Watch this before you let a child use tools

[@StumpyNubs]

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[@xpoolguy5406]

20 yrs ago my wife decided we would have her cousins eight yr old son for the weekend. I was into the visit until he was bored in the house and became my shadow. We ended up in the shop, I cut some wood , gave him a hammer and nails and we built a box. Fast forward 15 years ,I'm talking to him at his grandfather's funeral and he reminds me of that day. He is a Red Seal Carpenter now. You never know how much influence you have on a child

[@j10001]

Hammer and nails is the way to start!

[@Dusty-Builds]

At age 6 my gram-pa clamped a piece of wood to a sawhorse. Then he handed me a block plane and said "Make curly things" That's where I first started wood working. I turn 67 on October 7th and I still enjoy "Making curly things" Thanks gram-pa.

[@friendlypiranha774]

@DustyFixes - Happy Birthday for tomorrow. Love that... Make curly things. Best description ever

[@Dusty-Builds]

@@friendlypiranha774 Thank you.

[@rodc4334]

Yeah, what fun. My kids liked making "curly things", its kind of magical. I like to too! Great memories.

[@bretts4343]

I was going to give your comment a thumbs up, but I think it's at the ideal number right now. ;)

[@Dusty-Builds]

@@bretts4343 That's awesome.

[@luvr381]

The best day I ever had in my shop was when my son was 8, he had a couple friends whose families were struggling and Christmas was coming up. I took the kids to the shop and cut out a bunch of rectangular blanks of lauan, had them trace out Christmas cookie cutters and cut them out on the scroll saw set at very low speed. In the mean time my wife ran to a craft shop and got glue, paint, glitter, decorative string and more so they could make Christmas tree ornaments as gifts for their families. We all had so much fun.

[@rodc4334]

Fabulous!

[@dylanrapp7629]

I’m currently in high school and I am SOOO glad I took wood shop. I’m currently working another nightstand to match the one I made in class and it’s my favorite thing ever. If my kids don’t don’t have a shop class I’ll join the school board if I have to. Everybody deserves to try woodworking.

[@woodwizard259]

Currently I'm 13 and I've been around tools my whole life. I started with the hand saw and hammer when I was like 6. Now when Covid hit back in 2020 I started woodcarving. Now I'm still carving to this day and I've even moved on to bigger projects involving the die grinder and various Dremel carving bits.

[@TimberworksTables]

I love this. Seven years ago I helped my then 14 year old daughter build a small box that she gave to her mother, beaming with pride. A few years later we built a 6' tall book shelf for her room that is now filled with books. Memories I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

[@tpobrienjr]

My daughter and I built a nice dining table from rough red oak and red oak plywood. It gives me great pleasure to share a family meal with her family on that table.

[@TheLukaszpg]

I have cut the pieces for a bird house and my 4yo girl glued it together and used the nail gun and then painted rainbow. She chose the colours. It was her project. Still has it in her room.

[@davewilson4957]

You remember the first thing you completed? That feeling was priceless

[@StumpyNubs]

I do :)

[@philipbyrnes7501]

Me too :)

[@BlackRaven-w4e]

I remember. A pine box with leather hinges for my dad. I was 10 or 11 yo. Nice to remember it although my father was never kind to me.😊

[@reploid123]

@@StumpyNubs what was it?

[@StumpyNubs]

@@reploid123 A wooden box made from 2X4's with a plywood bottom. I kept rocks in it.

[@jonprovencebell4171]

I remember the first time I used a hammer. My dad was building a wall for what was my new bedroom, and he wanted to teach me. That led me to building stuff out of old pallets which led me to joinery which led to welding and metal work which led to CNC and advanced manufacturing. For context I'm 18, still in high school and I'm taking college classes because my dad gave me the greatest gift for all time. GIVE YOUR KIDS THE SPARK to create.

[@lanecobb4150]

My father's efforts to keep tools away from me was no match for my unquenchable thirst to build things with my hands. This was a man who actually put a lock on his tool crib. Of course I immediately found where he hid the key… I am 78 years old and still working in my shop. I had a 50 year career of building houses and owning a custom cabinet making shop. Fortunately I had two uncles who understood me better than my father did. Both of them have passed on but I took every opportunity to let both of them know how much they had meant to me. Thanks Uncle Don and Uncle Bud ❤

[@LarryGarfieldCrell]

I'm watching this with my three week old daughter asleep in my lap. Give her time, maybe she'll be a future subscriber. :-)

[@1packatak]

As a lady who loved wood working, I really hope she does❤

[@JimGarver-tx8rj]

I own the exact same Stanley miter box saw. My Dad bought it used when I was a kid and I'm now 80 years old.

