# TED'S Woodworking- is it a scam?



## Tooch

In a moment of weakness, I fell Victim to purchasing a subscription for something called Ted's Woodworking ("link removed), which promoted that it offered over 16,000 woodworking plans. As a woodworking teacher, I am always on the lookout for pre-made plans of projects that are at a "high-school-level", and thought this would be awesome.

As soon as I tried to start downloading the plans in the "members" area, I came across problem after problem. Most clicks just re-directed me back to the main page, or a page that had frequently asked questions. I immediately knew that this wasn't something legit, so tried to file for their "Money Back Guarentee". Of course, there is no phone number to call, only a digital form to fill out and they promise to get back to you in 3-4 business days. I filed several tickets, and am still waiting to here back from Ted.

I went online and did a little more digging, and found that many people expressed dis-pleasure with this website, and also stumbled upon this article from Feb 10 basically saying that someome hacked their account and is sending out spam emails.

Currently, I am in the middle of filing a dispute with my credit card company, hoping to get out of paying the $80+ that I fell victim to. Granted, I typed in my information (and feel like a horses ass for doing so) so I acknowledge that it is my responsibility, but I do not want anyone else to have to fall victim to this Scam just as I have.

Has anyone else had interaction with this site? If so please feel free to share your experience.

P.S. - I think Ted is a jagoff.


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## jmartel

Yes, it's a scam. The plans are either readily available free online, or they are stolen plans. Plus, as you have found, it's difficult to get your money back. They keep spamming on the website here under different names.


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## Tooch

The only thing that makes me more upset is that I fell for it… ugh…


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## woodshaver

Tooch, 
OUCH! 
Sorry you got cough up in that mess.

For me, these types of ad's have a certain look to them. But sometimes I'll give it a few seconds to listen and then I'll see or hear something that make me say NOPE! 
Like…..
"I can only leave this video up for 24 hours" was my red flag.

I figured it was one of those ads that you had to listen to for a long time, taking up so much of your time that you felt you should do it or all the time you spent on listening was wasted.

Now, I usually steer clear of anything that resembles an ad like this. I've been taken a few time also, It's hard to know what's good and what's not.

I hope you get your money back.


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## Tooch

*Tony *I after several calls and lots of time waiting on hold, I finally got throgh to someone from ClickBank. The gentleman on the other end of the line granted me a refund, but said it will take up to 5 days to post.

I think I'm going to file a Dispute with my credit card company anyhow, just to be safe.


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## crank49

By all means file with your Credit Card.
Any thing connected to Ted's is a scam and that includes various delaying tactics.


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## ScottKaye

almost all of his designs and probably "all" of them are stolen from other woodworkers.. Check out WWMM. He's done a video all about TED and his shady practices! link here


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## bondogaposis

Wish you would have checked here first. Ted's is a well known scam and all of their plans are either stolen or are available free elsewhere.


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## MrUnix

Hmmm.. that video link seems to be broken for me.. but a quick google search for "Ted's woodworking fraud" turns up a LOT of hits, even from Matthias over at woodgears.ca ( http://woodgears.ca/ted/ ) and Steve Ramsey has a page devoted to him at WWMM ( http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2012/04/teds-woodworking-fraud.html ). Someone even tried to find the address listed for them and it doesn't exist: 




File that claim with your CC company.. sooner rather than later!

Cheers,
Brad


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## bruc101

Ole Ted the woodworker has been around a long time.

https://www.google.com/#q=ted%27s+woodworking+rip+off+reports

Here is the Whois records on his website:

http://whois.domaintools.com/tedswoodworking.com

Here is where his website is hosted: If's he's on a VPS server he's most likely looking for some security and his site could be taking 1000's of unique hits a day.


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## agallant

Call up your issuing credit card company that you used and tell them it was a scam and you never got the services you paid for. They will take the money back out of Toms woodworking merchent account. If they get enough of these complaints the credit card companies will drop them and they will not be allowed to accept cards any more. As an added bonus for each one of the complaints and refunds the percentage they pay per transaction goes up.


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## woodshaver

Glad to hear that your'e getting a refund Tooch! Hope it all goes smoothly! 
I would still do what some of the guys have mentioned here. Call the number on the back of your credit card and they will take any charges off your bill.


