Ted’s Woodworking is one of the most popular plans on the internet. To find out how it actually is, we’ve bought the massive collection!
If you’re on the fence on buying it, this is the Ted’s Woodworking Plans review you should read.
What We Like
- All the plans have detailed schematics
- Wide variety of projects you can choose from
- Well-organized and easy to use
- Subscribers receive 5 free plans on a monthly basis
- Good value for the money
- Money-back guarantee
What We Don't Like
- Many false reviews online can discourage some customers
Ted’s Woodworking Plans Features
16,000 Wooden Plans
The main selling point of this program is its collection of 16,000 woodworking plans. It’s a mind-blowing number for such a cheap price, so some customers can’t help but doubt that the kit contains exactly what it says it would.
However, when we bought the collection, it did provide a massive amount of plans. There’s a wide variety of options and designs for Adirondack chairs, beds, benches, bookcases, boxes, cabinets, carts, decks, desks, planters, tables, workbenches, and a whole lot more. These aren’t even half of the list.
You can find simpler woodworking projects like cutting boards and small crafts, but there are also bigger ones for master builders, such as barns and cabins. That said, many of these projects aren’t beginner-friendly at all. Some would require considerable woodworking skills on your end.
Still, we think it’s a great thing for the kit to include both beginner and master projects. Let us explain. If you’re a newbie to woodworking, Ted McGrath definitely includes many plans that you can do, such as boxes, clocks, birdhouses, and shelves.
Of course, you wouldn’t be a beginner forever if you continue to develop your craft. And as you improve your skills, you will be able to find more advanced projects to create. When the time comes, you don’t have to buy another set of plans to cater to your skills because Ted’s Woodworking will have them ready for you.
On the other hand, if you’re already a seasoned woodworker, there are tons of wooden furniture and even house plans on the kit if you want challenging builds. You can still make use of the beginner plans if you plan to teach kids or other newbies, or if you want to refine your techniques on smaller items.
Now that we’ve touched on the quantity of plans you get, let’s talk more about their quality.
We went through a lot of the included plans to see what they’re like, and we were pleased to find out that many of them of great quality. There are thorough instructions, illustrations, and a list of materials as well, but we’ll discuss more of this further down in this Ted’s Woodworking Plans review. Long story short, you can definitely build a ton of superb stuff with what the kit provides.
However, we’ve also found out that some of the plans are of poor quality. But with the sheer number of items on the kit, it can’t be helped. Then again, they’re pretty easy to ignore because there are many variations to choose from.
Illustrations and Instructions
For our team of woodworking experts, detailed instructions and illustrations are really what makes Ted’s Woodworking kit shine. After all, this entire collection was created because, according to Ted McGrath, other resources don’t provide enough information, making it hard to create something from start to finish.
In these plans, you’ll find measurements, annotations, detailed diagrams, and even close-up sketches to give a better view. Each of the photos and 3D drawings is meticulously done to help you figure out how you’re going to build everything, whether it’s a simple birdhouse or a complex chair.
What we really liked about the illustrations is the multiple views from all angles. Just having that complete view of everything makes it so much easier to plan and build a project from scratch. You’ll be able to clearly visualize all the pieces you need.
At the same time, the step-by-step instructions are worded simply. You won’t have a hard time figuring out how to do something or which piece goes where, because all the directions are clear and concise.
Overall, in terms of instructions and illustrations, this is by far one of the best step-by-step plans we’ve had.
Materials & Equipment Guide
Aside from the drawings and directions, Ted’s Woodworking kit makes things even easier by providing you with a list of everything you need before you start working on a wooden project. This includes the tools, wood studs and pieces, or even what kind of wood to use.
With this, it would save you a lot of time and money. Because you already know all the requirements at a glance, you won’t end up buying the wrong kind of material or the wrong tool for the project. Nothing goes to waste.
Woodworking Videos
The next thing we’re discussing in this Ted’s Woodworking review is the videos they have in the package.
Premium woodworking videos are included as a bonus, and if you prefer watching tutorials every now and then, you might find these useful because they’re presented by master woodworkers. You’ll find these materials in the membership area.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that new videos are uploaded every month in Ted’s video library, so you constantly have access to newer tutorials.
Monthly Plans
If you become a subscriber, you also get lifetime free monthly plans from their team. More specifically, they release five new plans every month, which is great if you want to update your knowledge or work on a new project.
These free plans are separate from your lifetime access on the 16,000 plans and other bonuses. As such, you can continue creating new wooden items every month as you like.
Other Inclusions
The package further ups the ante with a few bonuses – no recurring fees or hidden charges. These extras make the entire kit much more appealing, especially if you think you need all the information you can get.
