Latest news and features
Build a sand trolley
I used a pipe 3200mm long, but it depends on what you have. This is 2400mm along the flat and bent up at the front. The horizontal distance, from the flat to the tip lengthwise, is 340mm. I measured from a square on the pipe, and out 340mm for the bend. The axle is usually 1200mm. I turned a little insert stub axle for putting through the one-inch (25mm) bush in the centre of the wheel and into the axle. You could also turn down the axle to fit. It’s a straight bush because bearings and saltwater don’t mix.
The Shed May/June 2021 Issue 96, on sale now in Australia, nationwide
Our cover story in the May/June 2021 Issue No. 96 of The Shed is about a sheddie who decided to avoid spending a fortune on tools for his new career and instead make his own. Why? Because he could, and it saved waiting months for delivery in these Covid ravaged times. Plus there were considerable financial savings to be had.
3D Printing
Here we’re going to use 3D printing to do a modern twist on “lost wax” casting.
It’s a trick that’s more than 5000 years old: make something in wax, bury it in clay or plaster leaving a hole in the shell. Bake the heck out of it to remove the wax and then pour molten metal down the hole. If everything stays together, you get a metal replica of your wax object.
Make your own telescope
This a project to make a popular Newtonian-design reflector telescope with a Dobsonian mount. The principle of the telescope is to collect light and then magnify the image. The light from a distant object (a star or planet) is gathered by the mirror and brought to a focal point. The eyepiece is used to focus and enlarge the image. By changing the eyepiece, we can increase the magnification and the size of the image. The larger the objective or mirror the more light it can gather and therefore you can use a higher magnification eyepiece.
The art of bone carving
When the meat lovers among us think about carving up Daisy the cow, we’re picturing the Sunday roast but Lilach Paul sees bare white bones: blank canvases to be brought to their full potential beneath her Dremel drill.
Video of the Iona Boathouse Project as featured in Issues 91 and 92
In two consecutive issues of The Shed, we followed the build of a tiny house on the banks of the Whanganui River.
Metal with pictures
The basics of engraving are not too difficult and can be mastered with perseverance. However, as with anything, it takes practice to achieve true dexterity and ability. There is nothing more beautiful, timeless, exacting or lasting than a craftsman’s engraving. The best way to begin is to give it a go.
Introducing the new TUSK Ceramic Strip Disc
The fibres are embedded with coarse grade silicon carbide ensuring aggressive removal of surface applications such as rust, corrosion, epoxy resin, and paint without loading or damaging the metal surface leaving a fine finish.
Have you got that in nylon?
Need nylon fasteners or washers? Hi-Q Components is the go-to solution for the widest range of nylon screws, nuts, bolts, and washers in both metric and imperial sizes for all engineering or assembly needs. Threaded rod in 1-metre lengths is also available in M3–M20 sizes. Hi-Q Components also
The Shed May/June 2021 Issue 96, on sale now
Our cover story in the May/June 2021 Issue No. 96 of The Shed is about a sheddie who decided to avoid spending a fortune on tools for his new career and instead make his own. Why? Because he could, and it saved waiting months for delivery in these Covid ravaged times. Plus there were considerable financial savings to be had.
The Shed March/April 2021 Issue 95, on sale now across Australia
Making Damascus steel is a true skill and the patterned finish really adds style to any knife. These knives are rightly famous for the keen edge they can be sharpened to and the length of time they retain that edge.
But how do you get those distinctive patterns the same each time and do that consistently? Well, we have found a knife maker who can do just that. Matt James has been making Damascus steel since the late 1990s and now does so from his well-equipped and spacious workshop.
A garden arch in a weekend
A garden arch can add a little class to an entrance or gateway or serve as a base upon which to grow a climber or climbing rose. It adds some structure to a garden environment.
The beauty of this arch is that it can be made in a weekend. This arch is very simply constructed but its design can be endlessly varied to suit the whim of the landscaper. It’s quite possible to use this with four posts and form an entrance.
Man of metal
Metal is Bill Martel’s passion. He realises his own dreams in metal and those of his customers out of a very large “shed” in Plimmerton, the engine room of his business, Metalmorphic.
During 17 years of high-precision work, he and his team have made all sorts of furniture, balustrades, ornamental light shades, and more, even a 17th-century wrought iron sundial, four metres in diameter, which they “cut up into little pieces” and reassembled to correspond with the southern hemisphere.
This cradle rocks
When I got the news that I was going to be a father of a baby girl I thought that maybe I could get out of redecorating the baby’s room if I embarked on a special project under the house.
The idea of building a cradle boat was inspired by photos in an old magazine so I went bought a copy of The Expectant Father’s Cradle Boat Book. But the boats were either very basic or so intricate I’d be lucky to finish it in time for her 21st birthday.
Video of the knifemaking workshop of Brent Sandow
In The Shed magazine Issue 92, we featured master knifemaker Brent Sandow and learned a lot about his knifemaking skills. While we were there, Brent also gave us a guided tour of his well-equipped knifemaking workshop. Be prepared for workshop envy.