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## tommyb43

I am sorry to say I did something similar BUT as i used paypal I just lodged protest with them saying Goods where not as described and was fraudulent and asked for refund, same with ClickBank and got full refund within 5 days. As long as you state the transaction was "Not as described and was Fraudulent" you should have no problem getting a refund. I never make decisions with my friend Jim Beam after that.

Regards Tom


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## Blackie_

Tooch, this has been a well spoken topic here on LJ's in the past, Steve Ramsey has several videos on Ted's woodworking, be sure to go through all of his videos, here's one for starters.

http://lumberjocks.com/Stevinmarin/blog/29377


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## Tooch

*TommyB* funny you mention that, Jim was also a part of my poor decision making… Although it wasn't the first bad decision with Jimmy at the helm of my brain, I can assure you it won't be the last, either!

*Randy *times like these I wish I was a more active participant on the LJs forums… I normally stick to the projects or forum topics posted by my buddies


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## Woodmaster1

Tooch, I have my students research free plans for what they want to make. This gives them a good starting point. All my students have MacBooks so the research can be done in class.


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## gfadvm

Tooch, We have put a bounty on ole Ted! And I think Monte will be tracking him down. Sorry you got sucked in.


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## distrbd

Andy ,you forgot to mention,dead or alive.I wish this bounty hunter was still around but Monte will get the job done.


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## Racer2007

> Andy ,you forgot to mention,dead or alive.I wish this bounty hunter was still around but Monte will get the job done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - distrbd


I would add to the Bounty . I also work in IT and if you ever find a Virus creator you don't have to take them to court , just take them to an IT convention , they won't come out.
So we just find Ted and take him to a Wood Workers Show he won't come out again ether.


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## woodshaver

A bounty on ole Ted….. Dead or alive! ummmm Ok…..So I guess someone may need to build a pine box! 
I was thinking this may be a good project for your Students Tooch! 
But I'm not real sure that would be a good idea!


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## agallant

The domain name expires in less than a month and has not been renewed.


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## bonesbr549

WOW sorry you got burned. I know you don't want to hear, but a google would have shown all the bad info. Dude's been burnin folks a long time.


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## retfr8flyr

The thing that makes me the maddest is that he has hundreds of sites funneling to him. It's impossible to search for a plan and not end up hitting his scams. I wish there was some way to get him removed from the search engines. New woodworkers looking for plans end up in his scams and I'm sure it turns many of them away from the hobby.


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## Tooch

After many posts and careful consideration, I decided to put together an all star team of Bounty hunters to find the man they call "TED". So far here's my lineup:


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## Tooch

riding in that truck will be these 2:


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## Tooch

and just recently checking back to his site a few times, its the same "Facebook posts" at the bottom, the times just change to make it look like they are recent.


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## EZCyclone

> Someone even tried to find the address listed for them and it doesn t exist:


Yup, that was me. Other than the angry red necks, there was nothing there. No Ted.

Now, here's very very twisted part to the story…

I'm getting married in June, and the other day we got a wedding gift from "Ted" At least the gift said it was from him, with the address in Slater. The funny thing is it was a $1.50 item off our registry and cost this person, whom ever it was, $7 to have it shipped here. Talk about being creeped out…


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## RoadHogg

Looks like his Ted's Sheds site has been taken down by the host. The links on this page are dead.

http://tedssheds.net/


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## UncleStumpy

Tooch, I just have to say it - YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK!!!


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## Tooch

> Someone even tried to find the address listed for them and it doesn t exist:
> 
> 
> 
> I m getting married in June, and the other day we got a wedding gift from "Ted" At least the gift said it was from him, with the address in Slater. The funny thing is it was a $1.50 item off our registry and cost this person, whom ever it was, $7 to have it shipped here. Talk about being creeped out…


This might be my new favorite practical joke- Sending people gifts from "TED" ahaha


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## Kentuk55

No box needed. Just drop him in, cover him up, end of story


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## intelligen

Unfortunately there are dozens of duplicate sites selling Ted's Woodworking, as well as most of the woodworking apps in the Google Play store for Android. There are also a ton of fake YouTube videos asking if it's a scam but then offering it for sale. Many of the sites embed content from popular video podcasters to make it seem like Ted's Woodworking has a favorable relationship with them.

