Ted's Woodworking Review: What You Get, Who It Suits, and a Sample Beginner Build

Independent review by Mark Ellis | Mark Ellis Woodworking | Updated October 2026

Affiliate disclosure: I'm an independent affiliate. If you buy through a link on this page I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This site is not run by Ted's Woodworking or ClickBank. ClickBank is the retailer of the product. Results depend on your own skill, tools and effort.

Most woodworking projects don't stall because of a lack of skill. They stall at the planning stage. You know you want a bookshelf or a planter box, but there's no drawing, no cut list and no clear order of steps, so the project sits on the "someday" list. Ted's Woodworking is sold as a fix for that problem. This review covers what the vendor says you get, how I looked at it, where it's strong, where it's weak, and how it compares with the free resources most beginners already use.

What Ted's Woodworking is (according to the vendor)

The vendor describes Ted's Woodworking as a digital library of about 16,000 woodworking plans. According to the sales materials, plans include step-by-step instructions, drawings or diagrams, and materials lists. The categories cover small items (birdhouses, boxes, cutting boards), indoor furniture (bookcases, tables, beds), and outdoor builds (planters, benches, sheds, pergolas). The vendor also mentions bonus guides and how-to videos. It's sold through ClickBank as a one-time front-end purchase rather than a subscription.

Those numbers and features are the vendor's claims. I haven't counted 16,000 plans, and I'd suggest you treat any number that large as "a very big library" rather than as a promise that every plan is detailed and polished.

How I evaluated it

I want to be clear about what this review is based on, so you can weigh it properly.

• I read the vendor's sales page and presentation in full. I noted what's promised and what isn't, including the guarantee terms and the mention of extra offers after checkout.
• I looked at the sample plans and plan previews the vendor shows publicly. I judged them on what matters to a beginner: is there a cut list, are the dimensions clear, are the steps in a sensible order, and is the drawing readable?
• I compared the format with free sources I've used for my own planning: Ana White's free plans, library woodworking books, and YouTube build videos.
• I checked the refund terms through ClickBank's published policy, not just the vendor's wording.

What I did not do: I'm not claiming to have built projects from the full library or to have tested thousands of plans. Nobody realistically can. Where I describe a build below, it's my own write-up of a simple beginner project to show what a good plan should contain, so you can judge any plan library, this one included, against it.

A sample beginner project: a simple cedar birdhouse

Here's the level of detail I think a beginner plan needs. If a plan you're considering, from any source, has less than this, expect to fill gaps yourself.

Approximate size: 5½" wide × 5½" deep × 9" tall, with a gable roof. Suited to small cavity-nesting birds such as wrens and chickadees. Check local guidance for the species near you.

Materials

• One 6-foot cedar 1×6 (actual size about ¾" × 5½"). Leave it untreated and unstained inside.
• 1¼" exterior screws or galvanized nails (about 20)
• Exterior wood glue (optional)
• One 1¼" (or 1⅛") spade or Forstner bit for the entrance hole
• Sandpaper, 120 grit

Cut list (from the 1×6)

That's roughly 50" of board, so a 6-foot board leaves room for a mistake.

Tools: tape measure, speed square, pencil, handsaw or circular saw (a jigsaw for the peak cuts), drill/driver, 1¼" bit, clamps, safety glasses.

Steps

1. Mark and cut all parts. On the front and back, mark 6¾" up each edge and draw 45° lines to a peak in the centre, then cut.
2. Drill the entrance in the front, centred, with the top of the hole about 1½"–2" below the peak line. Drill from the face side into a scrap backer to avoid tear-out.
3. Add grip for fledglings. Score a few shallow horizontal saw kerfs on the inside of the front below the hole.
4. Assemble the box. Fit the sides between the front and back, flush with the edges, and fasten through the front and back into the sides.
5. Fit the floor recessed about ¼" up inside the box, so water drips off rather than wicking in. Fasten it on one side with a single screw on each end, used as a pivot, so it can swing open for cleaning.
6. Leave ventilation. Keep a small gap (about ¼") between the tops of the sides and the roof.
7. Attach the roof. Butt the long piece over the edge of the short piece at the ridge and fasten both to the front and back.
8. Sand sharp edges, and mount the birdhouse on a post or tree at a sensible height, away from easy predator access.

