Kids are out of school.. and, the later we get into the summer vacation, the more you can hear the whining. “I’m BORED!” Iggy’s been watching this phenomena in our house, and he’s been shaking his head. I mean, come on, if Iggy had time away from the shop, he’d be catching up on his mad ukelele playing skills.
Knowing that bored kids are an issue, Iggy drafted this week’s list of the top five reasons why woodworkers should share what they know with eager young learners during the hazy, crazy, lazy days of summer.
Kids are curious. Maybe they don’t want to become a worker in a cubicle farm and they want to discover a new path in a well-respected field of work. Not everyone wants to – or even needs to – go to college.
Shop class has been canceled. With budget cuts and a greater emphasis on computer education, kids aren’t even getting exposure to woodworking in a shop class. Many of them may go through life without putting a nail into anything more than drywall in order to hang a picture.
Clean up on the cheap! When you bring eager young learners into your shop, you can get them to sweep up and vacuum for the cost of a few ice cream cones afterward!
Math maniacs. Sure, kids learn a lot about math from textbooks. But, how do they apply it in the real world? Woodworking allows kids to use all of that book learnin’ in a real-world setting. I was terrible working with fractions until I applied it in the wood shop.
Process matters. A lot of kids can’t handle homework. It’s not that they are bored or lazy, it’s that they don’t understand the process involved. Woodworking provides that lesson in spades. From selecting a board and milling it square and true to cutting joinery from assembly and glue up to sanding and finishing, there is a logical progression in how you arrive at a finished project. That kind of self-discipline and organization will help well into the future.
Iggy the Trained Shop Monkey is swinging from the rafters this week – appreciating the dexterity of his tail. While hanging from the lumber rack, he got an idea for this week’s entry and it involves a tool with a tail!
The top five reasons why you should still own a corded drill even though cordless models are so good:
You never have to wait for batteries to recharge. Unless you plan on woodworking in some out-of-the-way location or during a blackout, there’s always plenty of power available to you.
Corded drills typically spin at much higher rates that cordless models. Higher speed is a good thing for drilling pocket screws, doweling, mortising and other shop tasks.
You can use the cord as part of an elaborate booby trap should someone try to break into your shop after hours.
High quality corded drills sell for much less than high quality cordless models. That leaves you more money to spend on a kick-butt set of forstner bits.
Corded models can be lighter than cordless NiCad powered drills. After drilling all day, your shoulders and arms will thank you.
Whew. Iggy’s been doing some weight training because he knows we have an upcoming plywood-based project on the schedule. He needs to improve his upper body strength to heft those sheets!
While he sits and eats a banana between sets – good source of potassium, you know – he slipped me this week’s list.
The top five reasons why plywood is so cool to work with:
Thicknessing? Panel glue ups? What are you talking about? With plywood, cut it to size and get cracking!
Plywood comes in a wide array of face veneer species. And, if you can’t find what you need at your supplier, you can use it as a substrate for a fancier veneer.
You will give your classic AMC Gremlin a workout trying to shove a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of ply through the hatchback when you carry it home from the supplier.
Wood movement? Come on… Plywood virtually eliminates it, allowing you to glue it in place in many projects, adding strength to the final assembly.
Some sheets actually come straight from the factory pre-finished with a heavy-duty lacquer. This is a huge time saver when working on cabinet projects, and eliminates that noxious finish smell inside the boxes.
