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#1 ·
Entry One--Learning Woodworking Skills

My high school age great nephew is staying with us for a week to learn some woodworking skills. I gave hime a list of possible projects and we ended up with this ditty box:

We bought the plans from the website, partially so they could be part of the educational process.

We began with a tour of the shop and a the standard safety talk. He's taking things quite seriously. We're going to make the box out of curly maple and cherry.
Wood Publication Wood stain Rectangle Flooring


We start out learning some of the basics of hand tools. Here he's having the fun of learning to joint the edge of a board with a plane. He caught on quickly.
Table Wood Shorts Wood stain Flooring


Couldn't let me use the miter saw or table saw to crosscut a board before using the hand saw. Although I was pretty mean to him in that his first hand tool experiences were on maple. Ouch.
Wood Wood stain Thigh Hardwood Table
 

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#2 ·
Entry One--Learning Woodworking Skills

My high school age great nephew is staying with us for a week to learn some woodworking skills. I gave hime a list of possible projects and we ended up with this ditty box:

We bought the plans from the website, partially so they could be part of the educational process.

We began with a tour of the shop and a the standard safety talk. He's taking things quite seriously. We're going to make the box out of curly maple and cherry.
Wood Publication Wood stain Rectangle Flooring


We start out learning some of the basics of hand tools. Here he's having the fun of learning to joint the edge of a board with a plane. He caught on quickly.
Table Wood Shorts Wood stain Flooring


Couldn't let me use the miter saw or table saw to crosscut a board before using the hand saw. Although I was pretty mean to him in that his first hand tool experiences were on maple. Ouch.
Wood Wood stain Thigh Hardwood Table
Haha, maple's not that bad, but it's not easy either. If he points his middle finger out he'll get more control over the cut. Great thing you're doing helping him learn a manual skill.
 

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#3 ·
Entry Two: Adding some power tools to the mix, getting the first boards finished

He really adapted well to the shop. He shows respect, but not fear for the spinning blades. He's now ripped and cross-cutted a number of boards.
Wood Plant Flooring Hardwood Artist


After hand planing, using the thickness planer, and cutting the boards to size, we had the basic curly maple box pieces made
Wood Table Flooring Floor Hardwood


After introducing hand tools on maple, he became a big fan of cherry. We had a long board that was bowed. He got a big dose of the fore plane to flatten that bow. It actually worked!
Table Wood Carpenter Flooring Floor


Although he is doing the vast majority of the cuts, making rabbets, sanding, etc., I did res-aw a piece of these cherry board so we could have the 1/2 think pieces for the top and the thinner trim pieces. I found re-sawing a skill that i've mastered over time-he can tackle that one sometime later.

Tonight we glue up the top, and chisel out the mortises in the box for the inserted compartments inside the chest.
 

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#4 ·
Entry Two: Adding some power tools to the mix, getting the first boards finished

He really adapted well to the shop. He shows respect, but not fear for the spinning blades. He's now ripped and cross-cutted a number of boards.
Wood Plant Flooring Hardwood Artist


After hand planing, using the thickness planer, and cutting the boards to size, we had the basic curly maple box pieces made
Wood Table Flooring Floor Hardwood


After introducing hand tools on maple, he became a big fan of cherry. We had a long board that was bowed. He got a big dose of the fore plane to flatten that bow. It actually worked!
Table Wood Carpenter Flooring Floor


Although he is doing the vast majority of the cuts, making rabbets, sanding, etc., I did res-aw a piece of these cherry board so we could have the 1/2 think pieces for the top and the thinner trim pieces. I found re-sawing a skill that i've mastered over time-he can tackle that one sometime later.

Tonight we glue up the top, and chisel out the mortises in the box for the inserted compartments inside the chest.
This should be great fun and bonding time for the two of you , also getting another young kid into the hobby. It is too bad that they proably don't have a woodshop in his High School , he could take these new skills back and show up the Teacher.
 

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#8 ·
Mortising the old fashioned way and a first panel glue-up

We've continue on in the project.

After crosscutting his first board by hand-getting him comfortable with hand sawing-He did a some rough crosscuts on the miter saw and some finer ones with the crosscut sled on the table saw. Here is his first cut on the miter saw. His commitment to doing the cuts safely is really comforting.
Engineering Gas Machine Auto part Wire


The box has a small divided shelf held in place by mortises in the box. We're doing them the old-fashioned way so he can learn to use chisels well. The first couple were a little rough, the second two came out really well.
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
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Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood


We proceeded to his first panel glue up for the top. Just two pieces, so not too complicated. I think he thought my caul apparatus was a bit much, but the panel came out almost really nice. It will make a very handsome top to the project.
Saw Carpenter Wood Wood stain Tool


Now we need to glue up the top and mill the top trim, bottom trim, corner trip, and the shelf parts. Hopefully we'll have that all ready to go so we can begin finishing my Monday night.
 

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#9 ·
Mortising the old fashioned way and a first panel glue-up

We've continue on in the project.

