For avid gardeners, the biggest down-side of the hobby is the limited growing season in much of the country. Gardening during the winter is often reduced to tending house-plants and browsing seed catalogues for next summer's tomato choices. Master Gardener and builder Roger Marshall enthusiastically presents his case for home greenhouses with a thorough examination of everything the potential builder needs to know. Marshall's coverage of the subject begins with a careful consideration of the various purposes served by greenhouses. Will the structure be used as a damp, warm hothouse for rare orchids? A tropical paradise for banana and citrus trees? A friendlier environment in which to get a jump on a summer vegetable garden is the goal for many gardeners, while an inviting setting for a year-round hot tub surrounded by lush greenery has an undeniable appeal. What ever its eventual use will be, Marshall helps the reader examine every option and make an informed choice. After determining the type and style of the structure, Marshall progresses, chapter by chapter, through the construction elements of the greenhouse - from choosing a site, to laying the foundation and determining which glazing material will work best. Plumbing, heating, supplemental lighting, misting, and automatic venting systems are also covered for the truly committed reader/gardener. The final section-of the book includes detailed plans for nine actual greenhouses, from a simple cold frame to an elaborately detailed framed, detached structure. Whatever the greenhouse goal, Marshall opens the way to longer growing seasons, abundant organically grown fruits and vegetables, and many more happy months playing in the dirt!

Wiring repairs, replacements, and upgrades are among the most popular projects for home DIYers--and, potentially, the most fraught with risk. With an unerring emphasis on safety, wiring expert Steve Cory prepares homeowners for the most common situations they are likely to encounter and gives them the confidence to tackle their own home wiring projects. After introductory sections on understanding the residential electrical system and basic wiring techniques, projects include: replacing switches and receptacles installing lights and fans retrofitting under-cabinet lighting running cable and installing electrical boxes and more With quick tips throughout, this handy reference provides all you need to know to tackle any home wiring repair project.

Carving is an area of woodworking that has wide appeal and can start as simply as whittling figures with a pocket knife. Since the cost of entry is so low, many people are willing to give it a try. But some people are put off by the conflicting information about what tools to buy, how to sharpen them, and by the bewildering range of carving styles. This book, with its common-sense approach to tools and sharpening, and its broad survey of the many styles is the perfect introduction for the novice carver. The projects will help the beginner become familiar with the tools and learn skills while trying a variety of carving styles to see which suits him best. The projects range from the traditional to the contemporary and reflect the tastes of today's woodcarvers.

The Sunday Times bestseller, Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless, by Jay Blades, the beloved star of hit BBC One show The Repair Shop. We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn't have a lot of food and didn't have a lot of money. But that didn't stop me having the time of my life. In his book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming the presenter of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop. Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay's positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.

A guide to green woodworking, with detailed patterns to create beautiful projects. Discover hundreds of projects for working with unseasoned wood in this essential book. Ray Tabor, an unparalleled expert in green woodworking guides you through this old, traditional craft. Whether you are new to the craft and are looking for a simple project like a spoon or a bowl or want something challenging, you will find it here. The 300 patterns for the home and garden range from wattle gates to lemon juicers, from chairs, benches and stools to baskets, whistles and door wedges. Green woodworking involves the use of freshly felled timber (unseasoned wood), and embraces a number of traditional woodland crafts, including turning and carving. All patterns come with detailed dimensions in both metric and imperial. Each item has annotated black-and-white patterns, a brief description, historical information and details of the materials that should be used. Includes the simplest of woodland designs to more advanced, with something to suit every skill level. Both a historical record and a sourcebook for those looking to use their green woodworking skills to make traditional items of beauty, this is the perfect book for anyone interested in whittling, woodland crafts and woodworking.

This is a colourful gallery of finished work provides further inspiration for green crafting. Wood Pallet Projects shows how anyone can upcycle salvaged pallet wood to create truly one-of-a-kind projects. Maverick craftsman Chris Gleason combines sound woodworking techniques with a hip designer's sensibility to unleash the limitless possibilities of the common skid. Inside you'll find 15 of his inspired projects for rescuing and repurposing pallets. He shows how to construct both indoor and outdoor furniture in a variety of styles, along with other useful items such as a birdhouse, a toolbox and even a ukulele. The author provides important advice on how to make sure that your pallets are safe and not sprayed with harmful chemicals. A colourful gallery of finished work provides further inspiration for green crafting.

Every woodworker will want to own this colorful, information-packed, mammoth resource for weekend crafting. It's filled with 150 classic projects, and features an introductory section that walks readers through the various planning stages. It's all covered: selecting the right wood, working with patterns, gluing, and finishing. Novices can effortlessly make simple mirrors, shelves, clocks, and jewelry boxes, while those with slightly more advanced skills can try the small cupboard, blanket chest, or side table. For outdoors, there are whimsical weathervanes, whirligigs, plants stands, and trellises. Some of the sweetest items are just for kids, such as animal pull toys, wheeled cars, puzzles, a winged rocking chair, and vintage-style doll accessories. Every project include finishes or surface decoration options, plus drawings and patterns.

