Play kitchen

[dave andrews]

Here was a good fun hand tool project that moved upstairs last week. Hopefully sturdy enough for years of good use by the kids. Most everything in the project was something I was doing for the first time so it took a good while to get this together. Making boards flat with hand planes could still use some work but most pieces were getting close.

Firsts
dovetails (went for half blind), mortise tenon, frame-panel, miter half lap, hand resawing, ship-lap back, dados, hinges (least favorite part by far so surely doing something wrong) ...

All in all good learning project and nice to get something together.

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[Ed Looney]

Dave
Fantastic job and darn good joinery too. The kids will never know it was a learning or a first time project for you, they will only remember that you took the time to make something for them. Don't let it get away at some garage sale when the kids become teenagers. I am sure the grand kids will love playing with it when they come over to visit.

Ed

[Jim Koepke]

Lucky kids.

+1 on what Ed said, keep this in the family.

jtk

[dave andrews]

Ed & Jim thanks for the notes. Definitely planning to keep this around and the kids are just 1 and 3 so it should get some good use. When they grow up a bit I will just get more time to play with it. :) Or if we are still in a place with a small kitchen it will just add more storage space.

[Federico Mena Quintero]

Wow! Okay, you win :)

I made a play stove for my daughter about a year and a half ago. It's all hand tools, but instead of joinery I went for screwed plywood (nicely squared on a shooting board). This is an old photo - I can't find a newer one. Since that time the side panels got painted red and the rest got finished with BLO, which makes a nice contrast. I also added two shelves on the side panels to put pots/glasses/etc.
194927

It feels so nice to finish these projects. Kids may forget about them for a period of time, but then they want to play with them again and it is magical.

I really like the way you did the sink!

[dave andrews]

Thanks, the sink was a nice little stainless steel baking pan from amazon. Did not really find a great way to make the hole but got it done with a bit brace, coping saw and a rasp. I like the look of the utensile rack and it looks a bit like a chair back. A hanging rack or shelf was a requested feature that didn't quite make it in. Cheers.