Years later, during high school, I entered a statewide woodcraft competition with a handmade chessboard. Each square was inlaid with different exotic woods, walnut, maple, and padauk. I didn’t win. But the judge pulled me aside and said, “This isn’t competition-grade. It’s gallery-grade.” That sentence changed everything. It was no longer a hobby, it was a calling.

By the time I turned 25, I had converted a corner of my basement into a fully equipped mini-workshop.

Nights were spent sketching blueprints, and weekends were reserved for building everything from rocking chairs to canoes.

My circle grew—friends, neighbors, even strangers—asking for help with projects, or copies of my plans.

So I began archiving everything, not just to stay organized, but because I knew someday I’d want to share it all.

Now, after 30+ years in the craft, I’m semi-retired—but far from done. I teach a woodturning course twice a week at the local trade college, and every now and then, I mentor young builders who remind me of myself: eager, curious, and covered in sawdust.

TedsWoodworking.com is the result of this lifelong passion. It’s not just a collection—it’s a living record of over 16,000 woodworking plans I’ve drawn, used, tested, and improved. Each plan comes with detailed instructions, cut lists, and clear diagrams that make even complex projects feel doable.

And if you’re wondering whether this collection is for beginners or experts, truth is, it’s for anyone who’s ever looked at a pile of wood and imagined something beautiful.

I hope you build things that last. Things that matter. And maybe, just maybe, create stories of your own along the way.

Now get out there and make something worth sanding.