1+ week, 1+ day ago (507+ words) As an engineer, Bob worked on everything from auto parts to oil rigs. The carpentry business that followed was hugely enjoyable but not particularly lucrative, so he supported his passion with consultancy work. How To DIY A Wooden Box From A Single Piece Of Wood (If You Have The Right Tools) A wooden box can be anything from a simple container for storing bits and pieces to an elaborately handcrafted piece for jewelry. Joanna Gaines' stunning storage solution that doubles as decor uses basic boxes to great effect, and there's a DIY method to make them in a variety of sizes from a single piece of wood. However, you do need the right tools. Fortunately, these can be quite affordable when compared with some of the tools worth investing in to start woodworking at home. What you'll need is a…...

4+ mon, 1+ day ago (659+ words) As a writer for House Digest, Kyle has authored articles about tips for completing tasks from replacing your smart thermostat to preparing your air conditioning unit for winter. He also regularly writes about the latest technologies and capabilities found in construction and outdoor power tools. The No-Fuss Jigsaw Trick For Cutting Out The Middle Of Wood Jigsaws are essential power tools, allowing you to make both straight and detailed curved cuts. You can create several amazing DIY projects with a jigsaw tool. One of the most popular uses for this type of power saw is for cutting a hole or panel out of the middle of a piece of wood. Jigsaws may not be one of the most important tools every homeowner should have, but they're great to have when working in a tight space because they're smaller than other…...

5+ mon, 2+ week ago (662+ words) Emily has worked as a professional writer and designer since 2003. She was a design editor at Paste Magazine, covering stories ranging from handmade holiday gifts to the release of an R2D2 mini fridge. The Easiest Joinery For DIY Drawers (It's Not Dovetail) We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Whether you're an expert carpenter or a novice, if you love to do woodworking projects, it doesn't take long before it's time to try your hand at building a drawer. Drawers are ideal for cabinets and dressers because they add functionality, organization, and easy access while efficiently utilizing space. But constructing them can be a serious challenge, especially because unless you love battling a stuck drawer open, you'll need to make precise measurements, cuts, and smart joinery choices to ensure both structural integrity and proper alignment. You're probably familiar…...

5+ mon, 3+ week ago (583+ words) Ron's career is a roadmap to the intersection of off-beat home construction, writing, technology, media, and creativity. Ron sold his first article to a national computer magazine around age 15. The Wood Cutting Hack That Will Save You Time And Effort We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Measuring boards for a bunch of identical cuts is a notoriously difficult thing to do consistently. Pro carpenters are very good at both measuring and cutting precisely. So precisely, in fact, that they have terminology ("leave the line," "take the line," and even "split the line") for whether to cut on or just next to a pencil mark. But because measuring with almost comically difficult-to-use instruments and ripping through wood with a spinning blade are both very coarse analog processes, real precision can be very hard to achieve. It's good,…...

6+ mon, 1+ week ago (494+ words) Christine has been writing about interior and home design for more than 20 years. She started her career in Chicago, where she helped launch Chicago Home magazine, and later moved to NYC to work as the senior textiles editor at Home Furnishings News. The Affordable Woodworking Tool Every DIYer Will Want In Their Toolbox We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. A woodworking hobby can mean investing in a long list of tools, but not every product in the shop needs to be an expensive power saw or high-tech router. Enter, the combination square. This affordable, multi-use tool makes sure you follow the woodworking tip every beginner should know: measure twice and cut once. A basic combination square has three main parts: a handle to measures angles, a metal ruler, and a thumb screw to lock the ruler…...

6+ mon, 3+ week ago (589+ words) Paige has loved writing, organizing, and caring for plants since she was five years old. She began her writing career covering community events for local newspapers and has since branched out to larger publications, including HGTV.com. The Affordable DIY Trellis That's Perfect For Your Climbing Plants Gardening is a great way to add some exercise and more time in nature into your life. It can also even improve your diet, as you are more likely to eat the things you grow. All of this can help reduce stress, making gardening good for your mental health. Whether you are becoming an expert gardener or just beginning, investing in climbing plants and vines is a beautiful addition to any home paradise. But, you will be needing a trellis to give your plants support. An arch trellis can be both a practical…...

6+ mon, 3+ week ago (632+ words) Noah has been working as a professional writer in cleaning, pet care, and home improvement spaces for over four years. Before fulfilling his passion for writing, he served as an expert with Ashley Furniture, helping clients redefine their spaces with interior design and furniture-build insights. Skip The Store And DIY Your Own Wood Dowels For Your Next Project We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. For such a simple component, crafting a wood dowel can surprisingly seem well beyond a DIYer's capacity. A perfectly rounded rod is hardly the easiest shape to free hand with the essential tools homeowners should have, making an inconvenient trip to the hardware store an apparent inevitability. Wouldn't it be nice if you could save time and money by just whipping these up at home? And wouldn't it be even nicer if…...

7+ mon, 6+ day ago (639+ words) Chad's writing experience can be traced back to his bad teenage poetry. Professionally speaking, though, he got his start writing headlines for the local paper, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, in his hometown of Parkersburg, WV. The Wood Measuring Hack That Is The Most Quick And Accurate Measure twice, cut once. If only it were that simple. Wait a second " it is. What this justified cliche says, of course, is it's wise to double-check your measurement before making your cut. This saves time and material, so it's pretty practical advice. But what if you could measure twice " as in, make two measurements " and be just as accurate? It turns out you can, and the fix is clever and easy to do. Mark a line 10 inches from one corner, then measure over to your mark from the opposite side and add those…...

7+ mon, 1+ week ago (228+ words) Chad's writing experience can be traced back to his bad teenage poetry. Professionally speaking, though, he got his start writing headlines for the local paper, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, in his hometown of Parkersburg, WV. The Carpenter's Cutting Hack For Bending Solid Wood Wood is well-known to be a very versatile medium. What isn't so well-known, though, is its properties for bending. For instance, you can use steam to shape this otherwise inflexible material or employ a process called bent lamination where thin wood layers are face-glued together and clamped around a form. But a hack called kerf bending or kerf cutting (a kerf is the width of the space left by a saw blade) is an accessible approach you can do with tools you likely have on hand. Adding curves to your work really opens up what's possible, allowing…...

7+ mon, 1+ week ago (585+ words) Jason is a writer, editor, and proofreader with over a decade of experience working on all manner of publications in academia, private enterprise, and the nonprofit sector. His credits include work at Game Rant, writing about the video game industry and scheduling interviews with independent developers as Lead Features Editor; Truly Hermosa, a biannual magazine and directory for the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce; and Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary, contributing web design expertise and crowdfunding campaigns for a no-kill shelter. The Nifty Way To Transform Craft Sticks Into A Unique Door Covering Humans have been creating art for at least 45,000 years, and it's easy to see why. Beyond communication and expression, scientific research backs up the role of viewing artwork in relieving stress, boosting brain activity, developing empathy, and fostering community. This doesn't just refer to capital "A" museum art....