[@gregblake2764]

When my sons were growing up I did a lot of hands-on training with boys through Scouting. It was very rewarding. The Cub Scouts program used to be all about teaching grade school-aged boys how to make stuff. Then, in Boy Scouts, the program expanded into camping, fishing, shooting, survival, and other well-rounded skills. Those were the good old days when boys were taught how to become men and self-sufficient. Most of those boys are in their 40s now.

[@trackrat62]

I'm 36 now, an Eagle scout, and my first woodworking projects came via the Cub Scouts. The annual Pinewood derby builds were fun but the most memorable project was building Adirondack chairs. I'm very thankful for my dad leading our den through that one.

[@AndySinnis]

Well Stumpy, great job. I’m 62 and trying to make spalted birch and maple boxes, just to teach myself how to adopt a retirement hobby. That young man’s box looks amazing. What a lucky, lucky boy to have a mentor. Great job. That kind of personal investment into others will pay forward into future for many. Way to go. Great leadership.

[@KeithCooper-Albuquerque]

Well said, Andy!

[@gregtaylor3432]

I am a retired shop teacher. My son had his own safety glasses at age 5 (I am an eye safety fanatic: Personal injury history!). He was hand tool making his own "pinewood derby cars" and other simple hand tool boxes/projects. He now (age 31) hand and power crafts Christmas gifts, power carvings, and in general is somewhat proficient. One concept that I might suggest for younger children: I painted a step on the basement steps overlooking the shop bright yellow. If I needed to do a power tool operation I would tell my son it was "yellow step time" and he would sit on the step until the machine operation was done: He got to see , was safe, and wouldn't distract me. I now look at that step and remember fondly!! If a step isn't appropriate in your shop, consider a shop stool, or other similar spot. BTW: In addition to linseed oil I would add both shellac and Danish oils as relatively kid friendly alternatives: They are very forgiving and relatively child safe.

[@judoangelus1]

Opened my shed for my 3,5 year old, to help me sand a present for my sister who married 2 days ago. The smile on both faces when we presented the box wich my daughter "helped" with. Awesome memories❤

[@603storm]

Scout leader here; a simple birdhouse is also a great starter project for a kid.

[@j10001]

Best birthday party we ever did for my son was a construction party with various stations around the back yard. Hammers and nails and scrap wood. Drills and more scrap. A short-handled shovel and a spot they were allowed to dig up the dirt. I let them prime the shed (I’d paint it later) and that was a huge hit! I even had a circular saw that I used to cut off a small block for each them, and let them put their hands on it with me during the cut. We had toy dump trucks and such out around the yard. Decorated with a few orange cones and handed out orange vests-and it was 4-year-old boy heaven! “Bob the Builder” in real life 😆 (And yes, I arranged to have a responsible parent standing by at every station around the yard to make sure things were safe.)

[@Whichbindoesthisgoin]

This summer my grandson made a low step stool with four lengths of hazel hammered into a planed chunky 6x10 section of roofing timber, all precut & wedged. I got a box of pieces all ready with one or two odds so he had to find the matching legs & work it out. He’s pleased as punch with it. Four years old & it was the first thing he wanted to tell his teacher about when he started school. Awesome, safe, indestructible 👌

[@skyehagen5521]

Thank you for all the safety tips over the ages. I teach woodworking as a 4-H leader. The first thing we cover every session is safety. Every new tool I introduce starts with safety.

[@bobc35]

James, ive got 3 "apprentices" in my shop. One wants to be there, one doesnt, and the other prevents me from working entirely. Im just glad they want to be with Dad. This looks like an excellent project to get them involved. Thanks

[@LyleAshbaugh]

I’d love to be able to teach a kid woodworking someday. First I need to teach myself. Only been at this for 2 yrs as a weekend hobbyist. I’m getting better thanks to you

[@M-J-P]

I think working with our children is best time spent and provides great learning experiences for both father and children. 25 years ago, My son’s bike broke when he was ten. I asked him if he wants to fix ourselves. It costed us more as we needed tools and parts etc. but he still remembers what a fun it was. And now he fixes his car himself like changing water pump, tie rods etc. and he built his own dinning table. And he credits all these to the day I got him in garage to fix his bike.

