Woodworking with Cub Scouts

1. Woodworking with Cub Scouts Grand Canyon Council Pow Wow January 2010

2. Outline • Introduction • Use of hand tools • Planning the meeting • Q & A

3. Introduction Why are you here? • Biggest reason is to get new ideas • ·To learn a little more about the materials, tools, & skills needed (later) Why do wood projects with kids? • Kids love it. • They gives a sense of control over a tough material • They get a thrill from using things that they’ve made themselves • We take some cues from the Swedish “sloyd” system • "sloyd” = “handicraft”. It is a curriculum of wood, metal, and textile • education in the primary schools founded in 1880 that is still used • Key ideas: • Considered as a developmental tool; children develop their brains by • working with their hands • Similar to the argument for playing music • Advances the intellect & confidence in innumerable ways (empowerment) • Develops a respect for the dignity of labor • Adds one new skill per project, over many projects • ie. Cut a block of wood. Tack sand paper to it and you now have a pencil sharpener. • With cub scouts, the woodworking exposure is much more brief Projects. • Projects should have some value/relevance for the kid when finished. • Projects should be focused: • introduce a few tools • introduce or improve 1 or 2 skills, • for example: nailing, sawing, drilling, measuring, using jigs • (birds mouth, miter box, …), painting/finishing • Following a plan • You can prepare the project to remove obstacles that are not central to • the focus. • OK to precut pieces if sawing is not the focus. • Allow room for the child to be creative • For practical reasons (time, number of adults available, …) you have to provide some plan or constraints

4. Introduction • The adult’s role • Provide a safe environment • Offer know-how & support • “The value of the child’s work does not exist in [the object that’s made], but in child that made it.” • The project is finished when the child is satisfied with it. • (as long as it’s safe and does it’s basic function) • Provide materials & tools Materials • Where to get it? • Wood is where you find it. • Do you know a carpenter; cabinet maker, etc • Call a local cabinet shop & ask for scraps. • What to use? • Ideally, straight grained pine, with few knots • You might stumble across poplar or mahogany, which are also very good • Sometimes, the wood that you have can determine the size of the project parts. • If the toolbox is supposed to be 14” long, but you got a bunch of 12” long boards for free….. • Plywood can be good in some applications, but you can’t really screw or nail into the edge • “exterior grade” plywood lasts longer for outdoor projects (birdhouses) • Put the Outing in Scouting • Home Depot • Most stores offer children's workshops once a month

5. Requirements • WOLF Requirements • TOOLS FOR FIXING AND BUILDING • a.   Point out and name seven tools. • Do this at home, or go to a hardware store with an adult. Tell what each tool does. Cover tools used for woodworking such as saws, hammers, planes, screwdrivers, etc. • b.   Show how to use pliers. • c.   Identify a Philips head and a standard screw. • Then use the right tool to drive and then remove one from a board • d.   Show how to use a hammer. • e.   Make a birdhouse, a set of bookends, or something else useful. • Birdhouses:  The basic birdhouse plan works for many species.  What changes is the size of the house and the size of the opening. BookEnds:  The bookend consists of two pieces of wood connected at right angles.  Then any pattern can be made and cut out for the “decorative part”. • MAKE IT YOURSELF • a.   Make something useful for your home or school. • Start with a recipe card holder, orMake and use a bench fork. • d.   Make a door stop. • e.   Or make something else. • SPARE TIME FUN • f.   Make a model boat with a rubber-band propeller. • Make a Kite String Reel • BIRDS • e. Feed wild birds and tell which birds you fed. • f. Put out a birdhouse and tell which birds use it.

6. Requirements • Bear Requirements • SAWDUST AND NAILS • a.   Show how to use and take care of four of these tools. • Hammer, Hand saw, Hand drill, C-clamp, Wood plane, Pliers, Crescent wrench, Screwdriver, Bench vise, Coping saw, Drill bit • b.   Build your own toolbox. • BUILD A MODEL • b.   Build a display for one of your models. • WEATHER • Build a weather vane. Record wind direction every day at the same hour for two weeks. Keep a record of the weather for each day. • b.   Make a rain gauge. • THINGS THAT GO • a.   With an adult's help, make a scooter or a Cubmobile. Know the safety rules. • b.  With an adult's help, make a windmill. • c.   With an adult's help, make a waterwheel. • CUB SCOUT BAND • a.   Make and play a homemade musical instrument - cigar-box banjo, washtub bull fiddle, a drum or rhythm set, tambourine. etc. • NATURE CRAFTS • Build and use a bird caller, or maybe a Flower Press • BACKYARD GYM • a.    Build and use an outdoor gym with at least three items from this list. • Balance board, Trapeze • b.    Build three outdoor toss games

7. Requirements • Weblos Requirements • Craftsman • Do these: • Explain how to safely handle the tools that you will use for this activity badge safely. • With adult supervision and using hand tools, construct two different wooden objects you and your Webelos den leader agree on, such as the items listed below. Use a coping saw or jigsaw for these projects. Put them together with glue, nails, or screws. Paint or stain them.Book rack, Napkin holder, Shelf , Animal cutouts, Bulletin board, Garden tool rack, Weather vane, Lid holder, Tie rack, Mailbox, Letter holder, Birdhouse, Notepad holder, Desk nameplate, Toolbox, Letter, Bill, and Pencil holder, Towel rack, Bread box, Recipe holder, Key holder , Nailing Jig, Lamp stand, Measuring cup rack, Kitchen knife rack, Measuring spoon rack, Kitchen utensil rack. • Make a display stand, or box to be used to display a model or an award. Or make a frame for a photo or painting. Use suitable material. • Engineer • And do four of these: • 7.      Make drawings of three kinds of bridges and explain their differences. Construct a model bridge of your choice. • 8.      Make a simple crane using a block and tackle and explain how the block and tackle is used in everyday life. • 9.      Build a catapult and show how it works. • Handyman • and do six of these: • 12.  Build a sawhorse or stool to be used around your home.Sawhorse #1, Sawhorse #2, Foot Stool

