Hello,
I am going to be starting as a high school woodshop teacher this Fall. The shop needs some new tools, hand tools mostly because I wish to start my students out with the elemental lessons of good cabinetmaking. Over the years most all the traditional hand tools have gone the way of the dodo.
Are there any contacts or sources out there that might assist me in outfitting a shop? We are on a rather limited budget indeed but what I seek are good, quality tools at the best prices possible.
Also, I notice that many tool companies have endorsed a few woodworking schools, donated tools etc. Might there be any companies out there that would be willing to invest in us? Our kids are eager learners and I feel strongly that passing on the trade, is essential. Passion too is contagious!
Replies
SJ Addis, now that's a name with woodworking history! Are you a carver?
A contact and site that will interest you is Doug Stowe: http://www.dougstowe.com/cshs/wisdomofhands.htm
You can contact Doug through his web site.
I am curious how one might become a wood shop teacher in Texas. Which state are you in, and what are the creditials that were looked at by your interviewers?
I can't recommend Richard Starr's "Woodworking With Kids" more highly. My life-long passion for wood began in Richie's shop in junior HS, and continues to this day. The variety of 7th & 8th grader projects shown is terrific (all with hand tools) and the techniques shown are pragmatic, easy to follow. He also makes teaching points over and over for teachers to use as explantions. In particular, the stick-built furniture, turning, and planing discussions are very useful. I am almost finished with a pedal lathe based on his design.
John
Are there any other teachers in your (new) department that you can contact?? See if they can get you a copy of catalogs from Broadhead-Garrett, Pxton-Patterson, Sears COMMERCIAL Tools, and Granger. I've used all these sources over the past 37 years and they know how to work with schools. Does the school require purchases to go out on bid?? I should get back into my school next week and I'll e-mail you the 1-800 numbers for these companies. Call them immediately and get catalogs. As for texts, (John) Feirer has several good books on woodworking, cabinetry and finishing. Yes, Richard Starr's book is good, but mostly for grades 4 to 7. A word of advice. Don't let the students start on huge projects. Start small and work up as their ability and your confidence in them grows. It is no fun having to do most of the work on students projects when they run out of enthusiasm for it. It's also a great waste of materials. As I tell students, 'Be careful with the materials, lumber does not grow on trees.'
Best of luck in your new carreer...... SawdustSteve Long Island, NY
Steve,
Thanks for your recommendations on books
I have posted an outline of my teaching programme & jobs done for middle school and junior college on this thread. What jobs work really well for your classes?
Cheers,
Eddie
Edited 7/27/2002 10:28:11 AM ET by eddie
Hi SJAddis,
Here's my programme for teaching kids - the standard jobs that I use repeatably in your equivalent of middle school and early college. Fill-in jobs used depend upon the nature of the class. Have to summarise my programme anyway for someone else so your post was the catalyst that I needed.
Trust my typing time is worth it and you (or other teachers) pick up something from this. If any other teacher has another project that works well, please reciprocate and post what works with your students.
I work in a government-funded school in a rougher district on eastern seaboard of Australia - this programme is aimed at these students and their level of skill and interest in schooling.
Yr 7 (12 - 13 y.o.) - compulsory subject - class times are 35 hours per year
Project 1:
Make a wooden die (singular of dice) out of a block of 4" x 4" radiata pine, cut 1/8" longer than the thickness, usually approx 3 3/4" long. Use a disc sander to square both ends, faces 1 - 5 marked/drilled out with a countersink and face with the six-spot marked then drilled out 60mm deep using a 10mm drill in a drill press, then edges rounded over using rasps/files, finish sanded then tung oiled with floor sealer. Die used as pen stand. (note that opposite faces of the die add up to 7, so 1 opposes 6, etc...)
Aim to teach:
Project 2: Sliding lid pencil box
Make a sliding lid pencil box from a single length of 41 x 12mm, 660mm long. Groove is cut 6mm from top using our table saw prior to class starting project, using a standard width blade.
Get students to mark out the job and cut it using tenon saw and benchhook into two lengths 220mm long and two lengths 100mm long, with 5mm saw cut allowance between each piece. Shoot ends square using disc sander, glue and butt joint job together, using 20 x 1.25 panel pins. Mark out base onto 3mm plywood directly from job when dried, get students to cut out base using tenon saw. Use 12mm brads to glue/nail base onto job. Plane base flush with sides. Teacher marks out lid, student cuts with tenon saw and planes sliding lid to size, and makes a handle for the lid from scrap pine - simple shape cut out using coping saw. Sand & iron out dints, then resand and varnish 3 coats.
Teaching aims:
Project 3: Design project.
