Lego Base

[jkanter]

So I've been posting in the main section looking for help on which Festool products to buy. I had already had a CXS & SYS-MFT so was looking for some of the bigger items.  Everyone here has been amazing and I went ahead and bought an MFT/3 and the ETS-EC 125.

My first project was teaching my little 6yr old Nephew how to woodwork and we built him a Lego Base!  It has a pull handle on the front and wheels on the back to pull it around.  It measures around 68" wide and 31" deep.  Aside from a couple bowed boards from Home Depot, everything came out amazing. The final pictures I have here are from before sanding/painting to level everything out.

Lemme know what ya think!

 

[Klemm]

[member=63630]jkanter[/member]  - marvelous! - not just the Lego base but the idea of involving the child in the construction of it. The life experience you are providing this child is priceless - quite a refreshing departure from just presenting the finished item and/or telling the youngster "you're not old enough" to help.
Perhaps you will encourage more early childhood development examples and showing them on the FOG.

keep it up [smile]
Hans

 

[jkanter]

[member=63630]jkanter[/member]  - marvelous! - not just the Lego base but the idea of involving the child in the construction of it. The life experience you are providing this child is priceless - quite a refreshing departure from just presenting the finished item and/or telling the youngster "you're not old enough" to help.
Perhaps you will encourage more early childhood development examples and showing them on the FOG.

keep it up [smile]
Hans

Thanks Hans!  My sister asked me to build it for him and I told her that the only way I'd do it is if we did it together.  There was plenty he "wasn't old enough for" but that was part of the learning experience.  At 6, he understood stuff was too dangerous for him but was engaged and just happy to be there helping out.

Also, those Festool Quick Clamp's are his fav.  Not sure I woulda gotten full attention w/ the screw clamps.  As he said...he was the "clamp guy"  [big grin]

 

[Holmz]

So...

Happy customers make it fun...

 

[ear3]

Great idea!  Happy building.

 

[eddomak]

Wow, well done. Maybe I will do the same for my 6 year old son who loves Lego as well.

On the note of getting them involved, 2 years I help my 13 year old nephew build a billy cart, and my 8 year old daughter an identical one at the same time. We did everything from purchasing the materials (and how to find it and choose good boards) to measure, cut, and assemble. Each child had different abilities so my involvement varied. I often took them through some design decisions and the implications, and they would make the final decision.

I also learnt a lot about my nephew and gained new respect for him because often I asked him if he wanted me to do the process (cut or drill) and it would be faster to get to the result or if he wanted to learn/practice how to do it first and then do it. Every time he said he wanted to do it himself even though it would be slower. I also found him marvelling at the texture of sawdust and other such things, and he has since made some modifications himself.

I needed to remind myself that it was more important that they enjoyed the experience and had pride in the results than a perfect join etc. (But I'd like to think there are a couple of touches in there that show good craftmanship. [wink]).

My daughter has also enjoyed her version and our signatures are proudly under the finish to remind us of our fantastic time together.

On a side note, when my own father passed away many years ago, only then did I realise his legacy in me shown in my own DIY tendencies and skills coming from being his little assistant all those childhood years as he got me to hold things, or do some of the tasks along the way.

Keep it up!

 

[Klemm]

[member=26367]eddomak[/member]  - you got it - building "people" is the most valuable and lasting kind of woodworking we can do and the best gift of all for a younger person.
Hans

 

[mike_aa]

Nice going [member=63630]jkanter[/member]

Great looking work and what a wonderful way to get the young ones invested in the project!

Thanks for sharing!

Mike A.

 

[jkanter]

[member=26367]eddomak[/member] Isn't it so hard to not just grab the tools from the little ones and be like, "Ok, this is faster and more accurate!"  [big grin]  Thankfully perfection is not the name of the game this early.  Gotta get them interested at first!

 

[eddomak]

[member=26367]eddomak[/member] Isn't it so hard to not just grab the tools from the little ones and be like, "Ok, this is faster and more accurate!"  [big grin]  Thankfully perfection is not the name of the game this early.  Gotta get them interested at first!

Indeed! Hah hah, if the pros were supervising me and my projects they would probably be grabbing the tools from me and stopping all my fun.  [big grin]

In the end, its little by little, bit by bit for all of us, isn't it? [smile] The fact that my daughter can now mark a line, drill a hole straight, or my nephew can saw using a hand saw or use the jigsaw are all things they didn't know how to do before. The next project they will add yet other skills and so on, just like I try to learn something new and push my boundaries each time.