My apprentices first day....

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rileytoolworks

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A few weeks ago my son came to me and asked if I could help him make a bed for his favourite toy.
So last week weekend we made a packed lunch each and headed off to my workshop....

Jacob working out the proportions...


Jacob (and George Pig) spied the beginnings of a jewellery box, and tried it out for size...


Once we had a plan, it was time to get to work.
Jacob had his eye on this Record block plane so I set him to work planing up the side slats...


and giving them a slight chamfer..


Is it time for lunch yet, Daddy?



After lunch, it was time to assemble the bed. No pictures of this part as I was holding all the parts while Jacob tapped them gently together. 48 mortices later we had this...




And one very happy, but slightly tired apprentice.
Then we went home and made flapjacks!

Oh, and here's his first shaving, which we've saved for his scrapbook...



Just ignore the state of the workshop. I've told him next time he comes he'll have to tidy up!

All the best.
Adam.
 
That is truly wonderful. You must be very pleased indeed :)
I like the idea of saving the shaving - I must remember to do that when my 'apprentices-in-waiting' are old enough to hold a plane.
May I ask how you cut all those teeny mortices?

Thanks for an uplifting post!

Adam
 
Thanks Adam.
Confession time...
I sneaked back to the workshop the night before and cut the mortices. They were done on wide boards using nothing more than a router and a fence, routing between pencil lines.
The slats are 6mm thick, 12mm wide so I used a 6mm cutter.
Once they were all cut i ripped the board into pieces.
I didn't think it'd be a good idea to have the screaming router going off with a five year old around.

The whole thing was assembled without glue, and those 48 mortices make it really rigid.

Thanks for the comments. I am very proud of him.

Adam.
 
right, get him making the tea then send him out for a bucket of 1/4 inch holes.
 
Great project ! How long before he comes up with something else he needs to make in the workshop :D

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
 
Very nice to see. I can imagine how proud you must feel. it also makes a change to see an apprentice actually working and not texting on his mobile phone. :lol:
 
mailee":25huc7r0 said:
Very nice to see. I can imagine how proud you must feel. it also makes a change to see an apprentice actually working and not texting on his mobile phone. :lol:

Give him time (about 5 years)
 
One of those days you will both remember for a long long time to come,please do keep us informed if you start a new project.
 
Really nice post to read - and most important, not "just" the work itself and the finished job but the 2 of you working together on this job is something I'm sure Jacob will remember for a long, long time to come. (I don't supose you'll forget it either!)

You're a lucky man Sir, thanks for posting.

AES
 

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