[@JSCRocketScientist]

Thank you for this! We had six children (well, we still do, but they’re bigger now). Our schools did not teach woodworking, sheet metal work, welding or auto shop. No drafting either. During the summers I would teach a woodworking class for them. All of them now can do drywall repair, painting, general construction, furniture making, simple electrical work, plumbing and know their way around cars. I have no idea who the schools think is going to do their plumbing; they certainly aren’t helping raise kids to work a trade. Two of the girls are avid amateur woodworkers. Last time we visited one daughter, we helped her build a bed frame she’d designed. Next visit we are “barn raising” a wall sized library bookcases. It’s very satisfying. One son is an ironworker. Three are aerospace engineers. You can’t be a good engineer without getting your hands dirty.

[@freds4703]

Thank you Stumpy. I still have the pump lamp that I built in 7th or 8th grade. Chain from socket to pump handle turns it on. I’m 81 and one of my kids will get it.

[@chipb7570]

I have had the privilege to be teaching young men and women on how to build and repair woodworking. I just wish more people would do it. The rewards to you and the young people is beyond belief. Keep up your great work

[@davidrowe4905]

If folks are willing, they should become 4-H or other youth oriented instructors. They will be able to help guide you and provide cover legally to an extent if something should happen while a kid is in your shop. Thank you so much for making this video. As a kid, I was raised by a single mom and would see my dad but he wasn't into shop stuff. I got taught the beginnings of my woodworking journey through 4-H and I'm in the process of re-registering as an instructor now.

[@GrillerGeek]

I could not agree more! This past Friday my 16 year old daughter was off school on fall break. She asked if we could spend the day in the woodshop building something. I immediately canceled all my meetings that day and took it off. We had a blast building a shelf for her bedroom that she designed. Memories that I will have for the rest of my life and she has a shelf that should last for hers and hopefully she will remember that day every time she looks at it.

[@CourtneyDulany]

Last year I brought some home school kids with access to shop class over. We build a flower box over multiple Saturdays. We had a lot of fun. I also made the watch a Shop Safety dvd I got from WWGA before we even started. Their father, who is blind, was glad someone could show them how to use tools that he couldn't. Win-Win

[@j10001]

Love it! I have my kids work with me whenever possible. My son was so proud of being able to drill a perfectly straight hole at 2½ years old - and I was proud of him, too. I have mostly girls, and they’ve done everything with me from demolition to painting, putting up walls, building all kinds of things, electrical repairs and soldering. My daughter drew a picture of our house with window boxes, and I said let’s build them together! And we did. When we needed to redo the bathroom, I handed my oldest girl safety glasses, gloves, a big hammer, and a pry bar and said go in there, close the door, and tear it down to the studs! She was shocked 😮, but she did it and had a blast! I’m grateful my dad had me work alongside him-even if I didn’t always like the labor at the time, I always found it interesting.

[@gteam53]

This was both instructive and touching. Kids are our future!

[@Hog-g2z]

Good morning 🌅, that is a great idea, I had to learn all that and more by myself, I am now in my 70s , self taught specialist joiner/ cabinet maker, children now days have no idea how to make things, as partly because schools are no longer aloud to teach them, safety problems, all is now is computers, and gaming machines, I was hoping to teach people about woodworking in my property in France, but sadly it didn’t happen, mainly due to my ex female partner, I now live by myself in a very old moulin/ mill in France,

[@AirwolfCrazy]

As a woodshop teacher for over 20 years I have to agree with you 100%. I had a past student use what she learned to help build a tree house for her kids and I had another student got into the cabinet trade having never done any woodworking until his first class with me. These skills can be used for so much and they can transfer to other hands on activities. Woodworking can also lead to research and study weather it is learning the difference between Shaker and Chippendale or researching historical woodworking methods before our fancy machines. Yes, get kids working with tools weather it is in the woodshop, the machine shop, mechanics shop, even a sewing room (yes, there are lots of tools for making and repairing clothes) and or the kitchen/ outdoor grill. The key thing here is getting them to be active and use their hands for something other than tapping on their phones (which I did to write this 😅).

