Using Balsa Wood

Make a small stove to burn wood chips using the wood gas method. Get tips from this how to tutorial.

In this video we are shown the proper way to stain wood. For the demonstration in this video our host uses oak cabinets. Wearing rubber gloves, use a rag to apply the coat of stain. You will want to apply two coats of stain followed by a coat of polyurethane to protect your st ...more

Here is one method of making model brickwork and detailing wood for dioramas and miniature game terrain. Carve some light lines into a flat piece of balsa wood and coat it with a thin layer of plaster. This simple trick creates a realistic brickwork effect for miniature dioram ...more

Whether you're using wood or metal posts, it's important to know how to properly keep fence posts in the proper place. I this next landscaping tutorial, you'll be finding out the importance of using concrete on your fenceposts and mailbox posts. Just a small bag of concrete, c ...more

Check out this science video to see how to make a solar-powered miniature car. To make this solar-powered mini car, you'll need some balsa wood, a small motor, two steel rods, four wheels, four washers, a straw of any color, two gears, a solar cell, hot glue gun, a tape measur ...more

Vroom! Power a balsa wood vehicle from the energy of a mousetrap! Fun and easy project brought to you by Make Magazine!

Did you know that right now people are giving away all sorts of stuff for free on Craigslist? Check out the "free" listings, and you'll be surprised by what you can find. In this video, we see how to make a folding stool using wood that was picked up for free off of Craigslist.

There are so many furniture polish sprays out there that sometimes its difficult to choose one. This how to video demonstrates how to polish wood using only olive oil and lemon. Its a safer, greener and eco-friendly manner of polishing and cleaning your furniture.

When a thick piece of wood is treated the treatment doesn't soak into the center of the wood. If you are using the wood for a fence post you need to treat the bottom of the wood so that the ground moisture doesn't damage it. In this how to video, home improvement expert Danny ...more

This short video explains how to create a mini milkshake for a doll. Using Elmer's Probond Stainable Wood Filler is preferable because it happens to already be the right color, although using this brand is not absolutely required-any wood filler would do. You can find this at ...more

In this video, we learn how to build a portable personal heater. This is a great weekend project that is easy to make and will keep you warm during a freezing winter. You will need: two double a batteries, charger, twin double a battery charger, winding wire, and balsa wood. F ...more

In this tutorial, we learn how to make a poplar wine rack. First, cut the top, bottom, and sides of the rack. Then, use a router to cut out the center of it. Now, assemble the rack together by using wood glue. After this, measure the length of the diagonals, then add in pieces ...more

Ron Hazelton shows how to rip cut a very long piece of wood using a circular saw instead of a table saw. First, place sawhorses approximately every 4 feet under the wood. Choose the correct blade for the wood. Affix the circular saw with an edge gu ...more

Making a rifle from scratch can be a fun and challenging experience for gun lovers. Building old fashioned weapons using wood and other metal pieces can give the creator something that may resemble a piece of history. So in this tutorial, you'll be finding out how to install ...more

We enjoy crafting of all sorts (nothing better to take your mind off, well, everything, after a long day at work), but polymer clay holds a special place in our hearts. Unlike painting or building contraptions out of wood, using polymer clay gives us the God-like power to make ...more

When molding or carving pieces of wood using a lathe, it's important that you have the right tools for the job. This includes having your tools nice and sharp for when you need them. You can actually pay someone to do this, but how about you save some money? In this tutorial, ...more

Build a fire with a Duraflame firestarter. This video is going to show you how to do this. Crystal Whole from Duraflame is demonstrating the process in this video. First get your chimney cleaned and inspected. Keep all inflammable material at least 3 feet away from the hearth. ...more

Do you want to learn how to build cabinets? Watch this five-part video tutorial for the basics of cabinet making using wood. Part one demonstrates the basics of making cabinet boxes from sheet goods while part two goes over how to cut the deck and stretchers for European-style ...more

Not sure what decoupage is? Then watch this video to find out! It will show you how to turn an ordinary, drab wooden picture frame into a decorative wood picture frame using decoupage (gluing different kinds of paper onto unfinished wood).

Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, demonstrates how to make professional square angles of different slopes, using a wood framing square.

Hemp jewelry is crunchy granola chic no matter how you style it. Made of rustic, slightly frayed natural hemp and adorned with natural materials like seashells and wood beads, hemp jewelry is as surfer chic as you can get. If you enjoy making your own hemp bracelets and neckl ...more

Brush up on your survival skills with help from this video conducted by the Maine Primitive Skills School. In this video, learn how to start a fire in the woods practicing the fire thong friction fire method using rattan wood.

Need a change? Brighten up your kitchen and give your cabinets a new look with a fresh coat of paint. In this tutorial, learn how to paint your kithcen cabinets a fast and efficient way. You Will Need: • A screwdriver • Grease-cutting cleanser • A sponge • Wood putty • A ...more

Accidents happen. Once they've taken place it's impossible to go back and fix whatever mistake you made. Or is it? When it comes to wood, or other materials, dents, indentations, or cuts can easily disappear when using the right type of wood filler. It's especially important t ...more

BBQ season is just around the corner, so why not mix it up a bit this year? Instead of cooking on the same old boring grill, try out the steps in this tutorial. This video will show you how to cook using wood and add a unique, smokey taste to your meat. You Will Need • A wood ...more

Here's a useful design technique: Scott Weichert demonstrates how to create a wood grain pattern using the Gradient tool and the Warp command. Create a wood grain pattern in Illustrator. Click through to watch this video on layersmagazine.com

Keeping your deck in shape involves a number of steps. You can't just go out and start staining the deck. It must be cleaned first. Composite decks or PVC decks can be pressured washed but if you use too much power on a wood deck you will curl it or cause the fiber on the deck ...more

This video shows how to clean old records using Titebond II wood glue. He has the record turning slowly on the turntable, and while it's turning, slowly squeezes a line of glue around and around onto the surface of the record, starting from the middle. He explains that it take ...more

For this project you will need 2 Wooden palettes (long as you can get), angle iron (coping made from steel), Sheet of ply (or any other wood will do fine) and the usual tools like nails, hammer and saw. Stick the two wooden palettes together using glue and make sure they're dr ...more

If your decking boards need to be replaced it is really not that difficult. Start by removing the facia or edge boards that hold the decking boards in place using a crowbar. Remove the decking boards from the joists. Check the joists for dry rot while you have the decking boar ...more

This video shows you how to sharpen a jack knife or wood-carving knife using coarse, medium, and fine stones and cooking oil. Use the coarse stone, applying oil to the stone first then pushing the knife down on the stone in each direction, matching the bevel to the stone. Next ...more

How to build a high tunnel to protect your plants This video shows how to build a greenhouse over your plants so that you can extend the growing season into the winter. Take some rebar and put it in the ground around your plants. Then take electrical conduit bent into half cir ...more

The rhinestone studded nails will be more attractive. To make your nails a perfect complement to any acrylic or polished nails use your wildest imagination to make it more attractive. The following steps will help to make beautiful, rocker rhinestone studded nails. The first s ...more

Learn this easy way to repair holes in drywall with this method of repair using no nails, screws or wood required.

This is a tutorial on creating a redneck hot tub using an old bathtub, some wood for a fire , bubble bath and some snow. Get ready to heat up your back woods with this sensational invention.