Steve Ramsey did a series of episodes a few years ago investigating Ted's Woodworking. The supposed corporate headquarters at the time was at a nonexistent address in the tiny town of Slater, IA. Matthias Wandel also wrote an article on the scam.


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## intelligen

> I m getting married in June, and the other day we got a wedding gift from "Ted" At least the gift said it was from him, with the address in Slater. The funny thing is it was a $1.50 item off our registry and cost this person, whom ever it was, $7 to have it shipped here. Talk about being creeped out…


Well hopefully it's just a practical joke from one of your friends, but If I were you I'd get a big dog and keep my chisels nearby when I go to sleep.


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## Tooch

Thanks for the info *Rob*


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## wolf335599

You can find 6000+ woodwoking plans by torrent. It's recopilation of different sources.


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## dawsonbob

Maybe we could get Chuck Norris to handle Ted?


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## TheFridge

Another Ted clone


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## Tooch

haha is there a way to report this guy?

The thing is, Most real LJs will do whatever they can to help each other out, including giving as much info about projects as possible. I don't think I've ever had someone try to *sell *me their plans…


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## mojapitt

Terrible Teds woodworking is our biggest predator. Gives our craft a bad name. I can't say enough bad about them. I dearly wish one of their cronies would come on here to defend them.


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## distrbd

> haha is there a way to report this guy?
> 
> - Tooch


Yes,I did ,I'm sure many of the members who followed the thread in the link bellow ,have flagged him but he's still there,looks like he's not breaking any site rules.the member's name:Avimaelwoodworking

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/81921


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## Tooch

I just realized TED has a Twitter account- @WoodworkIdea.


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## Vollkraft

Thanks LJ's, I almost fell for Teds Woodworking just now. Glad I came here to check it out first.


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## mojapitt

Can't say it enough, TED'S WOODWORKING IS A TOTAL SCAM!


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## wormil

Ted is always around, one account gets banned, he makes another. Sometimes he's easy to spot because the names have a similar ring like Bent Nail, Plane Jane, or Rusty Saw, stuff like that. There are also dozens of bogus blog sites that serve to boost his search engine rankings.


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## papadan

His brother is in the same game with Mikes woodworking, 16,000 plans and even promises cad software so you can customize the plans. Yep I looked, nope didn't buy. mikeswoodworkingprojects.com


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## Tooch

So glad that someone was able to avoid the Scam b/c of this thread. I spent over 3 weeks trying to get my money back from a momentary lapse of judgement. Ended up having to call my credit card company and stop the payment.


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## youdidntbuildthat72

glad you posted that here. I too have seen those ads and wondered if it was a good deal. Sounded so. Glad I didnt sign up for it now. Thanks again for posting and letting others know to avoid it.


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## bandit571

I keep getting emails from a brian palme, claiming he is from Woodnet.com? Says "my" plans are waiting?

I keep blocking him, he just sends more "plans"....no money has been involved, nor will there be..


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## jayman50

I am a new member to LJ's and just so happens that I saw the Ted's Woodworking video yesterday. It sounded to good to be true, so I serched the blogs to see if anyone heard of Ted's.
I am so glad I did. Thank you Lumber Jack.


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## MBAJIM

I watched the "Ted's Woodworking" B.S. advertising informercial, I'd say sad. It seems that the scammers know no bounds, they get into everything…
I have advanced M.S., it's hard for me to do a lot of different things, but woodworking is something I truly enjoy. I'm no 'novice' when it comes to woodworking, I have a good supply of tools, but in no way am I a Norm Abrams, (my favorite craftsman ever!)
I'm looking for a place where I get get either low-cost <$20, or free-woodworking plans. Woodworking plans that focus on specific skills: routing, joining, milling, re-sawing, planning, joints, would be great. I'm not planning on selling anything, I just need things to do when I feel good enough to do them.

Thanks everyone!!

Jim


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## robscastle

He used to have an account right here on LJjs untill sombody set Chris Kyle on to him!