Students given a brief to research and design a simple item for household use within cost and time constraints (use terms such as: project will fit into shoebox, project to be built mainly from scrap timber, etc... at this age). I get a lot of interesting projects such as country spice racks, dolls houses, bird nesting boxes, shelving units for nic-nacs, remote control stands, ... ... ... - Have seen about 60 so far this year - some are quite presentable and others "need a lot of teacher input". All from 13 year olds!!!
The wide variety of projects exposes the class to use of specialty tools, which I use as a teaching example and give the class a 2 minute spiel on before shoeing the student who needs to use the tool a more detailed and thorough explanation in it's use.
Yr 8 (13 - 14 y.o.) Compulsory subject - Class time 35 hrs per year (17 hrs wood, 17 hrs metal)
Project 1: CD/DVD tower
Students given a basic design for a CD/DVD tower (outer carcase and 1 - 2 shelves, CDs stand vertically a la books in a bookshelf, with scope to make minor design modifications to suit (reason for 'retrograde step' in projects is that the students whom I see may not have been my class the year before, and some have not got basic skills). The classes of yr 8 students this year have skills varying from excellent to: "Sir, this is the first time that we've been in a workshop, what does this do?". All this variety in the same class of students.
I use the basic carcase construction as per my yr 7 pencil box, either as a refresher or an introduction to basic carcase work, depending on the student.
The shelf needs to be identically sized to fit the top and bottom in order to fit neatly, as it is butt jointed and nailed into position in the carcase. To answer the obvious question, I do not use a stopped housing as am not allowed to use routers with these students, as they are still not at an age to give them the mental responsibility to work with any fast cutting machine. To hand cut this housing would take students too long. I am considering making a jig with a captive router to cut these housings - if I do this, I will start using it next year.
Teaching aims and outcomes are as per project 2 in yr 7, but with the added emphasis of getting 3 - 4 pieces of wood accurately sized within 1/2mm. This proves difficult and has resulted in some CD towers that started up as 13 CDs wide ending up 8 CDs wide by the time the student picked up the skill.
Project 2: Mug tree.
Fill in job if time left:
6mm chamfer onto the edges and one end of a piece of 31 x 31 (finished) pine, 450mm long.
Drill 9mm holes, 15mm deep into centre of stand in 3 rows, about 130mm apart, but consistently spaced, starting 30mm from top and in staggered drill pattern. Angle of drill is 20 degrees up from the horizontal. Beware of students who put job onto drill backwards, meaning that the drilled holes point floorwards, not skywards.
Cut square of 4" x 3/4" (90 x 19mm timber) to give 90 x 90 x 19mm base, mark centre of base then use a disc sander to put a 6mm chamfer all round one edge of base.
Drill and screw base to pillar
Round 6 pieces of 9mm (or 3/8") dowel at one end using file or lathe (your call depending upon calibre of class), cut 120mm long. File notch 15mm from end using round file to accept mug handle.
Finish sand job, glue dowel into pillar & varnish
Year 9 - Elective subject - (14-15 y.o.) 130 hours per year
Power tool use introduced according to level of maturity and safe workshop behaviour. Current class is lacking in both so all work done with hand tools to date
Project 1: Hand-made toolbox
Make a small tool caddy 380mm long (internal dimension).
Tool caddy ends are rough sawn, students "four-square" these two components of their toolbox using traditional methods (except ends shot with disc sander) to give two components each 140 x 12 x 330mm. Mark and cut as per diagram, including through mortice 35mm x 12mm
Handle is cut from a piece of 45 x 12 (dressed size) 420mm long. Both ends checked out as per rough sketch to create floating tenon. Flexible, thin timber offcut used to draw radius. Cut out radius with coping saw. Round all exposed corners with rasp/file/paper until comfortable to hold. Leave joints alone.
Sides are 120 x 12 x 420 (dressed). Measure 10mm in from each end and mark housing to accomodate tool caddy end (should finish 22mm in from each end). Mark 12mm x 8mm deep rebate on bottom of job to accomodate base of toolbox.
Cut rebate and housing using chisel/marking knife
Glue job together.
Mark out base using toolbox rebate as template and cut to suit.
Fit base, drilling and pinning base to toolbox sides/ends with through dowels, cut flush when dry and left exposed as design feature.
Project 2: Coffee table - rough sketches attached
Make frame from 31 x 31 square section, cross braces are 760mm long, legs are 460 high.