A good plan, from any source, gives you all of that: dimensions, a cut list, the order of operations, and the small "why" details like drainage and cleanout. When you look through the Ted's Woodworking presentation or samples, check whether the plans you care about meet this standard.

Pros

• Breadth. If the vendor's description is accurate, it's far more projects in one place than any single book or free site.
• Planning format. The sample plans shown use the cut-list-plus-steps format beginners need, rather than "watch me build it" without measurements.
• One-time front-end price instead of a monthly membership.
• Refund window. ClickBank products carry a 60-day refund policy, so you can look inside and return it if it doesn't suit you.
• Offline use. The plans are digital, so you can print the ones you need for the shop.

Cons

• Quality is likely uneven. A library this large is very unlikely to be equally detailed throughout. Check a few plans before committing lumber money to a big build.
• Strong sales language. The sales page leans on "value" framing. Judge the product on the plans themselves, not the pitch.
• Extra offers after checkout. The vendor's funnel may present optional upsells. You don't need them to use the main library.
• No instructor. It's a plan library, not a course. Nobody reviews your work or answers project questions.
• Imperial measurements. The samples I saw use inches and feet. Metric users will need to convert.

Who should skip it

• Experienced woodworkers who design their own pieces or work from detailed magazine plans.
• People who learn best by watching a build in real time. Free YouTube channels may suit you better.
• Anyone who wants teaching and feedback. Look at a local class, maker space or community college course instead.
• People who only want one or two projects. A single free plan or library book will cover that.

How it compares

My honest read: if you mainly want a few furniture builds, start with Ana White and your library. If you want a big catalogue to browse across lots of project types, and you're happy to sort through it yourself, a plan library like this is worth a look. The refund window lets you check before you commit.

Beginner tool and safety checklist

Starter tools

• Tape measure, speed square, combination square and a sharp pencil
• Circular saw or a quality handsaw. A jigsaw for curves.
• Cordless drill/driver with a basic bit set
• Random-orbit sander, or a sanding block and paper
• Four or more clamps
• A sturdy work surface (two sawhorses and a sheet of plywood is fine)

Safety basics

• Wear safety glasses every time, and hearing protection with power saws.
• Use a dust mask or respirator, especially with cedar and MDF dust.
• Read and follow each tool manufacturer's instructions and keep guards in place.
• Clamp your work. Never hold small pieces by hand near a blade.
• Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits.
• No loose sleeves, gloves near spinning blades, or dangling cords.
• Keep the floor clear and the work area well lit.
• Use a finish rated for the job, and ventilate when applying it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a refund? Yes. Ted's Woodworking is sold through ClickBank, which publishes a 60-day refund policy for its products. You request a refund through ClickBank's customer support site. Check the current terms at checkout.

What format is it in? It's a digital product. According to the vendor, you get online access to plans you can view and download, typically as PDFs. Nothing is shipped unless a separate physical offer says so.

Are there upsells? The vendor's checkout may present optional extra offers. They aren't required. Read each offer and decline anything you don't want.

What skill level is it for? The vendor positions it for beginners through experienced hobbyists. In practice, start with small, square projects like boxes, planters and birdhouses before attempting furniture with joinery.

Can I print the plans? Yes. Since the plans are digital files, you can print the ones you need for the shop. Printing at "actual size" or 100% helps if a plan includes full-size templates.

Do I need a big workshop? According to the vendor, many plans don't require professional machinery. Plenty of small projects can be built in a garage, a carport or a corner of a basement with the starter tools listed above.

Is Mark Ellis connected to the vendor? No. I'm an independent affiliate and earn a commission if you buy through my link. That doesn't change the price you pay.

My bottom line

Ted's Woodworking is best understood as a very large plan catalogue, not a course. Its value depends on whether the plans you actually want are clear and complete, so use the sample-project checklist above to judge them. If you'd like to see the plan layout for yourself before deciding, you can see the Ted's Woodworking presentation on the vendor's site and check the current price there.

If you decide it isn't for you, the free sources in the comparison table will still get your first project built.

See the Ted's Woodworking presentation