Category Archives: Kids

The Gift of Time: 8 Ways to Use Extra Time in the Shop

Posted on March 14, 2020 by

Time is the greatest of gifts.  None of us knows how much of it we will have over our lifetime, and once it’s gone we can never get it back.  That’s why I’m not much bothered by the prospect of … Continue reading →

Posted in Kids, Musings, sharpening, skills, storage, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

One Last Bedstead

Posted on June 21, 2019 by

When my youngest child–my only son, R.–finally outgrew our old toddler bed (which I had originally built for his older sister, and which had then been passed down through the siblings to him, and which I eventually gave away to … Continue reading →

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Building A Frame-and-Panel Interior Door

Posted on March 20, 2019 by

If I had a backup career in woodworking, it would be making doors and windows for historic homes.  It’s not that I especially enjoy making such objects more than others.  (I’ve never even made a window sash.)  It’s that it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Build-Alongs, Home Improvement, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Crafting (in) the Home: Passing on Your Skills to your Children

Posted on October 27, 2018 by

I just returned from a conference on community building called The Urban Village: From Cloud-Castles to Blueprints, sponsored by The Servi Institute in Oklahoma City, OK, where I gave a presentation on passing on manual skills to children by letting … Continue reading →

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Fairy Furniture You Can Make on Your Front Steps

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

After a big tropical storm made a mess of my daughter K’s fairy garden, she decided to do some remodeling. First on her list was new fairy furniture, so we thought up some simple designs for a table and chairs.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Build-Alongs, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Working Wood with My Children (Mostly Pictures)

Posted on May 31, 2018 by

Ever since my children were old enough to hold tools, I have included them in my woodworking.  My workbench is right in our main living space–on one end of the dining room–so the kids can all see me every time … Continue reading →

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The Best Tire Swing Ever

Posted on October 9, 2017 by

We have a large oak tree in our front yard, and while we have attempted to put up several different kinds of tree swings for the children over the years, this tire swing has been by far the best.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in Build-Alongs, Home Improvement, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Folly of “Prepping”

Posted on May 29, 2017 by

What is the best way to preserve a seed?  I first came across this question in a gardening book, and it’s a trick question.  The answer, of course, is to plant it. I have thought about that question a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Kids, Musings, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Build a Cedar Bench in an Hour

Posted on June 8, 2016 by

One summer afternoon not long ago, my wife and oldest daughter had gone out, leaving me to mind the little ones.  We decided to make a fire in the fire pit and roast hot dogs for supper.  We lit the fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Build-Alongs, Furniture, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A New Door, a New Bed, a New Daughter

Posted on December 14, 2015 by

My summer ended with big woodworking plans for the coming year.  (Most people’s year begins on January first, but being a professor, I think as much in school years as in calendar years, so my year effectively begins in mid-August.)  … Continue reading →

Posted in Furniture, Home Improvement, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments