Chet Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 I started a new project/adventure yesterday. Of the four, my 10 year old grand daughter is the grand kid that has always shown the desire to learn woodworking, she is also the youngest. The intelligent questions that come out of her mouth can stun a college professor. I talked with her about what see wanted to build and she decided on a coffee table to replace an old one that got used for something else. So that is the project. We spent some time looking at pictures of coffee tables on the internet, after we got some ideas we drew up a design and I showed her how to make a cut list. Then off to the lumber yard. Yesterday in the shop we rough cut all the pieces, jointed and planned them and then stickered them for a couple of days. She is a quick learner and understands the process of being safe so when I took each of these pictures I had her turn the tool off so I could take the picture with out worrying about her safety at the same time. When she was putting pieces through the planer, my wife took the pictures because I was catching for her. The only thing my grand daughter didn't want to do was running the pieces through the jointer so I did that for her and I was glad that she was willing to make a decision like that instead of thinking she "had to" do everything. Laying out the parts with a tape measure and chalk. Rough cutting with the jig saw. Ripping the pieces to rough width on the bandsaw. Running them through the planer. And sticking the parts. 5 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Awesome Chet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye (Bryan) Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Really awesome! However the table turns out will pale in comparison of the life long memory she has building it with her Grandpa! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Now that is darn cool Chet. Great experience for both of you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Good for you Chet! She will learn so much during this project, way more than she could from a class at school. Plus when she is older it will be a constant reminder of time spent with grandpa! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Some of the greatest memory’s with my grand dad is helping him with projects in his basement. I was a senior in high school he got a big kitchen cabinet project we did together. Still til this day every time some one ask me about a project I’m working on he will bring up that job. I think it meant as much to him as it does to me now. At the time is was just a job. Now it’s a great memory. So keep it up Chet it will mean even more to both of you as the years go by. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 2, 2020 Author Share Posted July 2, 2020 Not to much to show for today but the first thing she did was rip the top pieces to width to get ready for glue up. Then a little lay out for Dominos to help with the glue up. Then she practiced using the Domino on some scrap. Then on to the actual thing. Then it was time for some glue. ...and into the clamps. After this she practiced cutting curves on the band saw and then cleaning the curves up on the spindle sander. and then the spoke shave. After this and some lunch we took the top out of the clamps and cleaned up some squeeze out and ran it through the drum sander, and I didn't get any pictures of that. She learned how to do an epoxy fill on some small knots in the top. And she learned that everyday, at the end of the day the shop gets cleaned up. 4 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 This is absolutely awesome! This young lady is doing a fabulous job and has a great teacher! Well done! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I’m still trying to teach my son (an myself)the clean up part it’s just not sticking 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye (Bryan) Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I love her shop apron! She is doing a fantastic job! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 We started of today by cutting the legs and aprons to final length. First she trued up one end of all the legs using the cross cut sled. Set up a stop block to cut them to final length. Here she was learning how to check the setup of the stop block for correct length before cutting the long aprons to final size. And making the cuts. Next we did all the joinery for the legs and aprons. For this we used Dominos. I forgot to take pictures of this because I was enjoying watching how well she has adapted to using this machine in such a short period of time. If anyone is interested in how we decided to use dominos for this instead of a more traditional mortise and tenon joint for her first project, let me know and I will be happy to share it with you. This is the first dry fit of the project. This brought a real smile to my face to see her work on her first project come together this well. The table looks chunky right now but we still have to add some curves to the aprons and legs and a chamfer to the underside of the top among other things. 4 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 I'm in complete awe with how she's handling the "big boy" tool and looks like a pro! A good teacher for sure! I'm interested in why you chose the domino.. I think I know the story but, I'd like to hear.. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye (Bryan) Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 This Girl has skills!! She looks so comfortable. I may need her to give me some lessons. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 39 minutes ago, Kev said: I'm interested in why you chose the domino.. We pulled out both the router and domino. With out any bits in either one of the tools and no power I had her go through the steps of using each tool. Using the domino she can use more of her body mass behind the plunging process. With the router she was struggling with the plunge. You don't realize as an adult that it is more of an upper body strength to plunge the router. I wanted her to get the most experience and do as close to 100% of the work that was safe and humanly possible for her so she would come away feeling like she built the project, I didn't want her feeling like she was just helping grandpa. So far the only thing I have done is anything requiring the jointer. 47 minutes ago, Kev said: I think I know the story but, I'd like to hear.. How close was I to your thinking? ? 1 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, Chet said: We pulled out both the router and domino. With out any bits in either one of the tools and no power I had her go through the steps of using each tool. Using the domino she can use more of her body mass behind the plunging process. With the router she was struggling with the plunge. You don't realize as an adult that it is more of an upper body strength to plunge the router. I wanted her to get the most experience and do as close to 100% of the work that was safe and humanly possible for her so she would come away feeling like she built the project, I didn't want her feeling like she was just helping grandpa. So far the only thing I have done is anything requiring the jointer. How close was I to your thinking? ? I'll fully admit that I was way off! I'm also impressed! I was thinking about doing the tenons and she seems like a pro at the table saw! I didn't think about the mortises and what you said makes perfect sense! I'm impressed because the project has been this thought out, rehearsed, and practiced to pull it off for such a young person to perform the tasks! Well done! Next questions.. Tapering the legs? Curves in the aprons? It's looking awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 19 minutes ago, Kev said: Tapering the legs? No. They will have a slight curve ending wider at the bottom. 20 minutes ago, Kev said: Curves in the aprons? Yes. This is the table legs that she liked off an internet picture although her table will be taller. 1 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 This is great I’m enjoy the ride along so much. That girl does have some skill genetics? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 That child is a natural! And I agree with Kev, she has a great and patient teacher. I’d love to see her comments on the build, in 1,000 words or less! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 34 minutes ago, Chet said: Ok, now I'm blown away! Such a unique leg design! Beautiful design! So many things to to catch the eye! All of this without altering the top! Absolutely brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwacked Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 this is an amazing project!! I cant wait until my kids, hopefully, want to start learning the craft! Also, great look design on the table as well. Cant wait to see the end product! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Well she cut a bunch of curves today. First up the legs. She did a curved reverse taper on the two outside faces of the legs. I cleaned up those cuts at the router table with a pattern bit so this makes two machines in the process that she didn't want to use, first the jointer and now the router table. I think she has made some good choices in not doing anything she is not comfortable with. Here she is cutting the curves on the leg. This is the second cut with the waste from the first cut taped back on. It looks like her back hand is in a bad place but I posed most of the pictures with the saws off. I failed to get any pictures of her cutting the curves on the apron pieces but here she is at the spindle sander cleaning up the cuts, first on the long aprons... ...then on the shorter aprons. She did have a mistake at the band saw cutting the curve on one of the small aprons. She lost sight of the line because it sort of blended with the grain. It would have been easy to just mill another one up but I told her that there are ways to fix small mistakes. I told her I could show her how or we could make a new piece all over. She wanted to see me fix it. I took a chisel and shaved a thin piece off the off cut, supper glued it in the kerf and to the under side of the curve so when she sanded the curve again after the fix it would flake of. Here, in the close up you can see it just to the left of the high point of the curve. But from a normal distance it is pretty hard to see. I told her to keep it a secret, don't point it out to people. Couple of pictures of the dry fit. Next up is to chamfer the bottom edge of the top, some sanding and a glue up. 3 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye (Bryan) Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Wow! More impressed with this amazing young girl with each post! Great job Chet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 6 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said: Wow! More impressed with this amazing young girl with each post! Great job Chet! +1 I like her focus and her style! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 This is so beyond amazing @Chet! This young lady is doing an awesome job, owning her shortcomings, and not taking the easy road! Super impressed! She can come hang in my shop any time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 That is a great table and what a cool kid doing all that! I’m more impressed how she knows her limits on what tools scare her. I’m surprised the table saw didn’t freak her out! Great design and fantastic execution! Beats the first woodworking project that I did to pieces! Although I still have it and it does get used everyday in our house. My wife hates it but it will never leave the place. It’s a little step stool that is a toe smasher! Poor design that the legs are to narrow and wants to flip when you stand on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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