Or Maybe it was Simon Wiesenthal, forgotten now …. but I know he has gone,....so sad.

I see his account now has yet another $80 in it!! spit!

I think Steve Ramsay and Mathias Wandell have bought his plans check their sites out for an update


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## robscastle

And so as not to be forgotten
*
Here he is again!*

Stop Dreaming. Start Building. 
No matter what you''ve been dreaming of building, these step-by-step plans will take you all the way from visualizing to completion.

Whether you are an experienced woodworker, or have never even picked up a saw or sander, these plans will make your project a joy to work on and finish.

Find Plans For Any Project ⇒

Ted''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s Woodworking Plans


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## robscastle

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## Tooch

SONOFABITCH!!!!!!


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## robscastle

Is this the end of Ted?










I received another Ted McGrath offer, ( I must be on his VIP list!) spit

Anyway the red text inside my speech bubble says The deal is almost over OMG if ony that was true.

Imagine the woodworking world with this constant pest, reminds me of a cockroach, they aparently can survive a nuclear blast.


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## mamell

*These plans practically build themselves! *
That's right..you can just take a bath while your woodworking projects build themselves and you won't even have to have wood OR TOOLS while you luxuriate in your favorite bubble bath formula..

Sounds legit to me.. why not just throw away $100 right now because you're never going to need it anyway.. It'll help Ted feel better too.


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## jeffswildwood

If I remember correctly a while back Ted was copying our projects on here saying he had the plans for them. I remember seeing some of mine on there.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop

Ted Rocks!


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## AlaskaGuy

I have heard nor seen Ted anywhere for quite a while now. You don't suppose somebody caught up with him do you?


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## AlaskaGuy

Thought I'd do a search


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## Tooch

Yes, and he also is on social media… I have seen several Tweets of various LJs taglines, including horizontal Mike's and Monte Pittman's


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## pathfinder027

I sat through the "Ted's Woodworking" spiel, and smelled a rat. At least it wasn't as interminable as others I have listened to in the way past (I usually avoid them now). Anyhow, it appeared "too good to be true", and the canned presentation, with the "limited time offer", just sounded like a scam, so I found the review by woodgears.ca ( http://woodgears.ca/ted/ ) and Steve Ramsey ( http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com/2012/04/teds-woodworking-fraud.html ). I won't be taken in by this scam, and I'll advise others to avoid it also.


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## GR8HUNTER

starts talking at 8:40 :<))


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## OG51

Its almost a right of passage to have Ted's fabulous woodworking plans show (steal) one of your designs/plans. The sad thing is they took one of my clock pictures as advertisement for their site but I've never posted the plans. I did them on paper so they don't exist anywhere on the web.


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## woodbutcherbynight

Plans are great for some things. But most of what I make is custom fit to where I am putting it. Unless you are making it for the exact same purpose what good would a picture do, or plans? Example, a tray 5 3/16 inches by 7 7/16 inches that is 1 9/16 inches tall with recesses inside for hinge bits. So you happen to have the exact same mixed set of hinge bits and following these plans will make one? Yeah okay…... LOL Bigger stuff I do draw on paper and lay out before starting. Little stuff your lucky I drew it on a napkin once years ago and today decided to get it done.


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## AlaskaGuy

> Plans are great for some things. But most of what I make is custom fit to where I am putting it. Unless you are making it for the exact same purpose what good would a picture do, or plans? Example, a tray 5 3/16 inches by 7 7/16 inches that is 1 9/16 inches tall with recesses inside for hinge bits. So you happen to have the exact same mixed set of hinge bits and following these plans will make one? Yeah okay…... LOL Bigger stuff I do draw on paper and lay out before starting. Little stuff your lucky I drew it on a napkin once years ago and today decided to get it done.
> 
> - woodbutcherbynight


Not everyone has the same talents or the same degree of talent or experience. Especially new wood workers who have never build anything. I know people needs plans or pictures and I know some who couldn't follow a plan to save their life. 
The ones who impress me are the furniture makers design and build complicated pieces and make a full size patterns of each part before they begin.


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## wormil

Clicking this link will give you scabies. 
[link removed]


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## LumberCrafts

Can someone point me in the right direction for a legitimate download of plans please as i nearly fell into this trap. or better still, can anyone on here send me any please?


