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Masts, Booms and Yards After my students finish shaping the hull, they move on to thorough sanding—working through a progression of sandpapers until they reach a smooth finish with 220 grit. Part [...]

In our last entry, we left off just as the students began shaping the hull of their boats. I had explained the importance of leaving small vestigial blocks at the bow and stern—these sturdy tabs [...]

In part 1 of this project, I described how my students begin their boat-building journey by sketching and transferring a symmetrical deck design onto a blank—typically a 2×4 or 2×2—and [...]

A Hands-On Sailing Project in 2×4 A wooden boat is one of the most inspiring projects a child can build. It’s an object of grace and adventure, deeply symmetrical yet full of creative [...]

Once upon a time, the go-to rasps for woodworkers seeking quality were the Nicholson #49 and #50. These were hand-cut rasps, where each tooth was individually raised by a skilled worker striking [...]

Tool: Easy-Squeeze Silicone Glue Bottle Shop Now  Manufacturer: Rockler MSRP: $8.99 Over the years, I’ve used many types of glue bottles in both my shop and classroom. Most of them follow [...]

After all the hard work of shaping and sanding our wooden swords, we needed to give them a comfortable and secure handle. For this, we used a reliable method called “Common Wiping.” [...]

Another guard style that’s especially popular with students is the faceted guard. This design is easy to lay out using a small straightedge or a 6″ ruler. Once the front-view design is [...]

Last time, I talked about potential shapes for the handle and pommel. In this entry, we’ll shape the blade and introduce the first of several guard designs. If possible, shape the blade [...]

After my student finished forming the cross-lap joints (see part 1), I asked what kind of hilt they envisioned for their sword. Should the grip be tapered and rounded? Should it end with a [...]

One of the most popular projects my students ask to build is a sword. Alongside boatmaking or crafting a gnome house, swordmaking has become one of the signature fourth-grade projects we do once [...]

I recently made a few softwood handles on the table saw using a method that streamlines a simple yet elegant design—handles that can handle a lot. These handles are thick, tactile, strong, and [...]