The Shed 125, February/March 2026

Going solar
Solar power seems like a great idea; who doesn’t want free power, right? But, what to choose, and what are the pitfalls of solar?
Regular The Shed writer, Andrew Broxholme, has just completed a large solar installation on his property and shares all the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of his solar power journey.
"I'm environmentally aware, but am not an environmentalist, so I've gone solar for only one reason, because it makes good financial sense to do so, that said it isn't necessarily going to be right for everyone and its impact on your power bills will depend on where you are in New Zealand and the orientation and design of your house relative to where the sun rises and sets.
I've been interested in renewables for many years. I first looked at it while living in the UK. The early systems had promise, but really didn't make financial sense as the cost of installation and ongoing maintenance wasn't offset by big enough reductions in power bills. They wouldn't repay that investment during their service life, which at the time was 15–20 years (maximum).
That's no longer true, with higher volume, the equipment has got a lot cheaper, it is more efficient, but we have also seen huge increases in energy costs; this, in particular, changes the economics dramatically. That doesn't, however, mean that you can buy the first solar system presented or recommended to you."
To purchase a copy of this edition of The Shed, see the bottom of this column.
To view a fully illustrated content rundown of what’s in this issue, head here to our website
Two-stroke tsunami in B-Town
The latest Syd’s Run may have been the best attended ever.
Free to a good home – a Bruce McLaren sculpture is looking for a savior
Making a dirtsurfer – a simple wheeled board makes a great school project
One of my Year 10 students happened to be surfing the net and came across a site showing a video of these people doing some radical things on what was called a ‘dirtsurfer’.
Make a mandolin; from keyboard to fretboard – from code to craft
Malcolm Locke is a computer programmer by profession, but his passion he undertakes from the other end of his work-from-home shed.
Restoring a 1952 AJS – part eight
Peter finds that his restoration is taking much longer than he had hoped, as those snakes and ladders are still present to frustrate him, and, as usual, more snakes than ladders.
Photography software: Fix that pic – easily and for free
Do you enjoy manipulating your digital images but find Photoshop too complicated to use, and very costly? Well, there is a great option for you, and it's free.
Learning how to Veneer
Master craftsman Edward Prince joins The Shed team to share his woodworking skills and vast knowledge. In this first article, he shows how a piece of furniture can be transformed by using veneers.
Off the grid – castles in the air
Tree huts are a lot of fun, and children love them. With Christmas approaching and his grandchildren set to visit, Murray sees the perfect opportunity to build a tree hut in a tree he has been eyeing for a couple of years.
Model museum – it’s a small, small world
A deathbed promise to brilliant modeller Royston Lake and his father Bob Walters by Phil Walters has meant some rare, stunning and valuable models have been preserved for us all to enjoy.
Confessions of a boxaholic
Coen comes clean and discloses his total obsession with making boxes.
The hardware store of your dreams
Remember those cool old hardware and motor parts stores? The good news is they are still around, and we found one just north of Auckland that has the kind of products you thought you couldn’t find anymore.
The Shed Shrink: Monozukuri – made with purpose
Our Shed Shrink discovers that it's not about delivering a product or service that counts the most, it's the attitude with which they are delivered that really counts and meticulousness and care in all tasks.
Rangitaka Island Military Display
A military museum set up in Geraldine holds a military revival every Labour Weekend with impressive, realistic mock battles. The Shed was there, in the trenches, capturing all the action.
Immortalised in steel
A “Jack of all trades” has found his forever shed in rural Taranaki. He lives there with some treasured horses and his best mate, Boulder the staffy.
Back O The Shed: the little red tractor
Every summer, a sheddie’s thoughts turn to farming. Well, for rural-based Jude they do and he gets to drive his tractor as well!