ADVERTISEMENT

As cliche as it sounds, masters of crafts aren't born. They're made through hard work, failure, and perseverance. So while someone hasn't traveled far on the road to excellence, they are destined to make mistakes. And the subreddit '[Bad] Woodworking' has plenty of examples to prove it.

Sharing pictures of various projects falling short of their ideal version, this online community embraces Bob Ross' happy accident approach and provides quite a few lighthearted giggles along the way. Whether it's a child's pencil holder or a driver's phone holder, if there's a production, there's a way to mess it up!

#1

Homer's Spice Rack. Made For A "Shi**y" Gift Exchange

Homer's Spice Rack. Made For A "Shi**y" Gift Exchange

snuzet Report

You May Also Like:
#2

Made This When I Was About 5 Or 6. Pencil-Holding Caterpillar For My Dad To Use At Work

Made This When I Was About 5 Or 6. Pencil-Holding Caterpillar For My Dad To Use At Work

Aidan_Baidan Report

We managed to get in touch with the moderators of '[Bad] Woodworking' and they agreed to give us more insight into this subreddit.

"Moderating here is fairly simple and the general philosophy is to let downvotes take care of unpopular content," the team told Bored Panda

"Some posts are off-topic but get upvoted and they usually get left alone, even if reported."

#3

A Kitty Door In A Door

A Kitty Door In A Door

PiotrSanctuvich Report

#4

Recently Finished Project

Recently Finished Project

Little_woodymaker Report

#5

Woke Up To Snowmageddon In Texas And Sister Asked If I Had A Sled For Her Daughter (Which I Didn't) So I Built Her A Shitty One Real Quick

Woke Up To Snowmageddon In Texas And Sister Asked If I Had A Sled For Her Daughter (Which I Didn't) So I Built Her A Shitty One Real Quick

Strobman Report

The moderators said there have been some bans from off-topic spammers but it has been a while since the last time.

ADVERTISEMENT

"People generally seem to post about things they are proud of or happy about, but know could use improvement," they added.

The maturity of the subreddit's members, their respect towards each other, and their genuine interest in the craft as well as the desire to get better at it have to be some of the main reasons why this niche community, despite being almost a decade old, remains active.

#6

Didn't Wanna Pay $13 For An Extension Cord Reel. I'll Make My Own With $1.30 In Materials And $1,300 In Tools

Didn't Wanna Pay $13 For An Extension Cord Reel. I'll Make My Own With $1.30 In Materials And $1,300 In Tools

benmarvin Report

#7

Made A Small Box Out Of Popsicle Sticks To Hold Toothpicks For My Work Truck

Made A Small Box Out Of Popsicle Sticks To Hold Toothpicks For My Work Truck

BMXfreekonwheelz13 Report

#8

Phone Holder For Google Maps And An 800 Mile Trip. I Had 15 Minutes-Ish And Very Few Tools On Hand

Phone Holder For Google Maps And An 800 Mile Trip. I Had 15 Minutes-Ish And Very Few Tools On Hand

FelixTheCrazy Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Deodorant Holder, My Wife Asked "Why Is There A Baby Stump On My Counter?" Lol

Deodorant Holder, My Wife Asked "Why Is There A Baby Stump On My Counter?" Lol

joshuaquiz Report

Many insiders believe that woodworking is somewhat easy to become decent at but takes a lifetime to master.

ADVERTISEMENT

Even Paul Sellers, whose biography as a woodworker began in a small joiner's workshop in 1965 in Stockport, England, and who now has two of his pieces gracing the Cabinet Room of the White House, calls himself "a lifelong amateur woodworker."

So staying humble and not being ashamed of your mistakes seems to be really important in this particular field.

#10

Tricycle

Tricycle

rollobones Report

#11

Did I Win The Sub With This One?

Did I Win The Sub With This One?

thaquatic Report

#12

When In Doubt, Screw It

When In Doubt, Screw It

onehappyb Report

#13

There Was An Attempt

There Was An Attempt

DIYwithDave Report

It's one of those things where the journey really is more important than the destination. "In making, I find unsurpassed peace," Sellers wrote in one of his blog posts.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's a silencing of excess that gives me encouragement in the simplicity of making with my hands."

