Woodworking?

[suziek]

My oldest is six. He hsa wanted to learn woodworking for a long time. Neither DH or I are handy in that way, and we live in an apartment. We don't have friends or relatives nearby where we can send him for a few lessons. Still, I'd like to see him give it a try. Any suggestions on how to get started? Maybe a kit, or starter set and table that we can order online?

Thanks for any suggestions

[fibre_artist]

I don't know anything about it yet (it's on my list ), but what about starting with balsa wood? You can get it at hobby and craft stores, and you can cut it with scissors (it's really soft). Maybe he can make his own models/furniture/? out of it?

[sohj]

Start with balsa wood and model building. This will help with fractions and geometry, too, as well as scale. You don't have to plunge in the deep end, but it is all there and will build (no pun intended).

Pick something he'd like. Or that he could give as a gift to someone else. toy furniture is cool. Or a dollhouse. Or a detailed birdhouse. Go for the hand tools, not electric. He will learn more and they last a long time if taken care of.

[moominmamma]

My son is now 8 and has enjoyed messing around with wood for some time. We have a rural acreage and a sort of shop building, so he's been in there. What he finds useful:

small hammer
small hand saw
rechargeable drill
screws and nails in a variety of sizes
a metal square (L-shaped ruler) for measuring
white glue and/or Gorilla glue
a small vise mounted on the edge of a table
a whittling knife
lots and lots of bits of "project wood" ... scraps of 1x2, 2x2 and 2x4, dowels, shims, detail bits like old offcut bits of molding, slats from demolished louvre doors, scrap bits of plywood (less than 18" in maximum dimension) and the like
kid-sized safety glasses

My ds has been left pretty much on his own to try things out and discover what works. I think that some occasional feedback and guidance from someone knowledgeable would have been helpful at reducing frustration ... but he's figured an awful lot out on his own!

Miranda