In every issue of Popular Woodworking, the "I Can Do That" column features projects that can be completed by any woodworker with a modest (but decent) kit of tools in less than two days of shop time, and using raw materials that are available at any home center.

Our free online manual (in PDF format) explains all the tools and shows you how to perform the basic operations in a step-by-step format. You'll learn to rip with a jigsaw, crosscut with a miter saw and drill straight with the help of our manual. Whenever we introduce a new tool or technique to the column, we'll update the manual, too. (You might want to bookmark this page so you can easily find it when we update the manual.)

To download the free manual (high speed), click here.
If using a dial-up connection, click here.

If you don't have Acrobat Reader, click here (it’s free).

If your computer won't support Acrobat Reader or you're on a dial-up connection, you may wish to visit your local library or a friend's house for high-speed Internet access.

RECENT PROJECTS

Contemporary Bookshelves
Two tones of color and sharp, square edges give these bookshelves a contemporary flair.

Mitered CD and DVD Rack
Learn two tricks for taming persnickety miter joints as you build this Arts & Crafts-inspired CD/DVD Rack. And here's a hint: Make sure you have clear packing tape handy.

Shaker-inspired Step Stool
No matter how tall you are, every house needs a step stool. This sturdy Shaker version is easy to build – once you learn our trick to joining two narrow boards into a solid panel without anything fancier than a couple hand power tools and a pocket-hole jig.

Canted Wall Box
Adapted from an 1840s piece, this canted wall box is scaled up from the one you’ll find in John A. & Joyce C. Nelson’s “The Big Book of Weekend Woodworking” (Lark). Making it just a wee bit bigger allowed me to make use of 1/2" x 6" poplar (which is actually only 5-1/2" wide) without having to make any rip cuts.

Shaker Shelves
The latest "I Can Do That" project is a simple set of Shaker bookshelves, which were originally used by the Shakers to hold jugs of milk in the creamery. Click on the link to download this free plan in pdf format. Click on the link above to download a free pdf of this article.

A Shapely Shaker Shelf
In the 1989 edition of the Willis Henry Shaker auction of ephemera, woodenware and furniture, this Canterbury, N.H., shelf immediately caught my eye. I’ve incorporated a few size and construction variations from the antique in my version, but this design is true to the spirit of the original. Click on the link above to download a free pdf of this article.