#14

A Stool Sample

A Stool Sample

StartingaGwen Report

#15

8 Cuts + 12 Screws. Does The Job Though!

8 Cuts + 12 Screws. Does The Job Though!

Dill_picklex Report

#16

How About These Genuinely Sh*tty Steps In Our Garden ?

How About These Genuinely Sh*tty Steps In Our Garden ?

SpinnySpinn Report

#17

TV Remote, Friend Said His Kids Kept Losing The Remote So This Was The Solution

TV Remote, Friend Said His Kids Kept Losing The Remote So This Was The Solution

Kitchen_Turn_4017 Report

Sellers has spent a large part of his working life in the USA where he taught woodworking courses and he advises everyone to embrace the challenges. "Throughout my work teaching classes hands-on, I learned from students what troubles them the most. Cutting square, planing square, cutting straight and sharpening a perfect edge, the list could be exhausting were we to go down that road," he recalled.

"We could soon convince one another that we should just go the machine route. And yet there is something truly magical every time you develop a very particular skill you never thought you could or would own."

ADVERTISEMENT
#18

Some Sage Advice

Some Sage Advice

TadpoleFun7453 Report

#19

Sh*tty But Effective Toddler Deterrence For Our Lazy Susan

Sh*tty But Effective Toddler Deterrence For Our Lazy Susan

BaldingAndLovingIt Report

#20

Made A Ramp For The Dogo, But I Guess It Was Too Sh**ty Since She Refuses To Use It

Made A Ramp For The Dogo, But I Guess It Was Too Sh**ty Since She Refuses To Use It

moistsymposium Report

#21

Walnut Sculpture I Made. My Wife Thinks It Looked Too Much Like A Certain Distasteful Emoji

Walnut Sculpture I Made. My Wife Thinks It Looked Too Much Like A Certain Distasteful Emoji

OldRunner2 Report

"Thinking back through my years as a full-time, lifetime, lifestyle maker, I can recall every step where I earned my ability through my stubborn determination not to give up. Some recollections came when I was one step away from giving up and giving in. In that split second, a lone voice, barely audible, said just one more try. There it was. The launch was complete and I was flying in euphoria as all resistance left, the cut was made and the two pieces slipped perfectly together for the very first time," the woodworker explained.

ADVERTISEMENT
#22

Practiced Making A Picture Frame From A 2x4. No Planning Ahead. Turned Out As Expected

Practiced Making A Picture Frame From A 2x4. No Planning Ahead. Turned Out As Expected

LadyBaconHands Report

#23

Stand For My Wife’s Mini X-Mas Tree. Weights Are To Keep The Cats From Pulling It Over

Stand For My Wife’s Mini X-Mas Tree. Weights Are To Keep The Cats From Pulling It Over

meaty_maker Report

#24

Finally Get To Make A Post Here! Made Some Legs For This Leopard Bench

Finally Get To Make A Post Here! Made Some Legs For This Leopard Bench

djbrain86 Report

#25

Did I Have The Correct Tools? No. Does It Look Good? No. Does It Function Well? No. Am I An Idiot? I Don't Have All The Answers

Did I Have The Correct Tools? No. Does It Look Good? No. Does It Function Well? No. Am I An Idiot? I Don't Have All The Answers

inside_your_face Report

The moderators of '[Bad] Woodworking' said that, ideally, they would like to see more engagement, as they're sure there is plenty of "content" being created nearly daily in every neighborhood, "but probably most people would be put off by having their work labeled as [bad] here."

"It seems to be a space for people that are capable of more and have respectable creations, but need a quick solution and would agree that what they made is a bit comical."