All joints in frame are cross-halving joints, hand cut
Table top is veneered MDF with solid timber lipping 45 x 19. Lipping is mitred at ends and biscuit jointed to tabletop, mitres reinforced with half a #10 biscuit also. Tabletop screwed to frame with 4 screws
Need bottom shelf as this acts as stretcher
Project 3: Storage cabinet
Students given a project to design a lidded box from 140 x 12 feedstock to hold an item of their design to set exterior dimensions.
They need to generate a cutting list and cost, then make project
Joints are box joints or mitre joint, either hand or machine cut.
Lid is hinged using butt hinges.
Skills taught: Simple design, cutting list generation, corner joints, hinge fitting, housings (again)
Fill-in projects for advanced students
Year 10- Elective subject - (15-16y.o.) 130 hours per year
Entire practical work is their major project, where the students design, prepare cutting list for, cost out (& pay for) then manufacture a major project entirely of their design.
Takes up to 30 weeks to make:
This year's crop of projects:
5 coffee tables, 2 display cabinets, 4 TV cabinets, 3 jewellery boxes, 1 wall mounted shelving unit.
Year 11 + 12 - won't enter into it here (separate course at school - dovetailed work, detail fine cabinetry based, results in production of some quality pieces of fine furniture from motivated students, lesser quality work from less motivated)
Edited 7/27/2002 10:35:56 AM ET by eddie
Attachments referred to in post 6 - very rough sketches of coffee table and tool caddy
In my 9th grade intro class several years ago we studied both the methods of work and furniture styles. In a year-long class, the students were required to build projects based on the information presented. Once the kids got into the routine, we had success and some fun with it.
For the methods of work we watched episodes of both The Woodwright's Shop and New Yankee Workshop. The students first looked at accuracy and production. Later I stressed the concept of 'woodworker' vs 'machine operator'. There weren't many converts to the handtool side, but the majority at least developed an appreciation for both methods of working in wood. ( I should also mention that students could get extra credit points if they wore suspenders on the days we watched Roy, and a bonus if they were red.) This also gave rise to the description of injuries in the class. Cuts requiring a band aid were 'Roys' and stitches were 'Norms'. Fortunately, I didn't hear 'Norm' but one time. Usually it was, "Don't worry, he didn't Norm his finger, just Royed it".
In the 1st quarter we studied Pilgrim furniture and the students had to make a small project based on this style. They also were required to make a marking gauge to learn measuring, drawings, adapting a plan to their needs and the basic use of tools.
Quarter 2 was Pennsylvania Dutch with applied geometric design and a required mallet. The mallet was then used to help with the carving.
Quarter 3 was Shaker and a bowsaw. We learned about the lathe with the saw handles. The students made a pedistal table with either a round or square top.
Quarter 4 was modern furniture and a toolbox. The attempts at modern furniture were not all that well executed, but the students left with an appreciation of different styles and more importantly, their own set of handmade tools.
Good luck to you,
Tom
Oops, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. FIRST item that MUST be constantly stressed is SAFETY. Safety glasses, sleeves rolled up, no loose clothing, long hair out of the way, no rings, watches, bracelets, neck-chains when working. NO SHORTCUTS. Accidents happen to 'the other guy'. From where I stand, YOU are the 'other guy.'. Second... the most basic of skills ...... reading a ruler. You will be surprised how many students CAN NOT find 3 5/16" on a ruler.
For sources of tools, machines and small eqiipment... call the folowing suppliers. They have been in the business of supplying schools for mamy years: Broadhead-Garrett 1-800-321-6730 and Paxton-Patterson 1-800-323-8484. call them and ask to send you a catalog ASAP. Go online to http://www.grainger.com. They have lots of stuff you will find useful. Since I do not know where you are located, check in the Yellow Pages to see if they are listed. If they are local, they are great to deal with. We purchased one of their 'Dayton' brand drill presses. The motor blew out after one month. We called them up, brought in just the motor and had a replacement in 2 days. Total time... 1/2 hour. Turns out the starter winding was defective. No problems, no hassle.
In the 1950's when I was in school, the first real project, after a lot of practice cutting, was a 'Pump Lamp'. It looked like an old fashioned well-pump and water trough. You learned 20 woodworking skills in building it. It could be built with all hand tools: Saw, plane, square, brace & bit, coping saw, hammer. I'll try to post a jpg of it later today. If you want, I can mail you a quick rough drawn plan sheet for it. If you need more help, feel free to e-mail me @ [email protected]. SawdustSteve
My shop teacher was an alcoholic who would yell quite a bit and use corporal punishment. We spent two weeks rubbing down his equipment with emory paper and oil.He got in a fist fight in the hall with and English teacher between classes.
The one thing he told us that I remember, was that a true craftsman does every step of the job as best he can and doesn't put off doing things correctly 'till the latter stages of the project.
Frank
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