022 Should You Build It Instead?

Sometimes the Best Thing You Can Buy Is the Part You Can't Make.

Years ago, the basketball backboard in our home court finally gave up. It hadn't seen rough use or abuse, but time had taken its toll. My first thought was simple—I'll go buy a really nice one.

This was before online shopping. If you wanted something, you got in the truck and drove to the biggest sporting goods store you knew.

I walked through the displays expecting to find a heavy-duty backboard that would last for years. Instead, I found several models that honestly didn't look much better than the one that had just broken.

Standing there in the aisle, another thought crossed my mind.

"Could I build one?"

Then almost immediately came the second question.

"Should I build one?"

The answer turned out to be yes.

Buying the Right Part

I didn't build everything. The basketball hoop itself was well made, heavy, and designed to take years of use. That was worth buying.

Instead of purchasing an entire backboard, I bought only the quality hoop and net assembly.

Everything else became a woodworking project.

Starting With What I Already Had

The broken backboard wasn't worthless. It became my template. I used it for measurements and proportions while designing a stronger replacement.

I also reused the original steel mounting bracket, adding substantial wooden supports behind it to distribute the weight much better than before.

Sometimes an old project still has valuable parts waiting for a second life.

Adding Design Along the Way

Once I started building, it became more than just a replacement.

I began mixing wood species, adding borders, and arranging the boards into a pattern that looked like it belonged with the room itself.

By the time it was finished, it wasn't just a basketball backboard anymore.

It had become part of the building.

It Saved Money—But That Wasn't the Best Part

Yes, building it cost considerably less than buying a premium backboard.

But the money wasn't what I remembered years later.

What stayed with me was walking into the room and seeing something that couldn't be purchased anywhere.

It fit the space perfectly because it had been designed for that space.

Every game played on it reminds me that sometimes making something yourself creates value that simply can't be bought.

A Lesson That Applies to More Than Basketball

I've discovered this lesson many times over the years.

Before buying something, I ask myself two questions.

• Can I build it?
• Should I build it?

Sometimes the answer is no. Modern products can be engineered better than I could reasonably make myself.

But other times, the answer is absolutely yes.

Those are often the projects that become the most satisfying.

Final Thoughts

Woodworking isn't about making everything yourself.

It's about recognizing when your own hands can create something that is stronger, more beautiful, better suited to your needs, and uniquely yours.

Sometimes the smartest purchase you make is buying the one part you can't build—and creating everything else yourself.

"Before I buy something made of wood, I always ask two questions: Can I build it? Should I build it? Sometimes those two questions lead to my favorite projects."