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## therealSteveN

The best thing about Ted's Woodworking is going Google, and putting in.

"Is teds woodworing a scam"

Some of the videos done by people who actually have some credibility are really funny to watch. Ted himself, never funny, just a SCAMMER, Thief of proprietary property, jerk and A-hat. Never feed it, never send it money.


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## therealSteveN

> Can someone point me in the right direction for a legitimate download of plans please as i nearly fell into this trap. or better still, can anyone on here send me any please?
> 
> - LumberCrafts


"can anyone on here send me any please"

This is theft from someone who did hard work to design, and lay out a plan, with a hope to make some "INCOME" the fact you don't seem to care about stealing from them, says a lot.

You can however go to magazines/online search of magazine plans, and after finding what you like, follow links until you find the author, or their representative, and find out how to BUY the plans you want, all of that is legal, ethical, and the correct way to do it.


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## LumberCrafts

therealSteveN, 
I now know it is theft which is why i did not try and buy from him and I asked on here to be pointed in the right direction for legitimate download of plans. There is nothing wrong with asking people to send me some if they have them, if i had some of my own i would happily send them to anyone that wanted them. Why are you trying to make out i was trying to obtain stolen plans when the first thing i asked for was 'legitimate download of plans' I think you need some plans too to keep you busy and off here.


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## AlaskaGuy

> therealSteveN,
> I now know it is theft which is why i did not try and buy from him and I asked on here to be pointed in the right direction for legitimate download of plans. There is nothing wrong with asking people to send me some if they have them, if i had some of my own i would happily send them to anyone that wanted them. Why are you trying to make out i was trying to obtain stolen plans when the first thing i asked for was legitimate download of plans I think you need some plans too to keep you busy and off here.
> 
> - LumberCrafts


Pay no mind to therealSteveN, he didn't understand what you meant. I'd send you some of mine but I don't have anything anyone but me could understand.  Try the link below.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/downloads/


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## AlaskaGuy

In your journey to get to a point where you can make you own plans or build from looking picture is to learn how furniture and cabinet are put together and what kind of joint work. I suggest you get the book in the link below. It is not a book of plans. It a book or how all this stuff goes together.

Don't delay when this book is sold out it can take a long time for a reprint.

https://www.amazon.com/Rodales-Illustrated-Cabinetmaking-Construct-1998-05-01/dp/B019L4Y5P6/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526886703&sr=1-2&keywords=rodale%27s+illustrated+cabinetmaking


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## LumberCrafts

AlaskaGuy
Thank you.


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## robscastle

So whats the answer to Tooch's Question, ...is it a scam? ...I thought it was but I may be wrong.


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## GR8HUNTER

> starts talking at 8:40 :<))
> 
> - GR8HUNTER


YES ROB IT IS A HUGE ASS SCAM JOB :<))))))))))))


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## bondogaposis

> So whats the answer to Tooch s Question, ...is it a scam? ...I thought it was but I may be wrong.
> 
> - robscastle


Yup, total scam.


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## therealSteveN

> So whats the answer to Tooch s Question, ...is it a scam? ...I thought it was but I may be wrong.
> 
> - robscastle


At family get togethers and such he is introduced as Sir Scam-a-Lot.


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## robscastle

Hot off the internet today an even better deal and a free game wih a surprise!

How good is that !










Maybe the surprise is somebody has stuck Ted's head down the dunny!!

No doubt AG the next issue we see will have the Rodales illustrated as a feature!


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## MrRon

There is no reason to subscribe to any service, especially if it costs money. There is more than enough free stuff on the internet.


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## decoustudio

yes, it's a frustrating spammer.

Their robot comments on my projects 5 times in a row with a "", over and over with new profile names each time. I'm not sure how to make it quit.


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## moke

If it's a real scam, and nothing was delivered and your money is gone, call the Attorney General of your State. Depending on how your Attorney General is, this may be helpful. In Iowa, he is a partisan hack, but genuinely works to bring these crimes to prosecution if they get enough of them from one vendor. If nothing is ever delivered and you did pay that is theft, by any States laws.


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