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Lean-to roof
Probably the biggest project I’ve ever undertaken, both in terms of dimensions and cost. I had to acquire new skills and familiarise myself with new terminology, but fortunately, I already had most of the necessary tools in my workshop. I was aware that constructing a sturdy frame could pose a challenge, but it had to be done correctly. It needed to strike a balance between solidity and visual lightness, complementing the shed it was going to be attached to. Maintaining visual consistency between the existing structure and the new addition was one of the key objectives. Additionally, the lean-to had…
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Fruit fence
This simple fence was built to prop up laden blackcurrant branches and to keep them off the ground. The bush was growing in every direction, towards the greenhouse, through the property fence and it was taking up an unnecessary amount of space. The fence I built solved all these problems and brought a breath of fresh air into that corner of the garden. It looks rustic yet professional and the bush seems to be under control and well looked after. The job was straightforward and fun, I generally love making garden projects because of all the benefits of sunshine and…
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Soft-start module on DeWalt DWE7492
This is a fairly inexpensive upgrade that is quite easy to implement and, most importantly, significantly prolongs the saw’s lifespan. With this soft-start module installed, the saw starts slowly and gains speed gradually, which helps save the bearings and the motor. The whole process can be reversed to the factory setup, ensuring that the warranty isn’t voided. All the pictures shown below can be viewed in full size to make understanding each step even easier. Additionally, at the end of the post, I have included a short video to demonstrate the difference between before and after the module was installed.…
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Garden bench drink holder
This is one of those projects that can be built in just 15 minutes, on a whim. Although similar holders can be found online in almost every Far East marketplace, my project competes in both price and delivery time. Additionally, it can be customized to fit any garden bench and accommodate preferred drink containers, such as cans, bottles, or travel mugs, making it a winner in this competition. The drink holder is built with galvanized steel banding and angle brackets, both of which are widely available at any hardware shop. It is held together with rivets and requires no finishing.…
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All DIY-ed floating shelf with a bracket
This shelf is entirely made from scratch, both the wooden board, as well as the metal bracket, are shop-made. They’re built using basic and widely available materials with no welding involved. The shelf bracket is held in place with 2 and not 4 screws, making drilling in concrete a little easier, faster and generating less noise. Unlike the other shelf I made in the past, this one uses a single and not double bracket rail, which seems to be less overkilling and more suitable for a light shelf like this. I am not a big fan of drilling in concrete…
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Various trim repairs
There was a need to repair certain parts of the wooden trim in the house, parts that were either incorrectly installed or hadn’t stood the time well. That series of individual projects which involved woodworking and some creativity, not only helped to improve the look of the house but also built up my carpentry skills. Hiring somebody wasn’t considered as it all looked manageable and had to be done neatly – no silicone, no nails and no mess. There were more jobs successfully completed in that process and those were repaired skirting boards (with internal and external mitres), the stairs…
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Drywall shelf
I had never tried those drywall anchors prior to that project. I’d always wanted to, but I was a little petrified of them. However, I knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone if I wanted to take on more challenging DIY projects. So, I did some research and decided to give those anchors a try. It turned out that there was no need to use a setting tool to install them, which reduced the project’s cost. Additionally, the shelf brackets were reused from another project, and the board was free, so it looked like a perfect upcycling…
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Stringer-to-skirting transition blocks
There was always something visually missing between the stringer and the skirting boards, they were simply installed directly beside each other regardless of their shapes. But that was about to change and the stairs were getting an upgraded look. I made 2 transition blocks, slightly thicker than the stringer to create a reveal, I also installed new skirting boards on that wall. The blocks had a core covered with trim bits glued from 4 sides. They were made of pine to match the stringer and skirting boards and fixed to the wall with adhesive and not nails. I started by…
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Garden hose stand
It’s usually an arch that supports the hose, but in my build, I’m using 2 rounded bars. I am hoping that there won’t be any kinks and dents in the hose and the whole construction will last for years. Once I had all the timber cut to size I used my hole saw to remove some material from the horizontal pieces. As the material was too thick I had to proceed with my coping saw. To clean the cut I used the hole saw again. I then roughly removed the corners with 2 tools – a coping saw and a…
