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“Unplugged,” has its roots in the music industry, but woodworkers are quickly making the term their own. And one of the more vocal supporters of unplugged woodworking is Popular Woodworking Books author Tom Fidgen. Tom just launched his new web site, theunpluggedwoodshop.com, and you can subscribe to new posts via e-mail and RSS feed.
I think readers of his new book, “Made by Hand” will be especially happy to find that the new site features dedicated areas for all six of the projects Tom built for the book. Each area has free SketchUp models, and complete downloadable bench plans with expanded galleries and afterthoughts on each of the projects. Plus, there are additional pictures and information that simply wouldn’t fit on the printed page.
“The Unplugged Woodshop” also features a “Reader’s Gallery,” and Tom encourages those who are building the pieces in the book to submit photos. “It’ll be a great way to see how design ideas can change and evolve from one shop to the next,” he says.
Tom’s also offering signed copies of “Made by Hand” through the site, and plans to post reviews and feedback from readers.
So if you want more unplugged woodworking delivered in Tom’s entertaining and unique voice, I encourage you to check out Tom’s new site.
– David Thiel, editor, Popular Woodworking Books
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I was so happy to see the new website. The layout on the original blog was so horrible that I just always clicked ‘X’ when I happened stumble there. The new website is much nicer and invitating.
What made me even happier are the SketchUp models. I always make a SketchUp model of the furniture piece I’m going to build. Before finding the website I tried modeling the projects in the book from the original drawings and I found it extremely difficult. The books drawings hide some of the detail, and since they only include the front and side drawings, producing a 3D image is not an easy task.