#26

Repurposed Free Wood Has Become Ugly Garage Work Bench. Much Sturdy, Much Eyesore

Repurposed Free Wood Has Become Ugly Garage Work Bench. Much Sturdy, Much Eyesore

reetardgenius Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#27

I Slaughtered A Guitar Neck I Was Making, But Needed A Chisel Holder

I Slaughtered A Guitar Neck I Was Making, But Needed A Chisel Holder

tarcus Report

#28

Found In The Wild…

Found In The Wild…

DKplus9 Report

#29

Another Chair Made Out Of My Deck I Demolished

Another Chair Made Out Of My Deck I Demolished

Deadliest_Death Report

#30

#update On My Shitty Wooden Chandelier. Thats How It Looks Finished

#update On My Shitty Wooden Chandelier. Thats How It Looks Finished

edgasilk Report

#31

From The "Quick And Dirty" File

From The "Quick And Dirty" File

Elan2413 Report

#32

I Also Made A Sh**ty Phone/Tablet Stand

I Also Made A Sh**ty Phone/Tablet Stand

Lux_Interior9 Report

#33

No Fires Allowed... So Tiny Scraps Turn Into... Kind Of Larger Scraps

No Fires Allowed... So Tiny Scraps Turn Into... Kind Of Larger Scraps

Uncle_Chef Report

#34

This Coffee Table I Made

This Coffee Table I Made

notsellingsushi Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#35

Happy Hannukah You Hacks

Happy Hannukah You Hacks

cbogie Report

#36

My Dad's Cutting Board

 My Dad's Cutting Board

BlumpkinLord Report

#37

Absolutely Textbook Quality Dovetails On My First Attempt

Absolutely Textbook Quality Dovetails On My First Attempt

BurtSandalman Report

#38

Made A Stool. Despite Its Questionable Looks It Is Actually Quite Comfortable And Steady

Made A Stool. Despite Its Questionable Looks It Is Actually Quite Comfortable And Steady

LogicalFig1759 Report

#39

Found This On Fb. What Do You Think?

Found This On Fb. What Do You Think?

Ghostballsinyourface Report

#40

Soap Holder At My Friend’s House

Soap Holder At My Friend’s House

dimitrix Report

#41

Plywood Chic

Plywood Chic

FANGtheDELECTABLE Report

#42

My Dad Made This Terrible Table

My Dad Made This Terrible Table

rpmerf Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#43

Didn't Want To Rent A Crane So I Built One Out Of 2x4s

Didn't Want To Rent A Crane So I Built One Out Of 2x4s

walmart_fun_facts Report

#44

Finally Finished The Treehouse, Total Cost Around $50. Everything Was Made From Items Found In A Barn

Finally Finished The Treehouse, Total Cost Around $50. Everything Was Made From Items Found In A Barn

Acrobatic-Animal2432 Report

#45

Was Told You Guys Might Appreciate My Teapot. Kettle Handle Used To Get Hot. Not Anymore

Was Told You Guys Might Appreciate My Teapot. Kettle Handle Used To Get Hot. Not Anymore

Sharkhips Report

#46

First Railing Lmao. Swear I Used My Tape Measure

First Railing Lmao. Swear I Used My Tape Measure

follow_the_light Report

#47

I Needed A Weight Holder So I Cut Two Pallets And Screwed Them Together With Boards. Done

I Needed A Weight Holder So I Cut Two Pallets And Screwed Them Together With Boards. Done

MichaelSander Report

#48

Professionally Made And Polished Thing To Hold Log When I Saw

Professionally Made And Polished Thing To Hold Log When I Saw

More-Possibility1884 Report

#49

I See Lots Of Beautifully Made Mallets In Various Subs, Behold My Sh*tty Contribution

I See Lots Of Beautifully Made Mallets In Various Subs, Behold My Sh*tty Contribution

Deeplymine Report

#50

Needed A Stand So I Made This From Scrap

Needed A Stand So I Made This From Scrap

BladeLX 7 Report

Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#51

Finally Found A Reddit Where I Can Show Off. Here You Can See A Bird House, Made It Myself

Finally Found A Reddit Where I Can Show Off. Here You Can See A Bird House, Made It Myself

gentillekes Report

#52

Quick And Dirty Panel Lifter. Needed To Move A Sheet Of Plywood By Myself And Threw This Together With Scrap Bin Wood. Ugly Af But It Worked!

