Suggestions for woodworking program at local library

[jacko9]

Our town library has decided to start a K thru 6 introduction of woodworking and so far they have a few hand tools, hand saws, hand drills, etc.  They have two saw horses and a few pieces of plywood to act as a bench top.

Since there are so many creative people on this site I thought I would ask "what would be a good cheap portable system" to allow young children to get something worthwhile out a woodworking experience"?

I only stumbled onto this when I visited the library with my wife who was returning some books and since last week I have been trying to think about some inexpensive setup to allow kids to do some cleaver projects.

I was thinking about a pre-drilled bench top to suspend across the saw horses with some bench dogs and hold downs.  Most of what I see is way beyond the budget of a library so I'm looking for any constructive ideas here.

This workshop is a once a week outdoor event for the summer so far and every thing gets placed in a storage closet at the end of the session.

Thanks for any and all suggestions,

Jack

 

[Dane]

I’d see if you could get fastcap to donate a couple of Paulk workbenches.  Those are big enough that you could fit a bunch of kids around one, but still pack it away. 

 

[RussellS]

Our town library has decided to start a K thru 6 introduction of woodworking and so far they have a few hand tools, hand saws, hand drills, etc.  They have two saw horses and a few pieces of plywood to act as a bench top.

Not to criticize, but I am going to criticize.  This sounds like a half arse idea thought up by someone who wants to be admired for helping somebody.  I applaud and admire the idea of setting up a woodworking teaching program for kids.  Great.  But they should do it right.  And your description sounds wrong.  Two saw horses with a piece of plywood tossed on top is a bench?  Ha Ha.

For tools, get a proper workbench with a couple vises.  Lower height for the kids.  And some sturdy flat tables with various clamps they can make into workbenches basically.  For tools:  some handplanes such as a #5 and #2 or 3.  #5 is big enough for long work for a kid.  #2-3 are small enough for kids for finish work.  Block planes.  Chisels of various widths.  Saws such as the modern dual cutting super sharp ones sold at Home Depot, Menards.  I have a couple from Stanley and they cut 2x4s and joists and plywood great.  They are not precision dovetail or mortise cutting saws, but they cut quick and easy.  Good for carpentry type work, not woodworking type work.  Electric drills.  Jigsaws for cutting.  And a tablesaw operated by an adult and the kids can watch the cutting but not do the cutting with the tablesaw for safety reasons.  Drill bits and holesaws of various sizes.

Do it right, or don't do it.  Knowing basic carpentry and/or woodworking is good and useful.  Most of the kids will own a house someday and a door or drawer won't work right.  And they will know how to fix it.  Or a shelf will need to be built.  Or a doghouse will need to be built.  Or a cat/dog doorway through the door or wall will need to be installed.  Roof shingles will need to be replaced.  Or the back kickplate on the basement stairs will need to be screwed to the stair treads because its coming off.

 

[tallgrass]

schools are shutting this kind of thing down everywhere. As quickly as possible it seems. So trying to start something like this I fear is a loosing battle. K-6....... Not sure what is the actual point. The liability alone would be a killer. I would think anything other than finger paints would be deemed too dangerous. Good luck.

 

[WillAdams]

One project which I've had good luck sharing with folks is making wooden chopsticks using the Bridge City Toolworks Chopstick Master.

Kind of pricey, but way cool and fun.

My suggestion would be to focus on a similar basic project which uses minimal materials and which can be cut quickly / easily using jigs/fixtures.

Lots of examples in older woodworking books --- small toolboxes, mug trees, boot removing station --- for modern life I'd suggest looking into:

- cell phone charger stand / caddy
- earbud cord manager
- cable manager which will clip to the edge of a desk

 

[Bob D.]

There's always the old standby...birdhouses.

Doorstops are a simple project that takes minimal material but is a good introduction to hand tool use.

I remember making one in Cub Scouts that I gave my Mom for Mother's Day. That was 57 years ago
and she still has it.

 

[sancho57]

HD used to have a kids program. They’d have mostly precut wood a couple of hand saws maybe a small drill the kids would “build/ make” something small assemble it maybe use a 18 ga gun all under direct supervision, assemble , paint it and take it home.

I took my kids to a couple of them. They enjoyed it.

 

[Oldwood]

Lee Valley Tools at one time had kids tools. They were just smaller versions of the regular tools. Not cheap reproductions of real tools.

Leonard Lee published a short article explaining his reasoning that a lot of people are put off woodworking when they were children because they were given low quality poorly designed tools that made it almost impossible to accomplish even the most basic of tasks. I think he was right on the money like he usually was.

I can't offer a project but I would think something simple that was pre-cut and easy to assemble could get them interested where giving them poor tools will frustrate them. As some else said a bird house or some other small project.

I would give the tools they have a good look over and decide if using them would inspire or frustrate  [unsure]

 

[Rob-GB]

Wooden stools are a good project for youngsters. Anything from a basic three legged sort to a four legged mortise and tenoned stool with a rope seat. ( I took the latter to my interview to get my apprenticeship that set me on the path I still tread today, 36 yrs later)
It also gives them something to keep that is useful and will last a long time.
Rob.

 

[chris s]

If this a public library,I would suggest that someone look into the liability issues before you put a handsaw in someones hands. Just sayin