they work through any of the tasks.

What we found particularly useful with this collection, is that it provides projects for nearly any skill level.  Furthermore, some projects can be completed in just a few hours, making them perfect for those who are eager to have a sense of fulfillment by achieving something in a short time.  For the more ambitious, there are any number of more complicated and challenging projects to suit any skillset.

Highlights

  • They include full diagrams and detailed plans, including all dimensions and other details
  • Their guides have comprehensive step-by-step instructions, and also provide details on the best way to start any project.
  • Each design and plan includes a full list of the materials you will require for any specific project, including sizes and quantity of everything needed.
  • The package includes an excellent guide for each project, and tells you exactly which tools you will need to complete a given project, which is a great way of knowing if you have everything you need to get started.

Pros

Every project has very clear instructions, and easy to follow step-by-step instructions.  The details are simple to read and understand, no matter the level of experience.  Additionally, we really liked the way they provide a comprehensive materials and tools listing – this makes planning and starting a project much easier.  Overall, the designs are highly detailed, with full measurements and schematic drawings/blueprints for everything – this is a great benefit for those who like to study the exact dimensions and drawing before getting started.  It also provides a great idea of how the pieces fit together, and how the project should look when completed.  Of course, one of the more attractive aspects to this collection, is the huge quantity of designs and projects (over 16,000) – that is a really enormous number of plans, and covers nearly any project you may have interest in.  Finally, and perhaps importantly to many consumers, is that they have a clearly defined refund policy if the product doesn’t meet your expectations.

Cons

While the package is huge, and the details comprehensive, it can become somewhat overwhelming in the sheer volume of material available.  With such a massive amount of material, there are times when it is difficult finding specific projects or details; however, given the volume of material available, it is a down-side that most people will forgive – especially given the benefits overall.

All the materials and plans are downloadable, and available any time you need them, but the downloads are large, which can be difficult for those with limited bandwidth or slow connections.  They do, however, provide an option to have a DVD version sent to you, so these issues can be mitigated.

The Bottom Line – Conclusion

Ted’s Woodworking is an enormous collection of over 16000 projects, and provides full materials lists, required tools and all the necessary detail to be successful in any of their projects. All of the plans are practical, and have received enormously positive feedback from others who have used them. Our general conclusion is that for the relatively low cost, the sheer volume of available projects and plans make this a great value, and when combined with the thorough and in-depth detail, schematics, materials and tools list – it is well worth considering.  We think it is well worth considering, so feel free to go and check it out here.

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