Quick And Dirty Panel Lifter. Needed To Move A Sheet Of Plywood By Myself And Threw This Together With Scrap Bin Wood. Ugly Af But It Worked!

Jordo-nb Report

#53

First Metal Free Build. Incredibly Unstable, 4/10 Woodnt Recommend

First Metal Free Build. Incredibly Unstable, 4/10 Woodnt Recommend

bovine-brothel Report

#54

My 2 Year Old And I Are Making A Tree House! Its Only 3 Feet Off The Ground :) And I Couldn't Figure Out How To Make The Hole The Size Of The Tree?

My 2 Year Old And I Are Making A Tree House! Its Only 3 Feet Off The Ground :) And I Couldn't Figure Out How To Make The Hole The Size Of The Tree?

TeaGnomes Report

#55

Dice Tower Made From Sturdy Wood And A Firm Plastic Adhesive In 2020, Not To Brag But This Piece Speaks For Itself

Dice Tower Made From Sturdy Wood And A Firm Plastic Adhesive In 2020, Not To Brag But This Piece Speaks For Itself

Coastal_wolf Report

#56

Needed A Workbench, Made A Workbench

Needed A Workbench, Made A Workbench

Prof_NXS Report

#57

Friend Made Beer Pong Table Out Of A Door His Dad Kicked In, Thought It Belonged Here

Friend Made Beer Pong Table Out Of A Door His Dad Kicked In, Thought It Belonged Here

mrdoctaprofessor Report

#58

Truck

Truck

Now-done Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#59

I Give You The Double Decker Sofa. Ideal For Game Night With The Guys

I Give You The Double Decker Sofa. Ideal For Game Night With The Guys

jh989 Report

#60

So We're Posting Sh**ty Treehouses Now??

So We're Posting Sh**ty Treehouses Now??

pmags3000 Report

#61

I Made This Stool A While Ago—thought I’d Share

I Made This Stool A While Ago—thought I’d Share

Owlettt Report

#62

Cat Water Bowl Holder, Made From Scrap Wood & Cracked Where You See The Glue, A Bit Over Halfway In The Middle. Top Piece Was Warped, I Also Used 18 Gauge Brad Nails To Keep It Together. Notice The Beautiful Clamp Marks & The Wedge I Tacked On To Keep It Level. Hole Cut Out W/ Jig Saw

Cat Water Bowl Holder, Made From Scrap Wood & Cracked Where You See The Glue, A Bit Over Halfway In The Middle. Top Piece Was Warped, I Also Used 18 Gauge Brad Nails To Keep It Together. Notice The Beautiful Clamp Marks & The Wedge I Tacked On To Keep It Level. Hole Cut Out W/ Jig Saw

Dekarde Report

#63

I Needed Shelves And Had An Old Kitchen Bench. Admire My Bodge Job

I Needed Shelves And Had An Old Kitchen Bench. Admire My Bodge Job

Grillenium-Falcon Report

#64

Sh*tty Reconstructed Pallet Table

Sh*tty Reconstructed Pallet Table

ConfidenceRare Report

#65

Old Desk Left By The Old Owners Of Our New House

Old Desk Left By The Old Owners Of Our New House

Gaming_Moth Report

#66

Tower Built. No Blueprint, First Saw. 3 Hurricanes And 5 Years Later Still Standing

Tower Built. No Blueprint, First Saw. 3 Hurricanes And 5 Years Later Still Standing

Status_Procedure8255 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#67

The Excellent Framing Work At A Job Site I'm At

The Excellent Framing Work At A Job Site I'm At

ILove2Bacon Report

#68

Who Would Want To Do This To Their House?

Who Would Want To Do This To Their House?

RampantLion757 Report

#69

Combination Wardrobe And Nap Spot, First Thing I’ve Build Out Of Wood How’d I Do?