This title presents professional techniques to bring your furniture back to life. It offers complete instructions for dismantling and rebuilding chests, polishing, waxing and staining, how to repair tops and feet, and how to rebuild drawers and doors. It includes a fascinating history describing how chests and cabinets have evolved over time, as well as advice on buying and using tools, equipment and materials. Projects include repairing a split top, replacing a bracket foot, repairing a glazed door, correcting a minor twist, restoring desk drawers, and repairing a grandfather clock. Chests and cabinets often endure a hard life, and over the years the working parts can be damaged through wear and tear. This book provides complete instructions for repairing chests, drawers, doors and desks, all photographed at a leading antique restoration workshop. Projects include replacing drawer runners, cutting a dovetail joint, repairing a sliding tambour, refitting a door, and polishing a 19th-century desk. Detailed information is given on how each piece of furniture is constructed, and how it can be dismantled and reassembled. Illustrated with over 400 beautiful photographs, the book will enable any restorer to learn how to mend antique furniture.

Here is a new and exciting aspect of wood turning, similar to traditional style turning except for gaps left between each segment. Step-by-step instructions and color photographs illustrate a basic vase project that can be completed in a weekend. You won't need any special turning equipment or tools other than an easily constructed jig. Wood selection and preparation, jigs, glue, turning tools, finishes, and advanced techniques are all explained and illustrated. Combine various woods and patterns to produce beautiful vases, boxes, and sculptural pieces. With practice, you can create some really spectacular work!

Every board has edges, faces and end grain. So every workbench should be able to easily work the edges, faces and ends of boards. But most benches built during the last 100 years will fail you on at least one of these tasks. This book dives deep into the historical records of the 18th and 19th centuries and breathes new life into traditional designs that have lain dormant for decades and were utterly fantastic to use. These old-school benches are simpler than modern benches, easier to build and surprisingly perfect for both power and hand tools. Encompassing years of historical research and real-world trials, this book boils down centuries of the history and engineering of workbenches into simple ideas that all woodworkers can use. With this book, your very first workbench will do everything you need it to do for the rest of your career in the craft. This revised and expanded edition includes 64 pages of new information including a step-by-step build and measured drawings for an 18th-century French bench and a knockdown English bench, as well as recent advances in workholding

From basic storage sheds to playhouses, gazebos, home offices, workshops, and so much more, build the outdoor structure of your dreams and learn how to do all or part of the work yourself with this essential DIY guide! Build Your Own Shed & Outdoor Projects Manual, 6th Edition features all of the techniques and tips you need to know, as well as the latest in shed construction and every step of the process in detail. Select from a catalog of more than 100 expertly prepared plans - including more than 60 all-new designs for this updated edition - for building a wide range of outdoor structures, from simple utility sheds to elegant cabanas, cottages, greenhouses, and more. Whether you're looking to build the ideal pavilion, potting shed, patio furniture, arbor, trellis, or other outdoor structure, you're sure to find it here. Easy-to-follow construction blueprints and materials lists are also available for each project to ensure success.

Here is a virtual encyclopedia of cabinet door and drawer styles and instruction for designing, constructing, and installing them. Slab, MDF, simulated and true raised panel, frame and panel, arched frame and panel, mitered panel, cope and stick, glass, and tambour: all of these types of cabinet doors--and the drawers to match--are illustrated and explained with step-by-step construction notes and measurements. In addition, all of the common methods of joinery, such as dowels, biscuits, splines, miters, dadoes, tongue and groove, and mortise and tenons are explained and illustrated.

Protect your health, reduce waste, and be a better steward of the Earth by making the switch to natural cleaning products with these 43 easy recipes!A clean house should not come at the expense of your health. Common household cleaners are not kid-friendly or pet-friendly-or lung-friendly, or skin-friendly. Store-bought cleaners that contain bleach and ammonia, drain cleaners, toilet cleaners, and more are the cause of thousands of household emergencies each year. These harsh cleaners and artificial fragrances can irritate your eyes and lungs, and exacerbate allergies and asthma. Not to mention how all these chemicals and packaging materials are affecting the environment. Bottom line, your home-and the planet-are simply safer without them. Most people think natural cleaners either: don't work are difficult / annoying to make involve a lot of exotic, expensive ingredients that are too hard to find all of the above! The truth is, you can clean every room in your house-curtains, carpet, toilet, tile grout, whatever-without ever touching another bottle of Clorox. In this book, you'll learn why these cleaners work, how to stock your home with a few basic ingredients you can grab as needed-and why you shouldn't use some of the DIY cleaning recipes you see online. You'll also learn: How to safely and naturally clean every surface in your home, from stainless steel appliances to moldy showers Which natural cleaning ingredients should never be mixed (and why) How to customize your cleaners with essential oils Why you should use distilled water instead of tap water There's even a recipe for cleaning dog toys! Make the switch to non-toxic DIY cleaning solutions now!