After crosscutting his first board by hand-getting him comfortable with hand sawing-He did a some rough crosscuts on the miter saw and some finer ones with the crosscut sled on the table saw. Here is his first cut on the miter saw. His commitment to doing the cuts safely is really comforting.
Engineering Gas Machine Auto part Wire


The box has a small divided shelf held in place by mortises in the box. We're doing them the old-fashioned way so he can learn to use chisels well. The first couple were a little rough, the second two came out really well.
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content
Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood


We proceeded to his first panel glue up for the top. Just two pieces, so not too complicated. I think he thought my caul apparatus was a bit much, but the panel came out almost really nice. It will make a very handsome top to the project.
Saw Carpenter Wood Wood stain Tool


Now we need to glue up the top and mill the top trim, bottom trim, corner trip, and the shelf parts. Hopefully we'll have that all ready to go so we can begin finishing my Monday night.
Paying it Forward, in true LumberJock form, passing along Craftsmanship and knowledge your nephew will draw upon for a lifetime.
Safety and an understanding of which tool, hand or power, is the 'right tool for the task'.

Best Regards. - Grandpa Len.
Work Safely and have Fun.
 

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#10 ·
Learning some more new skills, completing the main box

I haven't been taking as many pictures the last bit, but we've made a lot of progress. We we neared the completion of the main box, we needed to make some bevels on the bottom trim. Rather than resort to the router, we went for the more hand finished look, making the bevels with a plane.
Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Varnish

They came out really well, and after assembly, he also beveled the corners as you'll see below. It all turned out very nice.

Next came the glue up of the bottom trim pieces and the installation of the bottom. We threw on a rack of ribs to smoke in the midst of this. We pulled them off the smoker right after we got everything clamped up. The timing was perfect!

Wood Workbench Gas Machine tool Hardwood


After dinner, we went back to it, cleaning up all the joints with sandpaper, chisel, and plane until they were just about perfect. The result of a good day of work:
Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Flooring


I'm writing this on Monday morning, so today we finish the top, make and install corner trim, make and install side cleats, and then start finishing (?).
 

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#11 ·
Learning some more new skills, completing the main box

I haven't been taking as many pictures the last bit, but we've made a lot of progress. We we neared the completion of the main box, we needed to make some bevels on the bottom trim. Rather than resort to the router, we went for the more hand finished look, making the bevels with a plane.
Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Varnish

They came out really well, and after assembly, he also beveled the corners as you'll see below. It all turned out very nice.

Next came the glue up of the bottom trim pieces and the installation of the bottom. We threw on a rack of ribs to smoke in the midst of this. We pulled them off the smoker right after we got everything clamped up. The timing was perfect!

Wood Workbench Gas Machine tool Hardwood


After dinner, we went back to it, cleaning up all the joints with sandpaper, chisel, and plane until they were just about perfect. The result of a good day of work:
Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Flooring


I'm writing this on Monday morning, so today we finish the top, make and install corner trim, make and install side cleats, and then start finishing (?).
Coming together quite nicely.
...I can almost hear the smile on your nephew's face as the realization of his new skills have emerged.

Good for you, Uncle. ;-)
Work Safely and have Fun. - Grandpa Len.
 

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#13 ·
Triumphal Finish, A Long Entry

My nephew didn't want any more pics to go up until he had a chance to show it to his mother and grandmother (my sister), so I haven't posted any update. However, since today was return to home day, all may be revealed.

After finishing the main box, he cut and glued four cleats to the underside of the top. He clamped up the front and back cleats first, and then snuck up on the length of side cleats. They fit perfectly.
Wood Table Wood stain Floor Hardwood


I guess I didn't take any pictures of him cutting the lid trim, but he cut the front and back to length, glued and clamped them, and then snuck up on the length for the two side pieces. He did the same for the corner trim on the main box. After chiseling out the mortises for the hinges, the led was attached.
Wood Floor Flooring Wood stain Hardwood


Here's a view of the unfinished chest
Wood Rectangle Hardwood Plant Automotive exterior


He cut the Becket cleats on the bandsaw.

He used General Finishes Gel Top Coat because it really enhances the color of the wood and is probably the easiest finish I know of-great for a beginner. The rope handles are kind of a pain to make, and my daughter was intrigued, so she ended up taking up that task After they were done, we screwed the Becket cleats in from inside the chest. Those rope handles will take any weight the chest can hold. Final Pics:

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Gas Flooring

Wood Rectangle Floor Hardwood Outdoor furniture

Table Wood Shelf Flooring Floor
 

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#14 ·
Triumphal Finish, A Long Entry

My nephew didn't want any more pics to go up until he had a chance to show it to his mother and grandmother (my sister), so I haven't posted any update. However, since today was return to home day, all may be revealed.

After finishing the main box, he cut and glued four cleats to the underside of the top. He clamped up the front and back cleats first, and then snuck up on the length of side cleats. They fit perfectly.
Wood Table Wood stain Floor Hardwood


I guess I didn't take any pictures of him cutting the lid trim, but he cut the front and back to length, glued and clamped them, and then snuck up on the length for the two side pieces. He did the same for the corner trim on the main box. After chiseling out the mortises for the hinges, the led was attached.
Wood Floor Flooring Wood stain Hardwood


Here's a view of the unfinished chest
Wood Rectangle Hardwood Plant Automotive exterior


He cut the Becket cleats on the bandsaw.

He used General Finishes Gel Top Coat because it really enhances the color of the wood and is probably the easiest finish I know of-great for a beginner. The rope handles are kind of a pain to make, and my daughter was intrigued, so she ended up taking up that task After they were done, we screwed the Becket cleats in from inside the chest. Those rope handles will take any weight the chest can hold. Final Pics:

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Gas Flooring

Wood Rectangle Floor Hardwood Outdoor furniture

Table Wood Shelf Flooring Floor
Great work, hope he retains an interest in woodworking
 

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