Combination Wardrobe And Nap Spot, First Thing I’ve Build Out Of Wood How’d I Do?

willdotexecutable Report

#70

This Sub Is Perfect For Me As I Don't Care About Aesthetics And Only Functionality. Here's A Sh**ty Bench

This Sub Is Perfect For Me As I Don't Care About Aesthetics And Only Functionality. Here's A Sh**ty Bench

DirtyBendavitz Report

#71

Lid Handle Fell Off, Wood Scrap Pile To The Rescue!

Lid Handle Fell Off, Wood Scrap Pile To The Rescue!

rpmerf Report

#72

Took The Glass From An Old Scale To Make A Window. I Need To Start Actually Trying When Taking Measurements

Took The Glass From An Old Scale To Make A Window. I Need To Start Actually Trying When Taking Measurements

Acrobatic-Animal2432 Report

#73

My Crowning Achievement. This Bad Boy Presses All The Goo Out Of Tofu So That I Can Fry It Later. Improvements Will Be Made. Oh Yes

My Crowning Achievement. This Bad Boy Presses All The Goo Out Of Tofu So That I Can Fry It Later. Improvements Will Be Made. Oh Yes

Bewbz_lol Report

#74

If You Can Build Something With Less Effort That Will Hold Your A** Up… Show It Here

If You Can Build Something With Less Effort That Will Hold Your A** Up… Show It Here

allaspiaggia Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#75

Six Modelos In And My Wife Tells Me That I Needed To Get The Cucumbers Going Up A Trellis. No Problem, Dear. Ezpz

Six Modelos In And My Wife Tells Me That I Needed To Get The Cucumbers Going Up A Trellis. No Problem, Dear. Ezpz

pervyninja Report

#76

When It Works, It Works

When It Works, It Works

whiskeypatriot Report

#77

Standing Desk

Standing Desk

distractable Report

#78

The Underside Of This Deck

The Underside Of This Deck

ToySoldierMC Report

#79

0% Waste

0% Waste

Bitten469 Report

#80

It’s The Attention To Detail That Really Sets This Transition Apart From The Rest

It’s The Attention To Detail That Really Sets This Transition Apart From The Rest

HamOnTheCob Report

#81

Checkout My Sh*tty Bench-Top Sander!

Checkout My Sh*tty Bench-Top Sander!

zorlack Report

#82

This Mallet Someone Made

This Mallet Someone Made

klaschmauk Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#83

Ia This An Optical Illusion?

Ia This An Optical Illusion?

slumericanfan Report

#84

Made A Stool

Made A Stool

reddit.com Report

#85

It Ain't Pretty But It'll Work To Keep Clothes Off The Bedroom Floor

It Ain't Pretty But It'll Work To Keep Clothes Off The Bedroom Floor

ThrowawayNerdist Report

#86

When You Run Out Of Money For The Real Mounts, You Gotta Make Do

When You Run Out Of Money For The Real Mounts, You Gotta Make Do

Classic_Knowledge364 Report

#87

Anaheim Convention Center

Anaheim Convention Center

SALTYP33T Report

#88

Literal Trash, But It's The Perfect Size And Shape

Literal Trash, But It's The Perfect Size And Shape

icebergelishious Report

Add photo comments
POST
#89

Sh**ty Coffetable For My Coffee

Sh**ty Coffetable For My Coffee

selaheldin Report

#90

Check Out My New Laundry Shelf. I Made It Myself

Check Out My New Laundry Shelf. I Made It Myself

E_m_maker Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#91

Roast My First Bench

Roast My First Bench

reddit.com Report

#92

Made This See-Saw With Scraps In My Garage

Made This See-Saw With Scraps In My Garage

Acrobatic-Animal2432 Report

#93

Slapped Together Access For The Far End Of My Chicken Coop

Slapped Together Access For The Far End Of My Chicken Coop

juniperwak Report

Add photo comments
POST
#94

Monitor Riser Stand Made With Hand Tools Only

Monitor Riser Stand Made With Hand Tools Only

PhragMunkee Report