If you're thinking about what kind of project you can tackle with a lathe, ever thought about making a pen. You can make a great looking pen using many different kinds of wood. It all depends on what you want it to look like. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to use wood ...more

In this tutorial, you'll see how to rough out a natural edge bowl with a Ci1 Easy Rougher (using a suboptimal piece of wood). The wood used in the tutorial is "shinoki," which is a kind of oak, and the lathe is a Nova DVR 3000 wired for 200V. Watch this video to get started ro ...more

ThreadBanger's Decor It Yourself show us how to "do it yourself" when making a wine rack using just scrap wood and old belts. At a great size, it's easy to store and great to give as a gift. Looking to fill that wine rack and don't know where to begin? In the later half of thi ...more

In this video series learn how to use a nail gun from master carpenter Robert McMahon. Learn about the framing nailer and its features, and the different types of nails for your nail gun. Watch these video to learn through-nailing technique, how to toenail, how to troubleshoot ...more

There is really no limit to the recycling that a somewhat handy person can do given only some tools and a good supply of scrap. This video walks you through one recycling project, making a wood-burning stove enclosure for your yard using only old roofing tin. If you have acces ...more

Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to replace your exterior columns. Steps: 1. Cut cedar to width and length to create proper size column. 2. Apply two coats of exterior-grade primer to the interior surfaces of the boards. 3. Join together the cedar boards to f ...more

In this video, we learn how to start a great fire in a wood stove. First, you will need premium kindling, gloves, and a small axe. Next, you will chop the wood into small pieces using the axe, making small splits. After you have a large pile of kindling together, store the pie ...more

In this tutorial, we learn how to build the perfect campfire. It's important to consider the materials, it's impossible to take a lighter and light a large piece of wood. You want to start the fire small and build it large. Think about the wood you will be using, which will de ...more

Want to make a simple electric motor at home? Andy and Mike show you how in just a few easy steps, using a block of wood, two paperclips, a AA battery, some insulated copper wire, and a magnet. This is a fun and simple science experiment that anyone can do at home. Wrap the wi ...more

In this video you learn how to make tombstones for yard decorations for Halloween. You will need two pieces of plywood. In this video the measurements for the wood are 14 by 24 but this can be altered. Also used are, two spikes that resemble the posts in a small picket fence. ...more

Ron Hazelton shows how to restore a weathered and worn deck. Twisted boards can be straightened using a notched 2x4 as a lever, then secured with 5 inch screws. Remove popped nails, and replace with longer thicker nails. Use a punch to countersink slightly high nails. Clean th ...more

If you are interested in taking up woodworking, this next video tutorial is very helpful. In it, you find out how to use and tune up a hand plane. This tool is a very common one in woodworking and is used for all sorts of different reasons. If you try using one that is dull, y ...more

Learn to make boiled peanuts and hickory smoked ham in the deep Southern tradition. To make boiled peanuts you will need: Large stock pot filled with enough water for boiling, 3/4 - 1 1/4 cup salt, 1 - 5 bay leaves, 1 tbsp. Extra Hot powdered red pepper4 lbs. raw peanuts in sh ...more

Staining wood is an exciting and fun step in your refinishing process. Staining brings out and enhances the patterns in the wood grain and it unifies an overall color. At this stage your project piece begins to look more finished. Allow enough time to complete this task from s ...more

In this video, Steven Raichen demonstrates how to make a quick and delicious meal of Argentine "gaucho grilled" filet mignon with grilled eggplant and peppers. In his travels around the world, Raichen became fascinated with the rich, slightly smoky flavor of steak cooked in th ...more

Josh Copp and Madeline Donahue show us how to build a light table from pine wood and plywood utilizing two fluorescent light fixtures as the light source inside the box. The frame of the box is fashioned out of two 1X8 planks cut into four pieces so that two sides are 30 inche ...more

How to use a power planer; get professional tips and advice from an expert carpenter on using tools for leveling, shaving and shaping wood in this free woodworking video series. Part 1 of 16 - How to Use a power planer. Use a power planer - Part 2 of 16. Click through to watch ...more

John Leeke demonstrates using steam to remove heavy paint build up from wood surfaces in this five minute video. Steam paint removal softens the paint film so it can be more easily scraped away. It works well with the heavy paint buildup commonly found on the exterior of older ...more