The pros and cons of Teds Woodworking

As much as I wish I could say Teds Working site is perfect in every way, I can't. At least not with any honesty. I've added some pros and cons about Ted's site in this post today, as well as some other woodworking plans and information. I hope you find it helpful!

When it comes to starting a woodworking project from scratch, you can't just dive into it head first. Obviously you need to have a concise and accurate materials list, as well as an idea about the size and scope of the finished project. You can't go and build a huge table, for example, if you don't have anywhere to put it! You also need to be certain that the plan is accurate, and that the measurements will be precise and exact. There is nothing worse than preparing to connect two pieces only to discover that the provided measurements were out, leaving you with a big headache.

One of the pros of Teds Woodworking is that he designed the plans himself. He didn't just scour the Internet and download all the plans he could find, he has, at one point or another, designed and built every single one of the projects on his website. Because he also built them, he is sure that the measurements are correct, and that the instructions and material lists are exact and precise as well. Score a big one for Ted on that one; Poor woodworking plans will ruin even the most talented woodworker.

Another excellent addition is more than 150 hi-resolution videos that are also included in his website. Some of them are geared towards beginners, while others are geared towards season and even professional woodworkers. A few of the videos discuss the different types of wood out there, as well as the theory behind woodworking and designing/building projects. Other videos feature in depth instructions on how to build different types of projects, like benches, desks and more. Score another one for Ted, no other side has had such easy to follow videos.

As far as drawbacks are concerned, the only one I encountered during my (admittedly frequent) visits to Ted's website is that occasionally, a plan is out of place, or in the wrong section. On one hand, you'd think that he would have noticed that when making his website. But on the other hand, you think about the time and dedication required to put over 16,000 plans on his website and an occasional slip up on Teds part starts to make sense. I haven't discovered anything else wrong with Teds Woodworking thus far, the plans are always precise and accurate, I haven't had any other issues.

The fact that Teds Woodworking is only $67 seems like Ted is being shortchanged on this one. I have spent more on books that have only a few hundred plans inside of them, so I'm definitely kicking myself over that one. And unlike books with a few hundred plans, Ted's Woodworking features over 16,000 individual projects. The cost to value ratio is pretty much through the roof on this one.

Head over to Teds Working to see what I'm talking about.