[@johnduffy6546]

Ah Stumpy, you are a man after my own heart. It is magical to work with kids and to teach them functional life skills. Today's world is filled with incredible technology with which most youngsters can make us oldsters feel grossly inept...However, the life balance comes when we "elders"can instill the life skills that tech cannot...I love it when my grand daughters come to stay the night or weekend. The first things they want to do are wood carving or, scroll sawing Christmas ornaments. It warms my heart beyond words. Thank you for such a heart-felt video...Nicely done!

[@martindl9897]

My grandpa used to make my brother and me participate of his home maintenance or improvement activities. We learned a lot of skills far beyond the thing itself. I'm glad he did this.

[@chriskennard5920]

Hey stumpy, I do this on a day-to-day basis, teaching young autastic students to make all sorts of things in the UK, so this is right up my street. I have a very wide-ranging background but this is my calling - I love it. Keep this good stuff coming. Yours, Chris, from the UK

[@brentrevello134]

"New" Middle and High School Industrial Arts teacher in the state of MI near Detroit. We teach wood and metal working in middle school but not in high school. The focus is so heavily on standardized test scores that there "isn't time or money" for shop class in my district, but I'm trying to bring it back to the high school because the kids love it and do great work.

[@brucelee3388]

Tell the School Board it helps stop kids using drugs, that might get their attention. Or the local press.

[@billmillar7234]

This may be the most important video you have ever produced......kudos to you for sharing and encouraging the next generation.....plus encouraging others to get a hammer in kids hands😊

[@enzprintco.8625]

Can’t wait to teach my daughter…almost as much as she can’t wait to start. Moved recently so still setting up the new shop. Wish us luck! She’s 4…and also plans on playing in the NHL. Dream for the stars kids!

[@glencrandall7051]

My dad started me with basic tools when I was a teenager. I let it go as a young adult. But I came back when I was in my 30's. I am glad your youngster stuck with it. You can be very proud of him.🙂🙂

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

My son is special needs, so shop time is challenging for me. It’s hard to make sanding exciting, and a spoke shave wasn’t the hit that I had hoped. I am hoping that in the future we can assemble a marble run together

[@plumbobmillionaire6246]

This is great stuff. I got a commercial grade welder for Christmas when I was 12, before I could use it on my own my dads friend taught me every Saturday for 8 weeks. I made some good cash from it! Went on to do a carpentry apprenticeship and then an electrical apprenticeship after that. I failed everything in school but was never worried about having work. When I applied for my apprenticeship they found out I was dyslexic and had to be taught a certain way and everything was easy afterwards, even math and physics. Can’t go wrong working with your hands.

[@edwinlikeshistractor8521]

You spoke much truth in this video. I have been on both ends of this life expanding process and nothing is any more rewarding in life.

[@tombriggman2875]

I taught my grand daughter at 5 how to hammer nails with a small ball-pein hammer, By 6, she was using a miter saw. Also, at 8 she can use the drill and has helped me make minor repairs. You are absolutely correct to teach kids how to use tools.

[@awt]

This was a really inspiring video - the flashes of delight on his face were quite wonderful. I don't get to do much woodworking for now, but I try to involve my girls as much as I can in the house renovation I am doing - the younger one seems to love plumbing as much as I do! She helped me change some rad valves and told her mum all about it after :) I don't push it, though, just when they seem like they want to. Hopefully it just gives them the confidence in the future to know they can take on a job themselves.

[@TomSL55AMG]

Thank you for bringing along one of the future owners of my equipment!!!

[@thomashverring9484]

I taught my nephew some handsaw techniques and he did very well :^) First time I had him in the workshop he couldn't care less but next time, the year after, he was just that much older and had begun being interested in lots of topics, so even woodworking seemed interesting to him. It was a joy teaching him a little bit.

[@hansangb]

45 years ago, I made a napkin holder with mahogany. Saw, chisels, plane, nail and glue. And to this day, I remember asking the shop teacher..."this elmer's glue and tiny nails are going to hold this napkin holder together?" His response was "you'll be surprised how strong glue is" That napkin holder is still in use by my parents today. Rabbet joints are no joke! :)

[@jimrosson6702]

Great video James when I was young my grandfather got my love for woodworking started I’m just sorry that as I got older I stopped and now I’m trying to get back into woodworking and the love my grandfather started years ago. And I hope to pass it on to my nephews.

