Bedframe Bench in Sycamore, Ipe and Cherry

This past December I completed this bench for a close friend. He has served as a mentor and cheerleader for my professional education, woodworking and cooking endeavors for the last five years, so when he asked me to build him a special piece from his grandmother’s solid cherry bed frame, I couldn’t say no. IContinue reading “Bedframe Bench in Sycamore, Ipe and Cherry”

Home #Makerspace: DIY Knock Hockey Set

When the ice melts from the first burst of spring, the hockey fun doesn’t have to stop. Take hockey inside with DIY Nok Hockey, a wood table-top game which makes for hours and hours of fun.

Home #Makerspace: DIY Street Hockey Sticks

It’s winter here in Northern Virginia and my sons have discovered a strange and wondrous sport of the North:
Hockey!
Learn to build your own hockey sticks – and a technique that can be applied to all sorts of shop and furniture projects.

Home #Makerspace: Build a Pinewood Derby Car With #YoungMakers

Every winter, millions of families prepare for serious bonding time at kitchen tables, in garages and in workshops across the country. We enter with dreams of speed, beauty and glory. With a little luck and skill, we leave with pride, joy and a completed Pinewood Derby Car.

This guide will show you how to support and help your young maker design, make and race their derby car.

Home #Makerspace: How to Saw (for Young and Beginning #Woodworkers)

I use Japanese-style saws exclusively in my classroom and home shop because I have young makers.  I love the quick bite and accuracy of a pull stroke, the low cost and high quality, but mostly, enjoy handing my saw to young apprentices and watch them succeed, no matter what their size, shape or need mightContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: How to Saw (for Young and Beginning #Woodworkers)”

Home #Makerspace: Simple Kid’s Game Boards for Young Makers #Woodworking

This week, we made a quick foldable checkerboard inspired by my youngest child’s love of the game. This basic folding design can expanded and modified to play any board game. Just let your imagination run wild!

This project incorporates measuring, marking boards square, using a hand drill and hand saw, and an all natural, no-fuss stain (although it is stinky!). Super quick, super cheap and super easy for young makers between K – 3rd grade.

Home #Makerspace: Miter Boxes for #Woodworking #Makered

Sometimes, young (and old…) woodworkers can use a little help sawing a board accurately, especially if the board must have a specific angle or length.  A miter box helps a woodworker saw a 90 or 45 degree angle into a piece of wood.  They are cheap to make, easy to modify and cut accurately. MiterContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: Miter Boxes for #Woodworking #Makered”

Home #Makerspace: The Bread Box Project #woodworking #makerEd

This quick project makes a great starter box for grown woodworkers, but it especially shines as an approachable young person skill builder.  This slick box teaches three major skills: measurement, accuracy in manufacture of parts and joinery.  A teacher or parent can use this simple project to differentiate between beginning, intermediate and expert woodworkers byContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: The Bread Box Project #woodworking #makerEd”