Here are the additional materials you can get:
DVDs
While this one might be unnecessary for some customers, you may prefer having a DVD to help you as you start woodworking. In that case, you can request the DVD guide from Ted’s Woodworking and they will ship it to you.
DWG/CAD Plan Viewer
This software is a really nifty bonus because otherwise, you would have to buy it for hundreds of dollars. If you like to edit and modify any of the plans you get, this DWG/CAD plan viewer will help you do just that.
It’s definitely a great way to put a personal touch on the project you want to build. Furthermore, you can also create your own plans if you want to exercise more freedom and creativity in making wooden items.
Complete Woodworking Guides
It’s a 200-page, no-fluff ebook that contains a bunch of tips and tricks to help you build your foundation on woodworking.
How to Start a Woodworking Business
A great bonus for all the woodworkers with entrepreneurial minds. It doesn’t just talk about what kind of items are marketable, but it also walks you through locating suppliers, doing taxes, licensing, bookkeeping, and how to operate your business. Whether you want to sell wooden furniture or small crafts, this book can help you out.
Ease of Use
With everything we’ve discussed in this Ted’s Woodworking review, you might think that this kit is a bit overwhelming. While it’s true that you get thousands of plans, navigating through them is pretty easy.
The projects are separated into many categories. Here are some of them:
- Adirondack chairs
- Barns
- Beds
- Benches
- Boats
- Book cases
- Boxes
- Cabiners
- Carts
- Chairs
- Clocks
- Decks
- Desks
- Dressers
- Games
- Gazebo
- Planters
- Playhouses
- Sheds
- Storage
- Tables
- Workbenches
As for the members’ area, it’s user-friendly and well-organized as well. You can access it from your phone, tablet, laptop, or computer for easy viewing on the go.
Delivery and Customer Support
You know by now that you get instant access to their 16,000 plans via PDF downloads, but what happens after that? Do they still provide good after-sales support?
Yes, and this is another thing that we like about the brand. If you need additional support with an ongoing project, you can contact the Ted’s Woodworking program via email or forum.
Plus, if you want to create something and you can’t find it in the detailed plans provided, they can also draft a custom plan for you.
Guarantee
If you’re not satisfied with the kit for some reason, they also offer a 100% money-back guarantee [1]. You only have to email the company within 60 days of your purchase, and you will get a full refund, no questions asked.
However, make sure you purchased the product on Ted’s official website. There may be online scammers trying to promote Ted’s plans but are selling subpar content, and you’re not likely to get your money back if that’s the case.
These unauthorized sellers may be the reason why Ted’s Woodworking gets a lot of negative reviews online, and we’ll get into that topic later.
Going back, know that once you’ve purchased through the website, you can access everything for life. You can log in at any time, download the plans, and get first dibs on any new projects.
Price and Value for Money
Ted’s Woodworking program costs $67, which is very cheap considering what you get. It’s worth noting that the total value of all the inclusions, including bonuses, amounts to $297. In short, you’re getting everything less than four times the original price.
When you search for Ted’s Woodworking program online, you’ll see many negative things said about the product. Some bloggers and creators claim that this kit is a ripoff, and it’s merely a collection of plans that are illegally copied from various sources. In short, you can get all the plans for free with a bit of research.
We see a few flaws with these claims.
First off, it should be pointed out that most, if not all, of these negative reviews are pretty ancient. On Youtube, for example, the top results are from eight or nine years ago. The articles are old as well, from around the same time.
With that in mind, one would wonder why Ted’s Woodworking still exists today if it was a scam. If the allegations were true, wouldn’t the original creators have sued Ted for copyright infringement, most especially because it’s so popular?
According to their team, the negative reports started way back in 2008 when one of their employees “mistakenly uploaded a zip file containing 10 bee plans belonging to another rights holder”. When they found out after a couple of days, the company took it down.
Despite that, it seems that the incident snowballed into a barrage of unfavorable reviews. Some blogs may have even republished the information without purchasing the product itself. As such, be wary of these Ted’s Woodworking Plans reviews as they might not be an honest customer opinion.
FAQ
Is Ted’s Woodworking plans legit?
Yes, Ted’s Woodworking Plans is legit. While there are many reports online that claim otherwise, this kit provides complete woodworking guides containing all the materials and the right instructions a woodworker needs for every project.
Ted’s Woodworking Review Conclusion
Overall, Ted’s Woodworking Plans is a great deal for beginner and veteran woodworkers alike. With its massive collection of woodworking plans, plus bonuses, it delivers a wealth of resources that are very hard to find at this price point.
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