[@limestonecowboy9219]

Almost 43 years old and man I'm sure glad I grew up in the Era before cellphones and I grew up on the farm I own and live on now. I learned so many things as a child because I wasn't looking at electronics, instead I was learning how to do things instead.

[@alexglanowski695]

My nephews are 7 and 8; we've been gradually doing larger projects over time. We started with boxes, and moved on to bird houses. Right now we're making cars, and they both want to make Christmas presents for their grandma and papa. I think I'm going to give it another year and we'll progress onto power tools (but no powered saws yet!)

[@TheButterfr0g]

Hey there, gotta say I totally agree with getting tools in kid's hands. Here in the UK there's a class called Resistant Materials where you work with plastic and wood, and it definitely helped to spark my interest in woodwork. My first experience with any kind of tool was cutting the edges from some molded plastic using a tabletop jigsaw(?), which eventually developed into chisels and disc sanders.

[@MarshallLoveday]

Our only granddaughter just turned 7, and her mom is pretty handy, helping me over the years on a number of projects over the years. Probably time to bring her into the garage for a project.

[@williamrogers4290]

Way back in the 60's I custom built my Soap Box Derby car. I started it when I was 10 years old and finished it when I was 11 years old and could enter competition. I won my local race in 1965 and went to the world championship in Akron, OH. I placed in the top 27 of over 250 entries. It was my first construction project. I have completed numerous school, office, library and high-rise projects since then. Never too young to start.

[@j10001]

That whole experience must have been exhilarating as a child!

[@BillHannah]

Great video. I volunteer teaching young students basic woodworking skills. They come into the workshop for 90 minutes a week for a term and build some projects. They are always very proud of their work. For the first day, we go over safety and how to properly use the tools. Hearing and eye protection must be worn. The children always have a great experience and are sad when the term is over. Safety wise, the only injury we ever see is on the belt sander - at least once a term someone will end up with their fingertips sanded when the piece gets away from them. I like the idea of the box with a sliding lid. For finish, we usually use vegetable oil. Boiled linseed is pretty safe in regards to VOCs, but we also need to factor in that the shop is only used for the students a few times a week. We can't have the risk of spontaneous combustion. Also would like to mention the MPower sharpening system. I've had it for over a year and it's great. Do all my sharpening on it. Only time I use another stone is when I need to do repair on chipped tools - got an extra course stone for that. Would totally recommend it for someone looking for a good and relatively affordable set of diamond plates. I get great results with mine.

[@lechatbotte.]

Teaching the children the skill and beauty of an art.

[@rodc4334]

Fun stuff! I have had some kids in my shop from time to time, though not often other than my own. I had twins, and when small one thing was never more than one at a time! 🤣 Though I started much younger and they were very bouncy and touched everything if you were not watching. Only one took to it though. Asked for his own lathe one Christmas! Now he also has my old table saw and a growing collection of hand tools. His very first bowl on that lathe was really quite good! He has a real eye for shapes. Now he likes to make electric bass guitars which started in high school. I really like that box! Made from pretty wood it might be cherished for decades. I think my first project as a boy in elementary school was a bird house, a classic, given to the next door neighbors. I ran into to them at a party my sister threw for our parent's 40th anniversary. Apparently it lasted some 25 years! Great video.

[@cobberpete1]

I have a 12 yr old visiting very often. He can't get enough. I have to keep thinking of simple projects for him to do. His smiles make me smile. My problem now, is he is telling all his friends and I'm worried I will be inundated with more requests 🤪😁

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us James. Great job with the young man you tutored . Hope he stays with the trade. Fred.

[@FeelingLikeThatNow]

Excuse me, a guy named stumpy nubs on the internet told me to borrow your kid. Jokes aside, I think it is important to learn safety and be exposed to some amount of risk in your youth so you can learn risk avoidance and be mindful. This is also good for confidence and learning critical thinking skills. Your a great shop teacher James.

