The Shed - Projects

Build your own LPG-powered forge video

7 August 2019

This brick forge is constructed from lightweight insulating firebrick. Known as a K26 brick it is available from Certec in Auckland.
These insulating fire bricks are rated to 1426°C and measure 230x115x75mm. They are commonly used to line foundry furnaces, forges, and kilns. These soft bricks can easily be cut to size with an ordinary wood saw, drilled to create burner openings, or routed to create channels.
Watch this video to see how we built this gas forge and an oil-powered version as well.
As featured in The Shed Issue 85

A silver butterfly takes wing

6 August 2019

If this design was being made in an art school, it would be stuck to a sheet of silver and the basic shapes cut from there. If a design was made this way in, say, 18 carat gold and the wing outlines (as here) made from 2.5mm thick metal, the outlay and waste material would be considerable from a 2.5mm-thick sheet of 18 carat gold plate. But we will make it like a professional craftsman who has to live in the real world where costs matter.

Making a word clock

30 July 2019

The Word Clock is a project created by Doug Jackson using Open Source (www.dougswordclock.com) and has been evolving into the product you see here.
It is based on an Atmel 168 processor chip as used in Arduino, is programmed using Arduino and ﬁtted into a custom-made printed circuit board (PCB).

A bowl with a decent bark

23 July 2019

The best timber for this kind of bowl is any fruit tree, the ﬂowering cherry tree, olive tree or any tree with not too thick bark. Pohutukawa is a good wood, but the bark is fragile.
The secret to capturing this natural-edged look is to turn the bowl from a piece of timber that has not yet totally dried out.

Water power on the up

16 July 2019

The ﬁrst water ram was patented in 1772 by Englishman John Whitehurst. Designs have evolved since then and continue to do so particularly in Holland where, in the 1990s, one university was building 20 water rams a year for third-world projects.

AC/DC: converting simply

10 July 2019

There are times when you need DC (Direct Current) voltage for some project or other; it is mostly small applications—has to change the 230v AC mains into something else first, normally a low-voltage DC.

The new issue of The Shed, #85, on sale Australia-wide now

8 July 2019

See this link to find your nearest Australian retailer https://www.theshedmag.co.nz/home/2018/9/5/find-your-local-australian-the-shed-retailer or head to https://magstore.nz/ to buy a copy or to subscribe for six months – two years, print and digital versions available.

On fire!

3 July 2019

Over the last couple of decades I have made my share of braziers, ﬁre pits, and pizza ovens out of anything from old truck rims to LPG cylinders. But my hands-down favourite for source material for ﬁre containers is CNG cylinders.

Making a violin – part two

26 June 2019

Making a violin is a complex job involving around 40 pieces of wood of various types and sizes and plenty of patient, skilled woodworking. In Part One we chose the best maple for the back and spruce for the belly, shaped these plates and created the rib structure. Now it’s time to ﬁnish the construction.

Making a violin – Part One

20 June 2019

When I decided to make a violin to take to a conference in America, I chose a beautiful example by Guarneri “del Gesu”—the “King” violin made in 1735—as a model.
Given the signiﬁcance of the violins by the great makers, there is a respected tradition of making copies or instruments modelled on their work. I was quite happy for The Shed magazine to follow its progress but as there are books written in great detail about violin-making, this magazine article can only be a summary of what I did and some of the problems I encountered.

The Shed July/August 2019, Issue no 85, on sale now

17 June 2019

Always wanted your own knife-makers forge? Well in the July/August Issue 85 of The Shed we show you how to make two differing styles, one using LPG power and one using used engine oil to create the heat. What a great way to dispose of old oil and both give great results without incurring huge build costs.

Then we…

A bit of light work

12 June 2019

The answer came like a light bulb. In fact, it was a light bulb – one that ﬁts snugly under the top of the drill press and shines on the complete work area below, with little or no chance of casting unwanted shadows. It’s easy to make, as you can see from the step-by-step pictures.

The Auckland Blade Show is back for 2019!

5 June 2019

Good news, the Auckland Blade show is back on again this spring. Same location, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland and this year it’s on the weekend on 12 & 13 October. See their poster for more info.
The Shed will see you there.

Tiling tips and advice thanks to Selleys

22 May 2019

Got some tiling to do? Need some best practice tips?
Well here are three videos from Selleys with advice on fixing tiles to a surface, grouting and finally sealing the tiles.
Its all done using Selleys products so you can be sure of a great result.
Enjoy.

Industrial style at home

16 May 2019

For the centre, I had intended to use one-inch (25.4 mm) diameter stainless steel that I had left over from a previous job but the lamp we purchased came with a one-inch chrome-plated tube which I decided to use. It also came with a screwed insert in the top for attaching the lamp and this saved me from needing to make an insert.
If you use stock tube, you will need to make an insert to fit in the top of the tube to take the lamp you purchase. This could be a nut you can find with the same thread as the lamp and where you just need to have the outside diameter reduced or you can make an insert and thread it accordingly.

Projects