Courtesy of David Rocamora
Maybe you love the idea of handmade wood furniture but just can't get into the actual process, or maybe you love woodworking but can't always commit the time it needs; either way, these eight projects from Popular Mechanics let you turn out impressive results using "alternative" methods.
Popular Mechanics rounded up all eight projects from Instructables, and they range from Crate-and-Barrel-copycat—like this table, modeled after a C&B version, made from reclaimed Douglas Fir beams—to tire-topped swivel stools, which use a discarded wheelbarrow tire as a seat. Other ideas: building chairs, stools, and cabinets without nails, screws, or glue; carving wood without a lathe; turning old fence posts into signs and furniture; shaping wood without a jointer; and whittling lumber into oars for your next canoe trip.
Each project takes a classic woodworking technique and makes it easy and accessible for novices—and for pros—so you can finally put that garage workshop to good use. Have any favorite carpentry projects of your own? Tell us about them in the comments below.
