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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...

The best way to get kids interested in woodworking? Help them build something. Ask a kid what they want to do when they grow up and you’ll get a hundred...

Once the smokestacks were glued in, it was time for the paint job. My plan was to leave the deck floors in their natural wood look and only paint the...

After finishing all the work on the bandsaw, I clamped the hull in a vise and, with the help of a rasp and a file, fine-tuned the bow and stern....

Only a handful of tools are needed to recreate this iconic vessel. A few years ago, I crafted three identical waterline wooden toy ships based on the iconic design of...

While Flax Oil, Shellac, and Tung oil are all good transparent finishes for students, what if you want to cover up the appearance of the natural wood instead? Let’s remember...

After showcasing the two most popular finishes I work with as an educator—Flaxseed oil and Shellac—I’m excited to delve into another favored option: Tung oil. Tung oil and Walnut oil...

As I mentioned in the last article, I’ve experimented with a wide variety of finishes over the years as an educator and woodworker. This has helped me figure out what...

As a woodworking teacher and a maker, I’ve tried almost every finish out there, perhaps short of Urushi. I’ve experimented with everything from oil and wax finishes to lacquer, [...]

My son is seven years old, and so far, I have tried to refrain from proselytizing woodworking to him. My hypothesis, at least for now, is that the love for...

My son Asher likes gardening. He loves digging, planting, harvesting, and building makeshift bug habitats for earthworms, beetles, moths, and ants. A few weeks ago, he asked me if we...

Sometimes a little talking-to (and video surveillance) is all it takes. I have noticed three things about tools and kids. Kids can find tools even if it requires tunneling under...