[@manualdidact]

Middle school shop class, so long ago yet I still have and use the stuff I made. Good tools there -- a big cabinet saw, a DeWalt radial arm, Makita and old school Porter Cable sanders, and the largest planer I've ever seen in my life. (Three foot wide cut? Four? Monster machine.) We worked in metals and even plastics too. Mr. Hodge may have been where the shop teacher stereotypes came from (he had all his fingers, but one of his thumbs was seriously injured in an accident when he dropped one of the motors from the planer on it, and low blood flow made it weirdly cold). He was old then and I'm 50 now so I doubt he's around anymore, but I think about that class often. I mostly write software for a living, but that experience more than any other gave me a lifelong interest in working with my hands. All because the instructor and the school had the courage to trust kids around controlled levels of physical danger.

[@fidgetshouse]

Fantastic video. I would love an old timey saw like that. But a simple miter box will work. My young neighbor is in third grade, I bet he would love to do something like this.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Your my boy blue, you should do a second channel with old timey work shop, cold ones and good dark humor. Miss your old stuff... LOVED this whole episode 😆

[@richardwest-q8w]

Well done sir. I was allowed access to all my Father's hand tools. In some instances it was probably not a good thing, because I had some close calls. However, in the end it worked out OK. I am not a skilled craftsman, but I can usually cobble something together. As you said, just knowing the names of the tools and their intended use is incredibly valuable information. I definitely remember learning about post hole diggers from an uncle. My Father saw my blistered hands, and he asked what I had been doing. When I mentioned post hols diggers, he broke out in laughter. He said, "Those are Idiot Sticks". Well I still use the idiot sticks from time to time, but I do not get blisters anymore.

[@timgomolka644]

The school where I work still has woodwork lessons. The students (aged 9-13) use tenon/coping/scroll saws , disc sanders/sanding blocks to make various projects including: jigsaws, pencil holders, spatulas, clocks, toy trucks, bird feeders and mood-lights.

[@rpaasse6453]

My daughter has her own workbench and tools in my woodshop. She loves it, and is "working" in her own way, she is only 7. So, no tape is safe, no scrapwood is wasted. Sure, she likes her I-pad and the tv, but when its sunny, outside! Go get dirty, play and run, have real adventures. Work with Dad in the workshop, quality-time for both. A real childhood, not childhood online. When she finds out know, how great that is, she will remember when older and hitting puberty. Make something in the workshop, glue a broken doll, fix a baby-bed. Build her a desk she draws, build a birdhouse she draws, i build it, she helps, then sands it and paints it. Pink, and sometimes purple with gold and a unicorn with rainbow. She uses about half a gallon on a square foot, it takes a week to dry and the birds are scared sh*tless, but she truly loves it. We can make and fix anything! We are going to build hedgehog houses know, things like that. Building stuff, feeling great about it and helping animals. Youre the parent, you make it interesting. Spend time with these little humans. Talk to them. Ask stuff. Don't give them a phone and pay for it, and then complain the don't talk or move. Its youre fault as a parent. Teach them life is real and not online. Teach them the pro's and con's, you, not some person online. Not a classmate or friend, You! And start very early by explaining social media isn't real. Watch together, and explain. Don't make it a monolog, just short and with respect for her/his interests. At this age they have the attention-span of a mosquito, so, short and sweet. At a later age you can explain the pro's, like channels you can learn things, get wiser and better. Use it to get better at scool, and protect youreself, like in the workshop. Its a learning curve, connect the dots, they won't you see. But you have to start early and teach how to use it. Well, thats my 2 cents, i'm going now to look and mesure some wood for the hedgehog-houses. Metric offcourse. We don't want te scare those poor little hedgehogs in a house thats 1 foot 3"6/8 wide ore something like that. And, do hedgehogs see colours?

[@1packatak]

Awesome!!

[@gnic76]

My oldest wasn't interested much in tools, now he makes fancy wood stuff as gifts and sells the odd one.

[@donjohnson24]

Great video James. It makes me so sad that schools no longer can risk teaching wood or metalworking because of our current society where someone will will sue someone else if they trip over a matchstick, so most young adults have no experience and have to turn to professionals for even the simplest household tasks. I still have the simple three-piece letter rack beside my PC that I made at school when I was about 12 years old (although the sea-grass stool I made later did eventually collapse when someone really heavy stood on it) evidence of the start that helped turn me into an electro-mechanical-pneumatic-computer engineer in later life. And, as I have bleated on about many times, it all started when solicitors were allowed to advertise! I tried to replicate your actions with my own grandchildren, and one of them is about to begin his Masters year in civil engineering at university.

[@MCsCreations]

Very good point, James! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@topsaw]

I teach high school woodshop and have to argue with you. This is year 30 for teaching for me and i think kids are better today than ever before and 10x easier to teach. Love to talk more about it if you have the time

[@meshkovsergey]

Thank you for this video! My son is eager to help me with woodworking, and this video gives me a few ideas of how to get him involved in a safe way 👍

[@watermain48]

Great video, especially for those of us with grandkids living nearby. Thanks James.

[@gpetesr]

I can't thank you enough for making this video James. I have recently started my woodworking practice and continue to improve. You have been someone I've learned a lot from.I have a 11 year old grandson who's shown interest in learning, I'm excited to share this with him.🙏 I'm also in MI. 🙂

[@RICHat22]

There are SOOO many skills and techniques you learn in one area that will translate to another area in some form. Either it's woodworking, or another trade, they will learn how to use it somewhere else for something else. The beauty of knowledge.

[@wandersworkshop4957]

I love this...I am a construction teacher and have 240 students angry at hand cut dovetail joints. Not all of them, some of them have them have done some amazing work.

[@egbluesuede1220]

I still have several of my HS woodshop projects. In fact one is sitting on my desk next to me right now 35 years later.

[@stevebosun7410]

Excellent James. It's a great pity so many parents don't do this sort of thing (or don't want to) with their youngsters. Invaluable education for the future.

[@bradleytuckwell4881]

As a kid we made pinball machines out of nails and rubber bands and cloths pegs for flippers so much fun and was hooked ever since

[@johnnyb95678]

A really great video showing the importance of passing on our craft to the next generation and making sure it is both safe and enjoyable. Thank you!

[@TimeToCheckReality]

That miter box looks like my grandfather's (from at least before 1960, probably from the 40s.). Beautiful piece of equipment. One of my brothers has it now. I coach a high school robotics team. Minimal power tools available but the rule is that one of the coaches must be there to teach proper use and safety for any of the power or cutting tools. This is the first mechanical work for most of these students, so they need to learn the difference between metric and inch-based fasteners/wrenches and have no experience with other tools. We have to explain which type of saw is useful for wood or acrylic or aluminum. A lot of instruction with using knives to cut material. The competition has requirements that safety glasses must be worn in the pits or competition areas, so it is easy to convince them to wear them in the shop.

[@raydriver7300]

A lovely video, James, introducing the next generation to the craft 🌞

[@raydriver7300]

Wow, that was a super quick response. Enjoy the rest of your day and have a restful night 🌞

[@peternorthe1912]

You are in a very touchy subject for so many parents, myself included. I feel my efforts are about as effective as shaking my fist at the sky and swearing. I’ve never felt so weak when it comes to battling social media giants for my kids’ lives and their future.

[@isaacplaysbass8568]

Superb tips for passing on the joy of making with ones own hands.

[@RICHat22]

My first born was a girl. I didn't cut my losses, but I did learn from that and make a new one. Second was all boy. Both grew up watching me work with my hands in nearly every type of skill/trade there is. I made them watch me repair a water line, replace a door knob, fix the GD weed eater, do electrical stuff, and work in rescue/SAR. Both late 20's and became extremely self sufficient and productive members of society in many ways.

[@ravenbarsrepairs5594]

When we were building some sheds out back this summer my nephew took charge of the scraps, and had grandpa cutting up bits and building wooden toys of his own design....including pivoting joints on predrilled nail holes. He also had the idea to sell them, but no buyers.

[@ravenbarsrepairs5594]

With that hand miter saw, you may want to look at the base screws of the front upright and/or the thumbscrew at it's top. The way it's moving back and forth with the saws motion isn't normal, and the one I've restored(but never use) doesn't have that wiggle, and mines even has at least one of those thumbscrews snapped off. If I had spend the time and money on the files(I've got multiple saw-sets) and learning how to sharpen handsaws, I'd likely use it more. I've got 2 Disston backsaws that fit it, but their well used and need a good sharpening.

[@StumpyNubs]

Yes, it could use some adjustment.

[@charliehorse1967]

I brought a friend's 15 year old to the shop last spring and helped him make pens for each his teachers. He picked out the pen kits and the blanks. He cut the blanks to length on the bandsaw, drilled the holes and I glued in the tubes. He turned the pens and assembled them. He had a blast and wants to come back soon to make a dice tray.

[@garymiller5937]

Thanks for the great tips, James. It looks like a great place to start! Seriously, thank you! 😃😃😃❤️❤️❤️

[@maynardcarmer3148]

Up until I was 14, I was in 4-H, and one of the things we did was woodworking. We used band saws, table saws, and drill presses. This was in the late 50s- early 60s, where today's safety devices were, well, far in the future. However, aside from a sliver or two, we all ended up with all our body parts still attached. And I still like to work with wood.

[@TrevorDennis100]

You have reminded me of young Danny, the Work Experience lad we had in our shop for a while. He was a good lad, but full of mischief, and liked to set fire to things in the welding bay. One of the people in our section had a very red and squashed nose, and he retired when Danny was still with us. He had us in fits by pushing tiny LEDs one up each nostril with tiny wires you are barely see. He flashed this on and off dure in Ed's (the man with the red nose) leaving do. Ed did not think it was funny, but it was impossible to keep a straight face. The Menz Shed in the next tow allows school age children to attend, but they are supervised one on one. We decided it was too big a burden, and everyone is busy working on projects anyway. We have a DIY store called Bunnings in NZ and OZ, and they have a children's evening once a year. They are supplied pre-cut timber and some tools to assemble it using nails, so they are given hammers. It's well attended, so I have been told.

[@M.Elyami]

You look AMAZING with that beard! 👏👏👏👏

[@tylerkrug7719]

Planting seeds my friend, great job!

[@jem8472]

I was surprised to see that box lid! I made a box at school many years ago. It had this sort of lid. I guess it is a good beginner lid style to do. I still have the box. I am now getting into woodwork and trying to make a couple of nice boxes for my nieces for Christmas. Was that box bottom just glued in to the bottom with no rabbet? I have been trying to decide if I can rabbet some Sapele without splitting and ruining it so fitting a box bottom like that might be the answer.

[@darylthomas4522]

many moons ago I and my son put together some 1/2 inch mdf scraps in 2 sizes ,3×1 and 10×3 screwed together alternately to make storage for his video games( and reduce the trash heap) the impact driver makes screwing easy,a bit of sandpaper and a can of spray paint = happiness all around

[@bjoernwuest7483]

I would be so happy if my children would join me in some crafts activities. Not to put them into danger, or not because I want to make them take this as profession. But to learn, to learn about potential dangers, cheats, etc and deal with them. If I look back to my first time I used a circular saw, man, I am glad I am still alive.

[@matthewklick5273]

I have two boys and two girls. I've tried getting all of them out in my shop. The only one that has any one with any interest is my 7 year old daughter. So far she's used my drill press, scroll saw and lathe. We can't wait until she's tall enough to start using some of the tools on her own. For now she mostly hangs out to learn what everything does, how to do it safely, and how to be scared without the fear chasing her away.

[@brucelee3388]

Build her a 3' x 3' x 6" strong box that she can stand on. When she is not using it she can store her 'shop gear' in it. The others may make auto mechanics or Chefs - skills often seem to jump a generation - they did in my family.

[@jimmylovesbikes]

Absolutely loved this video. Yes you had an impact for sure :)

[@BrightonandHoveActually]

I am a Cub Scout leader. So I have to work with up to three dozen 8-11 year-olds at once. I have about 75 minutes to complete a project. So for woodworking I tend to make birdboxes. To do this, I tend to make up kits where all they have to do is cut them along the premarked lines and screw them together using premarked holes and self-piloting screws. I predrill the door at the front. Parents can come along and help supervise but I only allow hand tools. I also find Dads are keen to take control and do not listen to instructions - so I find Mums much more helpful but I also countersink the holes on both sides because otherwise they all get it wrong and screw into the uncountersunk side which can cause the wood to split. The result is pretty rough but birds do not engage surveyors or lawyers and each child has their own bird box which they consider themselves to have made to take home.

[@richardbrobeck2384]

Great Video I used to help teach woodshop at school !