Fun time in the shop with my Son.....(pics)

[John Dingman]

I have a 10 year old son that loves to be in the shop as much as I do. He helped me building the assembly table, the outfeed table, and the clamp cart. For all the times he has helped me in the shop I bought him his first hand plane. It's a Shelton No. 4. I managed to get it sharpened and tuned up so it takes some pretty decent shavings. He was tickled to death to have "His very own plane!" The look on his face as he was taking thin fluffy shavings was priceless. Then I let him try my super tuned Stanley No. 3 with a Hock blade and chipbreaker, and he loved it. I told him if he could be responsible with his plane, that I would shop around and get him a Stanley Bailey No. 4 off ebay one day and tune it up like the No. 3. He was so excited that he had to run into the house to show Mom the shavings that he was making. That was a fun time!

http://www.johnswoodshop.us/Images/Fun%20Time%20with%20Joel%20001.jpg


http://www.johnswoodshop.us/Images/Fun%20Time%20with%20Joel%20003.jpg
Thanks for letting me share that!
John

[Shawn Swafford]

Cool deal, John. It's great to have a son or daughter to share special times with. I know I enjoy my son! Oh...your tool bill just went up :D .


Shawn

[Mark Singer]

John,

Those pictures so oh too familiar!!!! It seems like yesterday, now he is 31......enjoy every moment! Every single one!

[Jim Dunn]

Great job Dad, of taking the time to show and teach your son the finer points of life! Just the time together is priceless.

Jim

[Jim Becker]

I can only hope I'll have that kind of experience when the time comes! Wonderful story, John.

[John Miliunas]

Good looking young man you have there, John! And he certainly appears to be enjoying himself immensely!:) Be careful, though....That Stanley #4 you eluded to, could easily become a LN in the near future!:D :cool:

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

The moments you spend with your son are PRICELESS and you both will remember for the rest of your lives.

Bruce

[Dan Moening]

Look at the smile on that GIT* !

Nothing much can compare to time in the shop with your kids.
Priceless indeed.

My son is 6 years old and not quite big enough yet for many things, but he does have his own fully stocked toolbox. Pinewood derby is coming up so coping saws, rasps and files are on the agenda :D

My daughter is 10 and has been a great shop assistant many times though she hasn't shown any long term interest.

To borrow a phrase:
"Each one, Teach one".


*Galoot in Training.

[Bill Wiggins]

I have a 4 1/2 year old grandson that loves our "projects". Right now, I'm just letting him paint the wooden toys I make him and help with the gluing. He'll spend hours at his Toys-R-Us/Home Depot tool bench with his plastic tools. I've taught him the names of the tools, what they are used for, and that he must be very careful with them.

What age can they begin to work with "real" tools? He's good with a screwdriver, but I don't want to expose him to hammers and saws too early.

[Tom Scott]

Bill,
I'd say you could start kids working with real tools as soon as they can handle the task. That age is going to vary with each child and each skill. It sounds like you already have the ball rolling. Screws are a good place to start. Next would be nailing, drilling, hand saws, etc. Before you know it they will be able to handle a hand plane like John's son.

Tom

[Michael Stafford]

Bill there a couple of good books on woodworking with kids. You will never regret introducing your children to the shop. Make sure they learn safety as well. Good job!

[Frank Pellow]

The look on your son's face says it all! Another happy and proud woodworker!

My Dad never bought me my own plane but, at the age of 8, he started to let me use his. It was a brave move on his part, but I never made him regret it.