Best of The Shed2 on sale now across Australia
Whatever your workshop passion, from woodworking to welding, from electronics to outdoor projects, there are some great ideas here. If you are a newbie, give them a go — you have to start somewhere in your journey to be a creative sheddie. We have 16 more great projects in this second edition of Best of The Shed. All have clear instructions that demonstrate the build process and include diagrams and parts lists.
Sheddies on both sides of the Tasman have been inspired by the projects and informative features we run in the magazine, and this is a selection of some of our most popular articles from the first 15 years of The Shed.
Best of The Shed2 on sale now
Whatever your workshop passion, from woodworking to welding, from electronics to outdoor projects, there are some great ideas here. If you are a newbie, give them a go — you have to start somewhere in your journey to be a creative sheddie. We have 16 more great projects in this second edition of Best of The Shed. All have clear instructions that demonstrate the build process and include diagrams and parts lists.
Sheddies on both sides of the Tasman have been inspired by the projects and informative features we run in the magazine, and this is a selection of some of our most popular articles from the first 15 years of The Shed.
Installing sliding doors
French doors give a house much readier indoor-outdoor flow, especially when they open onto a deck. The old villa being renovated for this project had existing French doors leading from the back of the house to the outside.
However, the owner wanted a wider, more user-friendly opening and the answer was a bigger set of doors. The doors in this project are unusual
The Shed March/April 2021 Issue 95, on sale now
Making Damascus steel is a true skill and the patterned finish really adds style to any knife. These knives are rightly famous for the keen edge they can be sharpened to and the length of time they retain that edge.
But how do you get those distinctive patterns the same each time and do that consistently? Well, we have found a knife maker who can do just that. Matt James has been making Damascus steel since the late 1990s and now does so from his well-equipped and spacious workshop.
Sawing with shush
If you haven’t heard these Tusk Silent Timber blades in operation you can’t fully appreciate what a difference they make. They are not silent but they are significantly quieter, and probably never squeal. These ultra-thin, deep-cutting, premium-quality saw blades are made especially for use on electric or cordless circular saws. They feature a patented sound
How to save crumbling wood
Earl’s Wood Hardener penetrates into soft and rotted wood fibres, restoring them to near original strength. It makes repairs possible to even the most fragile wood, ready for full restoration. Forget digging out rot. Earl’s Wood Hardener will penetrate wood fibres, and once dry, you can patch and paint, if necessary.
Channelling Houdini
In a sash-windowed meeting room in the upper reaches of the historic Thistle Inn in Wellington, an unusual band of people is preparing for their monthly meeting. Master lockpicker and meeting organiser Derek Robson, aka D.Roc, is assembling an array of locks; dozens of them—mortise locks, pin tumbler locks, tubular locks, various padlocks, combination locks, wafer locks, even a selection of handcuffs, to challenge tonight’s group.
The bike dude
Gary still lives in the house where he was raised in rural Taranaki and he spends a lot of time repairing bikes to give to kids so that they can have the freedom he enjoyed in his childhood.
Gary is known locally as “The Bike Dude” and he’s been doing this for a while. There are second and third generations of kids out there riding bikes Gary has renewed.
The Shed Issue 94, the January/February edition, is now on sale across Australia
The magazine is now on sale at your favourite newsagent and subscribers’ copies are with Australia Post so will be with customers in the coming days.
Here is where to find your nearest local The Shed stockist and check out the fully-illustrated rundown of what’s in this issue.
To purchase a copy of this issue or subscribe in Australia, from only NZ$49, head to our online shop.
A matter of time
I purchased all the brass sheet and rounds required, plus a main-spring, brass bolts, and screws of the various sizes needed.
Now where to start on the clock?
I carefully read and followed the order and instructions of the book. If the instructions are not adhered to, many anxious moments and frustrations will follow.
Vertigo CNC turns dreams into reality
Vertigo CNC routers are proudly New Zealand–designed-and-developed, and they’re locally manufactured too, in Christchurch. The mid-size desktop Vertigo MX2-N, which has a working area of 1200 x 600 x 120mm, delivers accuracy, utilizing lead screws and stepper motor control, at an affordable price.
It offers flexibility in part size and material choice, working with plywood, wood, plastics, aluminium, and other non-ferrous metals, and there’s a Facebook community of more than 600 users for this desktop router. The Vertigo MX2-N CNC has an RRP of $6995, incl. GST. or $47.00 per week on finance. For more information, visit vertigocnc.com, or see Vertigo’s YouTube channel, or visit Facebook.com/vertigocnc.
This is the nail
Merry Christmas to all our Shed magazine readers and website fans. The Shed is taking a few weeks’ break from posting content but we are hard at it prepping the next issue of the magazine whilst we grab a bit of summer R&R.
Have a great summer holiday and enjoy that extra time now available to you for your special projects. However, before you get stuck into any home maintenance projects, have a quick read of this poem by one of our Shed favourite writers, Rod Kane. You may just decide to have a beer instead.
