Looking back at the zombie apocalypse project that started this blog: what I set out to do, and the four projects I finished before changing direction.

The books, communities, shops, YouTube channels, courses and services that helped me most as a new maker, as of the end of 2019.

Every tool in my workshop as of September 2019, from the Bosch Power for ALL cordless range to my Aldi bargains, with notes on each.

After five years away, I'm back. Here's where I went, why making fell by the wayside, and what brought me back to it.

How I take a design from a vague idea to a carved, painted and oiled display on my WorkBee CNC, using a footprints piece as the example.

Emma and I made our first epoxy resin river piece, a laptop tray from reclaimed sycamore, and learned where the resin goes when boards aren't flat.

Robot clones, a whirlpool in a bottle, the quiz game I should have made, and a plywood display box: my earliest memories of making things.

This Christmas I made oak beer flight paddles for friends and family, and bought half of Aldi's tool aisle along the way.

I've bought 13 tools from Aldi's middle aisle and only had a problem with one. Here's why I'm happy to recommend Workzone and Ferrex.

I built an outdoor dining table from 2x4s for under our pergola, despite a cracked mitre saw and my first go with a pocket hole jig.