Table Of ContentBuild It with Dad
A. J. Hamler
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Dedication
To Mom and Mike, who built things with me.
To my daughter Courtney, who I built things with.
And to my grandson Jed, who will one day build things with skills handed down from all
of us.
Contents
Special Offers
Introduction
Working with Kids
Safety First
Tools
Wood
Techniques
Getting Started
Gwen’s Toolbox
Frank’s Workbench
Pegboard Tool Rack
Games
Cornhole Game
Jacob’s Ladder
Fantasy Sword
Trebuchet
Rubber Band Racer
Rubber Band Shooter
Tabletop Foosball
Outdoor Living
Window Nesting Shelf
Bird Feeder
Hiking Staff
Kite Winder
Noisemaker
Indoor Living
Desktop Bookrack
Display Shelf
Passive Speaker
Anything Box
Dragon Coin Bank
Train Whistle
Candy Dispenser
Introduction
Working with Kids
One of the fondest memories of my daughter Courtney was the day we bought her first
“big girl” bed. As I was assembling it, her understandable excitement was eclipsed only
by her fascination with the process. She asked tons of questions about what I was doing,
and every time I did something new came the plea, “Can I try it, Daddy?”
There really wasn’t much I thought she could do, though – the parts were heavy, the
assembly complicated, and the tools unfamiliar. She wasn’t quite three years old, but she
kept asking. Then, when I had one corner of the frame finished, it occurred to me that
tightening a couple screws might be a task that was easy enough for her. So I backed off
the screws a bit, showed her where each screw was and how the screwdriver fit the end,
and told her to go at it.
I needn’t have worried. She immediately grasped the concept and after a few moments
of fumbling with the screwdriver, she handily took care of it. Her little muscles couldn’t
tighten it all the way, of course, but I didn’t tell her that. Instead, we moved on to the next
corner and I let her do all the screws there. Her concentration was such that she didn’t
even notice me coming behind her to fully tighten screws and bolts. To attach the
headboard I first set the bolts and while she held the headboard upright I tightened one
side, then we traded places and she took care of the other.
When the bed was complete she was pleased nearly to bursting with her work. In truth,
at only three years old her contributions were minimal, but to her mind she built that bed,
and for months afterward proudly showed it off to every person that came into our house.
Not sure I realized it at the time, but I kindled a very important spark that day. In the years
that followed, the two of us made a lot of things together in my shop and around the
house.
I enjoy building things; always have. But when working with my daughter I realized
something else: I enjoyed it even more, and so did she. More importantly, she remembered
everything I showed her, and every skill she learned.
Courtney’s in her early 30s now, but has continued her interest in building things to
this day. In the last year alone she’s made her own rustic deck furniture from 200-year-old
reclaimed oak, lined a hallway with built-in bookcases, created storage shelves for my
new grandson’s room, and is currently remodeling a bathroom from the floor up, including
tile work, cabinetry, new drywall, flooring and shelves. I couldn’t be more proud of her.
Working with kids – what to expect
I’m guessing you’ve already gotten a taste of this experience and are eager for more, and
that’s where this book comes in. The 22 projects that follow are perfect for building as a
team. I’ve carefully chosen the projects to represent a wide range of interests. Some are
strictly for fun and games, others for those interested in the great outdoors, and some that
are useful around the house.
In all cases, though, I’ve kept things on the simpler side; if there were two ways of
doing a particular step or process, the projects typically go with the easier one. I’ve also
geared everything presented here to a basic tool kit. You won’t need any large machinery
for any of the projects. That’s not to say, however, that if you’ve got a fully tricked-out
shop that machinery is off-limits. To the contrary, if there are some steps you’d like to do
yourself to save time then, by all means, do that. I’ll even note from time to time steps that
can be done with larger machines, but it’s important to know at the outset that not a single
project in this book requires them.
I’m going to assume that you already have a grasp of basic tools and carpentry
techniques, so this book isn’t a cover-to-cover tutorial on how to become a woodworker.
However, when it comes to how a tool works or how something is done I won’t leave you
hanging; even if you’re familiar with the process, I’ve presented the projects as learning
experiences for both you and your young woodworkers.
Keep in mind just how much youngsters will be able to do for themselves and which
parts are best left to your adult hands. Unfortunately there’s no hard-and-fast rule for this;
you’ll have to trust your own knowledge of how your kids handle tasks. As you get
started, always remember to demonstrate each new technique before you turn them loose,
and go slow with things that are new to them. If you see that something is too complicated
or a tool too difficult to handle at first, it’s imperative that you don’t force the child to do it
until they have enough confidence to do it safely and in a manner that makes them feel
good about the task they’ve just done.
If you’ll be working with more than one child on a project, be sure to keep everyone
fully involved. While one is working on the main task, have the other in a support role.
Then on the next task they can switch roles. As always, keep age differences in mind: One
child may be more ready for a task than the other, or one may tire more quickly.
For groups of three or more, it might be best to have them each work on their own
project rather than work together on a single one. This way no one is idle while the others
