Start making furniture
Start with a small bench you can sit on by Sunday, then a side table, then the big one. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first piece of furniture.
Space neededA garage corner or driveway
First projectA small bench in a weekend
Skill levelBeginner, basic tools
Good forHomes, gifts, a lifelong skill
The video that hooks everyone
The nicest table this maker has ever built
A table in dark hardwood, built down to a smooth, rounded corner where the leg flows into the frame. Press play and see why it hooks people.
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Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't. It builds the bench with hand tools and a drill.
Starter kit
01Boards: one 4 ft. 1x12 + one 3 ft. 1x4Pine or poplar, as straight as you can find.
02Hand sawA sharp crosscut saw cuts every part of the bench.
03Speed square, tape + pencilMeasure and mark square lines.
04Drill/driver + bitsPilot holes and screws. A countersink bit sets the heads flush.
05Wood screws, 1 1/4 in. + 1 5/8 in.Coarse-thread screws for softwood.
06Wood glueGlue plus screws makes joints that last.
07Bar clamps (2 or more)Hold parts while the glue dries.
08Sanding block + paper, 80 to 220Smooth faces, soft edges.
09Wipe-on finish + ragsProtects the wood. Easy to put on by hand.
10Glasses, dust mask, ear protectionFor every cut and sanding session.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Buying crooked boardsSight down every board at the store. A twisted or bowed board makes a wobbly bench. Pick straight ones.
- 2Skipping the glueScrews alone loosen over time. Glue in every joint makes it solid for years.
- 3Gluing a wide top down tightSolid wood grows and shrinks across its width with the seasons. Fasten big tops so they can move, or they crack.
