Lesson learnt from getting on the tools

Using a mitre saw

Cheaper saws and blades can have wider cuts or deviate as they spin up or not be aligned as you think they are.

A set of shelves under the house

I reused the chairs from an old picnic table set under the house to give me a set of broad shelves. These were placed on vertical and horizontal frames and batten screwed together. It now holds all the camping gear.

A chalkboard

For Christmas I thought it would be nice to try and build a chalkboard for the house.

https://www.ourhomemadeeasy.com/how-to-make-a-diy-chalkboard-sign/

This required some pallets and learning how to use the mitre saw for the frame. Lesson: 45 degrees on your mitre saw may not line up if you cut on different sides of the wood (rather than swinging the blade for each end) or if your bench and therefore wood and saw has movement in them. I then had to figure out the type of join that would best suit.

• https://www.mybluprint.com/article/basic-sturdy-wood-joints-and-when-to-use-them
• https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/joinery/end-to-end

I didn’t want to use right-angle brackets around the edges or across the back. I discovered pocket joins and, as there were no Kregg jigs locally available, I practised doing them free-hand on some spare wood until I could basically get it right.

I also needed to mount the thing and after a little research came across the French Cleat and a way of cutting them without a table saw