After completing a small wall cabinet, I realized making it used most of the basic hand tool operations. It was then I thought making one with my 30 year old grandson, who has been voicing an interest in woodworking. The first session was measuring and making out a bill of material, then a trip to the lumber yard to buy materials. I've grown up around woodworking all my life and I have just realized how much I take for granted. Even though the grandson has a five year degree from Purdue, he lacks that basic background. As a result, we have spent a lot of time just talking about and looking at wood grain. That started at the lumber yard with wood selection.

The first operation was cross cutting a 1 x6. After scribing a line I showed him how to get a kerf started. Two inches into the cut, he was off the line by an eighth of an inch. He asked what he was doing wrong. I noticed he was lined up all wrong with his shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand out of line with direction of the cut. I asked him to stand where I was standing, then replicated his pose with an explaination of lining everything up correctly. His next cut was spot on.

We then went on to face planng, jointing, using a shoot board and a glue up, making a panel wide enough for the back board. Each new operation he struggled with was fixed by an adjustment of body position. Something we all do, but never think about. I think he's serious, he's been taking notes. After last night's session I warned his wife that I may have created a monster. She asked how so and I told she may not be so happy when the first 350 dollar plane shows up in a LN box!