Woodworking is a fun and productive hobby, and a creative and timeless profession. We could trace the origins of woodworking practically to the earliest recorded history. Throughout the internet, you can find dozens of different reviews on Ted’s Woodworking. Many of them are contradicting each other, and can leave you unsure about whether or not it is a legitimate product. This article is going to attempt to consolidate the information that is out there and make the decision easier. Also in this article, we will cover a great deal about woodworking. We will discuss a general overview of woodworking and some of the modern advances, so that the reader will understand the need for certain products like Ted’s Woodworking.
Ted’s Woodworking is a collection of thousands of woodwork design plans which come on a CD, or are downloaded from a website. This product has had very mixed reviews, and great success. While what the company claims sounds like a fantastic offer, the negative reviews have gone so far as to accuse the whole thing of being a scam. We will discuss it in detail, and hopefully shine a light on the topic so that readers can make an informed decision.
Ted’s Woodworking
Let’s spend some time going over what the company claims they are offering. While woodworking requires a great deal of skill and creativity, coming up with designs and concepts can be rather daunting. Sometimes the woodworker might wish to commit their time to the actual work, rather than planning new projects. Ted’s Woodworking is a product meant to help woodworkers stay focused on the work by providing thousands of ready-made design plans at a cost. More than that, the product is a boon to ameture woodworkers that are just starting out; giving them step-by-step instructions that they can use to gain experience and learn new techniques.
With over 16,000 woodworking project plans, Ted’s Woodworking makes projects an easy step-by-step process. There are plans for everything from gazebos to coasters. There are plans for children’s toys, guitars, outdoor furniture, indoor furniture, and thousands of other projects. The designs for woodworking projects come with step-by-step instructions, pictures of every angle, lists of cuts and measurements, and more. These instructions are suitable for all skill levels, from beginner to expert, although the focus is on helping beginners learn.
Ted Mcgrath is a master woodworker that has been in the woodworking business for over 40 years. Throughout those many years in the business, he tried to collect as many design ideas as he could find or create, and compile them all into one easily accessible product. Now he is offering 16,000 woodworking designs for somewhere in the area of fifty dollars. The price varies regularly, but the offer has consistently stayed the same.
Woodworking Overview
Without a doubt, woodworking has been a staple in the construction and economy of most civilizations. Even thousands of years ago woodworkers were mentioned in recorded histories, songs, poems, and stories. Before the advent of modern manufacturing technology, individual woodworkers were responsible for some or most of our tools, furniture, cabinetry, weaponry, boats, and various miscellaneous items like gazebos and coffins. If you consider what woodworkers were contributing to societies before wood items could be mass produced, you will realise that they were invaluable and irreplaceable as a profession. A highly skilled woodworker in the pre-manufacturing era was as indispensable as any scientist or politician.
Today, it may be tempting to think that the importance of a skilled woodworker has diminished, but this could not be further from the truth. Not only does the profession hold historic and artistic value to almost every society, but wood is still one of the most commonly used materials in the world for building many products that we use in our everyday life. Take a moment to look around your home and count the number of crafted wooden items you can see from where you’re sitting. Don’t forget the chair you’re sitting on, or the trim around your walls, or the coffee table by the couch. We could go on and on because woodwork is essential today, even though much of it is done by mass production rather than hand crafting individual items.
Woodworking is the kind of skill that you develop through years of practice. It certainly does not hurt to study it and maybe even get some tutelage under an experienced woodworker, but you will need to get a great deal of hands-on experience to become an expert. Here are some of the many tips and techniques that any aspiring woodworker should learn and practice in order to hone their skills.
- Know Your Tools: There are literally hundreds of tools used in woodworking. Whether it is a table saw, band saw, planer, sander, drill, lathe, or one of the many other possibilities, you should know what it does, and how to operate it safely.
- Know Your Wood: This one might come as a surprise to aspiring woodworkers, but not all wood is created equal. Each individual type of wood, be it pine, oak, ceder, ash, or any other, is very different from the others. You should know the difference between a hardwood or a softwood, as well as how the grain of each wood impacts the sanding and planing techniques.
- Cutting Various Joints: There are many different kinds of joints that can be cut into wood for many different purposes. There are bridle joints, dovetails, finger joints, and many more. Learning and practicing these joints can take your woodworking skills to a whole new level.
- Practice Safety: Woodworking uses sharp and powerful tools that are designed to cut through wood, which is much heavier and stronger than your fingers. Keep this in mind while you work. Wear gloves and safety glasses, and know the safest way to operate each tool. It is not worth losing a finger or an eye just to take a short cut.
Why Do You Need Pre-Made Designs?
Let’s start with a sincere disclaimer, you absolutely do not need any premade designs. The first woodworkers came up with their own designs without any help. However, those same woodworkers passed those designs down to their children or apprentices, so the concept of using someone else’s design is not at all foriegn to the profession. Creating your own designs may appeal to you, and that is fine, but many woodworkers simply do not have the time to learn that aspect of the profession, or perhaps they just do not want to commit their time and energy to designing when they could be building. Whatever the case, pre-made designs can be useful and relevant to the work. Most woodworkers are already reusing old designs, whether they made them personally or not. Ted’s Woodworking is simply offering something that almost every woodworker already uses, except that in this case it is being offered in bulk. So the question is not whether the concept is legitimate or not, but rather whether or not this specific offer is what it claims to be.
Ted’s Woodworking Mixed Reviews
A simple web search of Ted’s Woodworking is going to bring up a myriad of both positive and negative reviews about this product. Many people have purchased the product and were entirely happy with the results. Some found that it was not all they expected it to be, but for the price they were still relatively satisfied. Others were so unhappy with the product that they went so far as to accuse the whole thing of being a scam right from the start. Considering the wide variety of responses, chances are the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Ted’s Woodworking advertisement claims to be selling 16,000 different project designs. However, nearly every review, whether positive or negative, claimed that there were significantly less than that in actuality. The positive reviews assured that there were still more than enough designs to help an ameture woodworker stay busy for years, but that many of them were actually copies with only minor variations. Considering the fact that the company has sold millions of dollars worth of the product, the positive reviews likely have the truth of it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this product is really designed with ameture woodworkers in mind. There are plenty of great ideas for experts in the field to find inspiration from, but the step-by-step guides would probably just be tedious to someone with years of experience already under their belt.
Is it WorthThe Cost?
While there is a lot to consider, and several people are adamantly against the product, there does seem to be more reason to lend some credibility to Ted’s Woodworking as a legitimate way to kickstart your hobby or career as a woodworker. Although the price does vary, it is not terribly expensive. Considering the cost, and the difficulty level of this particular profession, it does seem that this is exactly the kind of help that can make a great deal of difference in a woodworker’s hobby or career.