Wood is one of the oldest known natural resources, and its universal appeal remains timeless. As every woodworker will testify, to work with this material is to appreciate its amazing versatility. This practical book demonstrates the basic techniques of woodworking, providing the foundation on which to build your skills. It begins with an introduction to timber and a guide to tools. Advice on getting started is given, as well as in-depth guides to fixings and fastening, joints, and advanced techniques. There are 20 step-by-step projects, from basic tasks such as a wine rack and picture frame, to complex ventures for experts such as a bedside cabinet and dining table.

Did you remember your goggles? There used to be a time when pretty much every high school offered Shop class, where students learned to use a circular saw or rewire a busted lamp- all while discovering the satisfaction of being self-reliant and doing it yourself. Shop Class for Everyone now offers anyone who might have missed this vital class a crash course in these practical life skills. Packed with illustrated step by step instructions, plus relevant charts, lists, and handy graphics, here's how to plaster a wall, build a bookcase from scratch, unclog a drain, and change a flat tire (on your car or bike). It's all made clear in plain, nontechnical language for any level of DIYer, and it comes with a guarantee: No matter how simple the task, doing it with your own two hands provides a feeling of accomplishment that no app or device will ever give you.

The first-ever accessible guide on making DIY furniture from live-edge slabs, this book will show you everything you need to know about incorporating organic, natural wood pieces into your home. After learning techniques for milling, drying, and preparing your own slab, adding inlays, using resin and epoxy, creating waterfall edges, and more, you'll then move on to complete seven projects that range in size and offer additional ideas and inspiration to implement in your own projects while using the techniques you've learned! From charcuterie boards and floating shelves to desks, river tables, benches, and more, both beginner and advanced DIYers can accomplish these stunning woodworking projects!

In a world of heavy and expensive handplanes, traditional wood handplanes are affordable, light in weight, low in friction, comfortable to use and available in a wide variety of blade angles. Author and woodworking instructor Scott Wynn has been working with this versatile tool for four decades. In Traditional Wooden Handplanes he shows you how to make, modify, restore and use antique planes. Scott reveals how traditional wood planes work, how to set up a flea market find and how to tune up a new plane for peak performance. You'll learn about the different types and how to use them to their best advantage; which blades angles are best, which blade steel you might want to use, and finally, how to make your own set of planes using some modern techniques that simplify construction and improve performance.

Supplemented with clear workshop photography, each insightful pointer has been workplace-tested by the editors. Sharpen your woodworking skills for drilling, sawing, routing, clamping, gluing, joinery, finishing and much more.Avoid common pitfalls and solve everyday problems with materials, tools, techniques, shop organization and maintenance. Even the most experienced woodworker doesn't have all the answers, but this big, well-organized book is the place to find them.

Since the times of ancient Egypt, humans have had a passion for style, decor, and architecture. Amazingly, styles from many of these bygone eras are still enjoyed and are often implemented into our modern decor and architecture. Past + Present is a collection of 24 pairs of essays and craft projects that explore this connection between decorative arts history and present day design trends. The projects have been contributed by some of the best known modern designers of today, such as Todd Oldham, Jonathan Adler, Erica Domesek, Grace Bonney, and David Stark, adding extra allure to an already fascinating topic. The book, which is based on Azzarito's successful Past + Present column for Design*Sponge, takes the academic subject of decorative arts history and makes it accessible, approachable, and engaging to the average design and craft enthusiast. Included here are not just dates and events, but also the stories, passions, and quirky facts behind many great decorative arts movements. Each essay is accompanied by whimsical illustrations by beloved illustrator Julia Rothman, as well as a few representative historical photos when relevant. Each project has been beautifully photographed in a modern home setting, and the instructions are clear and accessible, even to novice DIYers.

How to achieve beautiful paint finishes, including sponging, dragging, stippling, distressing and lacquering? It explains the ways to master patterned effects and faux finishes, from simple stamping to imitating the appearance of oak, mahogany, beech, marble and even a trompe l'oeil sky. This title helps you learn how to create a tiled look and to stamp panels with gold leaf for a luxurious effect. It offers an expert guide to the paints, varnishes, brushes, rollers and specialist tools you will need to achieve decorative paint effects. It includes ways to remove old paint and prepare different surfaces for new finishes. It is suitable for anyone who wants to give their home a facelift, creative paint finishes can alter a room easily and cheaply. Many effects are possible, from paint finishes that imitate wood and marble and stamped gilded panels, to trompe l'oeil, which tricks the eye into seeing a three-dimensional surface that is in fact, flat. This practical book shows you step-by-step how to transform your home.