8. Use of Hand Tools • Use hand tools!!! • BSA age guidelines don’t recommend power tools until Boy Scouts. But they don’t define “power tools”. Obviously, use common sense. We routinely used cordless screwdrivers/drills with proper eye protection & supervision. • Recommended tools: • Start a “pack” toolbox to be shared by dens • Plastic Speed square (rugged) • Japanese pull saw (easier to use) • Sawing Project– Door stop • Great “scrap” wood project. Working with thicker wood, developing skills to cut straight with a different kind of saw. • Boys find it easier to cut straight when following a vertical line

9. Use of Hand Tools • Coping saw (kid size) • Scroll Saws • Rasp, • Sanding blocks, • lighter hammers • Hand Drills. • Drilling – Tee game • Another “scrap” wood project • Working on drilling straight holes, stopping at the right depth.

10. Planning the Meeting • Energizer – Nail Relay Race • The hammer may only touch the nail once • Safety glasses must be worn • Round “2”, hold the hammer in your other hand • Reflection • The other hand was tough. The purpose was to give you an idea of how a Cub picking up a hammer for the first time might feel. • Saftey • Eye Safety. • Guide to Safe Scouting • Talking about safety with boys. • No long lectures, demonstrate and have them demonstrate back • How to adjust the energizer for tigers/cubs/webelos • use different woods and nails • each boy drive one nail • Can apply to sawing, drilling, driving screws

11. Planning the Meeting • Today’s project - Birdhouse key ring holder • Goal: The kits are pre-cut, so the goal is nailing • ( That was the purpose of the Energizer ) • Leadership. • Try projects ahead of time with your son. It allows you to work out the kinks. • It also allows him to display some leadership skills helping others since he will “know how it’s done”. • Jigs: to make holding & nailing easier • Tie this requirement in with other requirements like Forestry: • Today we are using pine, or butternut. • Bring information about the tree like leaves, bark, nut (if applicable), etc.

12. Take Home Project • This year’s take home project is a Button puzzle. • It requires cutting, drilling, and sanding (the project focus). • For safety purposes, you may want to have an adult drill the big holes on a drill press. • Measurements need not be exact. • Just make sure the “button” is bigger than the hole • Don’t make the string overly long. Q & A

13. THE JUMBLED TOOL BOX The tool box is all messed up. Unscramble the following words to find your tools. You may not know some of the tools. Ask grownups for help. EWERCRIVSDR ODOW NEALP MERMHA SIVE PCLAM-C CRAEB AND ITB TRCELEIC LIDRL RESLIP NDAH WSA LORLCS AWS GCONIP WSA AHKC SWA EPTA RSUEAME LVLEE QAESUR IALN TSE EIWR TREUTCS INT PSINS

14. Answers: screwdriver, wood plane, hammer, vise, c-clamp, brace and bit, electric drill, pliers, hand saw, scroll saw, coping saw, hack saw, tape measure, level, square, nail set, wire cutters, tin snips

15. 2008 PowWow “Take Home” Project The “button” puzzle. The goal is to remove the string and button from the wood without untying any knots or cutting any string. This project can be used to practice sawing, drilling and sanding as none of the measurements need to be “exact”.

17. Plans and Projects • Projects – complete with instructions • Bookends , One board bookends • Climbing Cub Scout , Climbing Bear • CD Rack • Door Stop • Falling Raindrop • Foot Racers • Rubber Band Powered Boat • Plans  - diagrams and notesBat Houses:      • Plan #1, Plan #2 • Bird Houses:     • Plan #1, Plan #2, Plan #3, Blue Bird #1, Blue Bird #2, Robin, Waterfowl, Wren • Other Houses: • Barn Owl Nest box, Butterfly House, Lady Bug house, Squirrel denNestbox Dimensions & Hole Sizes • Feeders:           • General Info, Feeder Page 1Page 2, Open Feeder, Suet #1, Suet #2, Tray • Bookends: • Teddy Bear , One board bookends • Jigs: • Bench Hook , Drill Guide , Nail Puller • Pinewood Derby Car Stands: • Stand 1 , Stand 2 • Misc: • Ball and Bat Shelf, Birdhouse key holder, Jig to make Nailing easier, CD holderFlower Press, Foot Stool, Jacob’s Ladder, Napkin Holder, Paddleboat, Sawhorse #1, Sawhorse #2, Scooter, Table Hockey #1, Table Hockey #2, Toolbox, Tie Rack

18. Links • General Woodworking Sites • http://www.parentinginformation.org/woodworking.htmhttp://sawdustmaking.com/http://www.kidscanmakeit.com/woodworking_tips.htmhttp://www.am-wood.com/http://www.biglearning.com/treasurewoodworking.htm • Plans that kids can build • http://absolutelyfreeplans.com/http://www.woodzone.com/plans/free_wood-plans.htmhttp://www.freewoodpuzzles.com/http://www.am-wood.com/march98/book.htmlhttp://www.imaging.robarts.ca/~amulder/wood/http://plans.the3house.com/index.phphttp://www.drillbitsplus.com/free_woodworking_plans.htmlhttp://www.minwax.com/build/novice/ • http://naturalpapa.com/homeschool/woodworking-projects-with-children-online-resources/