This is the nail
..that sparked all my fears
Of maintenance imperative, painting, repairs
The portico leaked, just a rusty old nail
But it wasn’t just one, the whole roof was a fail
So up there I goes and a…
Metal life saver
Autosol Rust Ex is a powerful, industrial-strength corrosion and stain remover that is quick and easy to use — it’s as simple as wiping on and rubbing off for standout results. It quickly removes rust, tarnishing, discolouration, oxidation, and even bluing, and will give metal surfaces a new lease of life. See hobeca.co.nz for more information.
Fractul (or Lichtenberg) wood burners are not safe, do not build or use
WorkSafe NZ has contacted The Shed and advised us of two recent deaths of New Zealanders using a Lichtenberg wood burner. They have advised us that these electrical devices are not safe to use and are dangerous.
Do not build or use one of these machines under any circumstances as they are unsafe and can cause fatal injuries.
See this information on the Worksafe website https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-media/fractal-burning/
Rain, rain come again
Imagine filling a 300-litre tank with rainwater in an hour* …
Twist is a compact rainwater diverter that makes the most of the free rainwater collected on your roof by connecting your downpipe to a small tank, giving you free water for gardening, cleaning, topping up aquariums, ponds or pools, or as an emergency supply.
Cutting edge
Make light work of cutting most materials with the two-piece Tusk Retractable and Folding Utility Knife Set. Lightweight and durable, make tool-free blade changes at the press of a button and the foldable knife can be operated with one hand.
Ultimate outdoor entertaining
Create the ultimate outdoor entertaining area, uniquely tailored to your needs, with a Gasmate Avenir 6 or 4 gas barbecue and modules. Made from 304 commercial grade stainless steel, the Avenir range looks great and is built to last, with high-output stainless steel burners, a rear ceramic rotisserie burner, and a side burner catering to budding chefs.
Burning bright
Making a brazier is one of those things that I am sure every sheddie has at the back of their minds to create one day. It’s just that, as we know, “one day” takes its time arriving.
I have to admit that I am no exception to that rule. Even when the component parts presented themselves to me it took a while before I found the time to put into the project. Six truck brake drums that had outlived their useful life were the starting point, donated by the owner of a fleet who only asked that one of the braziers be made for him.
A night at the speedway
The allusion to knights and jousting is apt. Like knights in armour, the drivers especially of the sprint cars have very restricted vision. They can peer through the grille in front and can see a bit to the left but their right-hand vision is blocked by a wing and within the confines of the cockpit—with helmet and neck brace in place—they have very little opportunity to turn their heads. To make things worse, other cars are flinging up dust and mud that also helps to clog their vision.
Hold your grip
Injection moulding is ideal for manufacturing grips with unique contours and patterns that are difficult or impossible to achieve using other grip-processing technologies.
GripWorks’ very popular line of ‘Hunt Wilde’ injection-moulded FPVC grips come in a variety of styles, with local distributor Hi-Q Components stocking plain straight, ribbed nubbed, contoured bump, straight ribbed, tapered flanged, flanged rib-finned, and honey comb options. Perfect for the likes of outdoor power equipment, lawn and garden tools, sporting goods, bicycles, maintenance equipment, and much more, the GripWorks Hunt Wilde range is designed to fit standard bar sizes and diameters, including: ½-inch, ³/₄-inch, ⁷/₈-inch, 1-inch, 1¹/₄-inch.
See the Hi-Q Components website to order online or for more information, email [email protected] or call 0800 800 293.
The Shed January/February 2021 Issue 94, on sale now
There’s a real Triumph in the issue of The Shed and a twin-engined one at that as well as the bonus of our annual The Shed 2021 wall calendar.
Our cover story this issue is about a central South Island marine engineer sheddie who really is living the dream. A love of classic cars and motorbikes has seen this marine engineer buy a working garage to store and restore his own collection as well as operate it as an everyday mechanical repair garage for local customers.
A satisfying lidded box
The size and shape of the lidded box is limited only by the size of wood you have, and your imagination. Keep in mind that the size of the lid must please the design of the box as a whole. I usually strive to make the size of the lid approximately one-third of the total box size.
The Shed Issue 93 now on sale in Australia
Well, it took a bit longer to arrive than usual but at last, the November/December 2020 Issue 93 of The Shed is on sale across Australia from today, Thursday 19 November.
The COVID 19 pandemic has played havoc with international freight shipping so its later than usual arriving in Sydney for distribution around the country. Australian subscribers will start receiving their copies from this week as well.
Make your own mortar water feature
As far as Do-It-Yourself art goes, I believe this is probably the best value for money, extremely satisfying, not to mention therapeutic, and it can last for years outside or can be passed down through the generations. I now enjoy doing this for its own sake, too. When you come home tired from work, it can be very relaxing to pour a mould of mortar in a box, or using one you prepared previously, to just start shaping and sculpting.