Fun summer project with the kids.

[John Clifford]

A couple of weeks before school let out for the summer each of my kids independently told me they wanted to do some woodworking over vacation. So I asked them if they wanted to build there own tool chests. They were so excited that they wanted to start that day. I managed to get them to wait until they were out of school. These will be Dutch tool chests that Chris Schwarz has been making. I'm making one for myself as well. I'll try and post pictures of our project as we go. Not sure how long it will take, we work on it here and there since we have so many other things going on this summer. My only deadline is by the end of summer. So far we're off to a good start.


Breaking down the lumber we picked up at the Borg.




Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />



John

[John Clifford]

Post deleted by John Clifford

[John Clifford]

Marking out the dovetails.



Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

[Bibliophile 13]

What fun! I'm looking forward to your progress reports.

Glad to see you've taught them to saw correctly.

[John Clifford]

OK, here are a couple of pictures of sawing and chopping out the dovetails. Since the bench isn't big enough for all three of us to work on, the kids take turns. It's pretty nice that way because it gives me some one on one time with each of them. It also helps to not exceed their attention span by making them take turns. Just so no one gets ahead of anybody else I'll have one finish a step or two and then the other one gets a turn. For example one would saw all the dovetails and then get a break while the other saws theirs. Then we switch and now cope and then chop out the waste. Then it might be time for bed so the other one will be first to start the next time we get back to it. Like I said, we're in no hurry but we're still making decent progress.


Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

Untitled by fibonacci_galoot, on Flickr" />

[Steve N]

A leftie, watch out for her

Both of them look like they are concentrating so hard. Is this going to be the classic toolbox?

[John Clifford]

Yep Steve, I have one of each, a lefty and a righty. She takes after me in that regard and he takes after mom.

No, we are going a little more involved and making Dutch tool chests. We're finishing up the dovetails now, which should be the hardest part of the build and they are doing just fine. This will be all hand tools with the kids doing probably 80% of the work themselves. I only help when it's something they would struggle with physically, like shooting the ends of the 11" boards.


John.

[joemac]

John, that is what life is all about. What a great connection you share with both of your children and they with you. Very nice indeed

[eg54string]

Wonderful stuff.
Thanks for the post.
Look forward to more.
(Make sure they hold the chisels with 2 hands.)
Eric.

[Slav Jelesijevich]

Great pics John! looking forward to seeing the finished tool boxes with the kids.

Slav