Your grandpa’s workshop didn’t have a laser level or Bluetooth miter saw.
It had a coffee can full of screws, a band saw that could kill a man, and the faint smell of pipe tobacco baked into every corner.
And the projects? They weren’t decorative.
They were useful. Functional. Sometimes downright ugly—but they lasted forever.
These were the builds that came before pocket hole jigs and Pinterest.
The kind of work that left your shirt dirty and your shop full of sawdust and pride.
Here are 10 woodworking projects that were once on every grandpa’s to-do list—until they weren’t.
1. TV Trays With Matching Stand
Dinner in front of the TV used to be a big deal.
So grandpa made a whole set of folding tray tables—usually four. Each one a little wobbly. Each one somehow stained with spaghetti.
And when they weren’t in use? They slid into a handcrafted stand that sat next to the Zenith like a piece of fine furniture.
Today, they’re made from particleboard and aluminum. But back then? Oak. Walnut. Even plywood—because form didn’t matter as much as function.
2. Record Player Console Cabinets
These weren’t just projects. These were statements.
Long, low, and heavy enough to be part of the foundation, the record console was both sound system and sideboard.
Velvet-lined compartments for LPs. A flip-up lid. Maybe even a built-in radio tuner.
Grandpa built them to match the living room. Mahogany stain if you were fancy. Blonde lacquer if you were modern.
Nobody builds these anymore—because nobody builds furniture for music.
3. Smoking Pipe Racks
Even if your grandpa didn’t smoke, there was probably a pipe rack in the house.
Shaped like a half-moon. Felt-lined holes. A drawer for matches or loose change.
It was a scroll saw classic—easy to batch out, easier to gift.
These projects were everywhere because they said, “I made this.”
Now they just say, “What’s that weird wooden thing on the bookshelf?”
4. Phone Shelves and Message Nooks
Every house had a designated phone area.
Wall-mount rotary with a cord long enough to strangle a sibling. Below it? A small shelf or cabinet grandpa made.
It held the address book, a notepad, and maybe a pen that never worked. Some had little drawers. Others had cubbies for the phone bill.
It was the physical version of a smartphone home screen.
Now? The only thing hanging on that wall is a Wi-Fi password.
5. Sewing Machine Cabinets
Your grandpa didn’t use a sewing machine. But he built a home for one.
These were heavy-duty builds—because the machines were solid metal.
A folding leaf. A recessed area for the machine. Little drawers for bobbins and needles. Some even had a foot pedal cavity.
They were built to last. And did. Until sewing got replaced by Amazon.
6. Spool Cabinets and Thread Caddies
These were the scrap wood champions.
Stacked mini drawers. Tiny labels. Sometimes a roll-top or glass front.
They sat next to grandma’s sewing table and held more thread than anyone could use in three lifetimes.
Each one was different. No plans. Just instinct, need, and a pile of offcuts.
Today’s version? A plastic bin from the craft store.
7. Key and Coin Organizers
Before “drop zones” and IKEA hacks, there was the wall organizer.
Hooks for keys. A tray for spare change. Maybe a mail slot or a thermometer.
Every family had one. Most were pine.
Some had your last name routered into the front. Others just said “Welcome.”
It was the first thing you saw walking into the house—and the last thing you used before heading out.
8. Gun Racks With Velvet Backing
You didn’t need to be a hunter to have a gun rack.
BB guns. Heirloom rifles. Grandpa’s Navy-issued .22.
These were wall-mounted shrines. Scalloped cutouts. Felt-lined cradles. A lockable case if kids were around.
They were made with pride. Displayed with care.
Now? Replaced by biometric safes and trigger locks. Function wins. But the craftsmanship is gone.
9. Magazine Racks With Built-In Handles
Every end table had one.
A slot for Popular Mechanics, Field & Stream, and every Reader’s Digest from the last five years.
Cut from a single board. Maybe a jigsaw handle. Maybe a curved top. Always covered in fingerprints and back issues.
You don’t build these anymore because you don’t need them.
But part of you still wants to.
10. Rolling TV Cabinets With VCR Shelves
Big enough to hold a 75-pound television.
With casters that barely turned. A hole crudely drilled for cable routing. Maybe even an extra shelf for a VCR or Atari.
These were built to move—but never did. Once it was in place, it stayed there until the floor wore down.
When flat screens hit the wall, these rolled out of our lives. Usually to the curb.
Your Workshop Archaeology
These old projects aren’t just scraps of wood—they’re proof of how your family lived, worked, and made do.
Look around the shop. That beat-up tray table. The drawer that sticks just a little. The finish that smells like memory.
They still speak—if you’re willing to listen.
Ask your family while you still can. Dust off the old plans. Rebuild the things that meant something.
Because the builds may be gone. But the stories don’t have to be.