The Shed, Author at The Shed

The Shed 82, Jan/Feb 2019 issue on sale now

2 December 2018

In The Shed 82, the Jan/Feb 2019 issue, its time to join the low & slow cooking revolution – to do that we need to build our own offset smoker barbeque.
In our cover story this issue we showcase three sheddies from around the country as they have their own way of making a smoker just the way they like it. Two out of steel and one out of a wine barrel, yes, a wine barrel. We have all you need to know about low & slow cooking with rubs, woods, cuts – the lot. Get building, get smoking and get stuck in.

Bend it

30 November 2018

This design-and-make plan will enable you to make a small pan sheet metal folder that folds mild sheet metal from 18 to 26 gauge. With it, you’ll be able to fold “U” or “Z” sections or a lip on a sheet of metal. The way we’ve constructed the metal folder will also allow you to bend metal to more than 90 degrees—try that with two pieces of angle iron mounted in the vice.

Next issue of The Shed

26 November 2018

The new issue of The Shed is nearly here. Digital and print subscribers will start receiving their copies this coming Friday and it will be in the shops all over NZ next Monday, December 3.
To subscribe or to order a copy head to magstore.nz

Make a simple outrigger canoe

22 November 2018

To build it, I concentrated on the advice of most waka ama advocates: that the canoe should be made of locally available materials, quick to assemble on the launching area and very cheap to make.
This waka cost me less than $200 by using recycled material and left-over house paint for the finish. I did not work from plans but used a cardboard model that I made as a guide. The waka takes less than two minutes to assemble after we take it off its trolley.

Diamond jubilee for boots that shine in the mud

20 November 2018

Surprisingly, the modern Red Band gumboot is virtually identical to the original model, apart from the addition of a sponge innersole. Skellerup made the boots in its Woolston factory in Christchurch until the late 80s. It continues to make all the components and the boots are still handmade the same way in Skellerup’s factory in Jiangsu, China.

Make a handy saw bench jig

15 November 2018

I regularly need to cut a multiple number of short pieces on my saw bench for small box components, kids’ building blocks, small pieces for furniture etc. In the past I have clamped in place various contraptions to ensure each piece is the same length. It is difﬁcult to hold small pieces to cut them accurately but this jig solves the problem. It attaches to the saw bench in seconds and probably takes longer to get out of the cupboard than to fit.

Get to know the North Shore mens’ shed plus, how the New Zealand mens’ shed movement began

12 November 2018

What could be better than spending time in a shed? How about a bigger shed, the right tool for the job on hand, and ready access to timely tips and tricks that might save a wince-inducing blunder?
If that sounds like a good deal, you could hardly do better than to take yourself off to your local Men’s Shed and get that project under way there.

Video of how to make a metal (swarf) sweeper

8 November 2018

In Issue 81 of The Shed, Des Thomson showed us how to solve the problem of sweeping up metal waste and nails from your workshop or shed. In this video, Des discusses the build, then displays the sweeper and its uses.

Electronic, mini wooden Christmas trees

1 November 2018

That original version of this project used 3 mm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and no printed circuit board. Because of its size, it was tricky to wire and not so easy for a novice to construct. But the version of the project being followed here has been updated and adapted for easy construction.

Forging ahead

25 October 2018

When I came to select an old gas bottle for this project, the most likely candidate proved to be full of gas. Far too much gas to vent so having committed to making the forge I opted for the second-best option and bought a new bottle. At only $45 it wasn’t a huge outlay although I know that many of you will be shaking your heads at my frivolous wastefulness.
Buying a new bottle has one very handy up side: there is no volatile gas in the bottle. If there was then certain precautions are absolutely essential.

Recycled rimu outdoor chair

18 October 2018

I have almost always used recycled rimu for my chairs as it is easy to obtain and relatively cheap to buy. It seems to last for ever and once the ﬁnish has weathered a little it has that rustic look.
Buying recycled rimu from second-hand building supply dealers has the advantage that you can get it when you want it, you can pick and choose the actual sticks you buy and it comes de-nailed.

Subscribers can win with The Shed

15 October 2018

The odds of winning a subscription prize with The Shed are better than Lotto.
These three lucky subscribers each won a Karcher package of a water blaster and a wet vacuum worth $998 from The Shed Issue 80!

Build a basic trailer- part two

12 October 2018

The frame is braced by angle-iron cross members and has a sturdy, ply wooden deck. It’s best to use not less than 5-ply 12 mm minimum — in this case we have used 7-ply 17 mm. With minor variations, I have built a standard 1200 mm x 1800 mm (6ft by 4ft ) domestic trailer with a solid frame of rectangular hollow section (RHS) mild steel.

The most fun you can have on three wheels!

11 October 2018

Cambridge sheddie Kim Dawick decided to build a drift trike for a mate’s birthday. It was relatively simple and so much fun to ride he decided to build eight more to bring the old gang from school back together. Click through to see the Kim take Mike’s trike for a spin, and another one, and another one….

Can you open the right door for someone near you?

10 October 2018

In the good old days, kids who had an aptitude for trades or technical subjects would discover this at school in woodwork, metalwork, tech drawing, and the like. They would then move into apprenticeships. Today, many trades today are crying out for new entrants. Many youngsters have had a non-stop diet of academic study so they may have no idea they could have great hand skills and a promising career in a trade. It’s up to us to spot that talent and steer them in the right direction.

The Shed