Ideas for a kids project...

[johnoutdoors]

I have a small block of black walnut that is 5"x6"x6". It is the leftover from our mantle above our pellet stove. I have a buddy with a saw mill that cut it for us. My wife keeps telling me to throw it out. I thought it might make a nice homemade present for her that my boys and I could work on together. They are 7 and 11. Any ideas out there for a block that size that are not a pencil holder, we would appreciate them. they boys are looking forward to a special treat for their mother. I have most every tool necessary except for a lathe, so no bowls. I have been inspired by the creativity here, and hope you can get my juices flowing.

 

[Ben7203]

Tic taco toe box, I remember doing one in scouts

 

[Bessy]

What about some kind of puzzle? Off the top of my head I am picturing the nails puzzle where you balance a number of nails on the head of a single one. It'd be a fairly simple project that only really involves drilling some holes and pounding in a big nail, but you could get fancy with it by routing some design and or playing with the edges to give the block a nice bevel. pair that with a nice varnish and maybe a wood burning kit to engrave it with the kids names and voila!

 

[ddawg16]

Tic taco toe box, I remember doing one in scouts

For a block that thick.....yea, ^^that^^ gets my vote.....and everyone can play with it.

 

[Ben7203]

I was thinking he could get 2 or 3 out of that block

 

[rslaback]

Are you able to resaw it?

 

[Erampu]

How about their first bongs?

 

[NUTTSGT]

How about one of those games that they have on the tables at Cracker Barrel ? It uses golf tees and you have to jump one over another and remove the "jumped" one.


hang on a sec.......

Here, this,

http://shop.crackerbarrel.com/Crack...hRank=-product_site_launch_date&searchSize=12

 

[johnoutdoors]

Are you able to resaw it?

Sure can. I like the game board ideas. We were hashing around things like pencil blocks and napkin holders. None of that seemed fun or useful enough. I can probably get 3 blanks out of the block. Great ideas guys. Thanks. Keep them coming, I will probably try to do the project next weekend when my nephew is here too.

 

[dfiler2]

Here's one more game board idea.

 

[Voi]

I thought it might make a nice homemade present for her that my boys and I could work on together. They are 7 and 11.

Wood working friend of mine has made several boxes with a hidden money in them for his boys. The box always has some trick to opening it.

Since this is for your wife maybe some sort of jewelry in a trick compartment of some sort?

I think he just finds the plans online.

 

[rslaback]

I'd go for some sort of small memory box. They are fairly simple to make, just make a cube and then cut the lid off and hinge it back on.

I made one for my mom out of wood from the two huge catalpa trees that used to stand in front of our house. I had access to a laser engraver and engraved the family tree in the top of it to finish it off.

 

[rayra]

Gift for Mom? Small jewelry box.

 

[ssdave]

This is a neat machine, not sure a wife would appreciate it, but it's a fun project to make with your boys:

Cut the slots with a dovetail cutter on a router table. Cut the sliders to fit the dovetail to angle, while still attached to the board, then rip them off to the right thickness. (learned that by several failed attempts!) Cut the corners at the intersection very slightly with a chisel so they don't catch, and wax the slots and sliders with paraffin. The machine will turn extremely smoothly, you won't believe it's made of wood.

 

[atthebeach]

Saw the block along the grain to make 1/4" inch thick x 4" x 4" drink coasters. The boys can sand and paint designs on the top which then receive a few coats of polyurethane. The beauty of the black walnut augmented by the boys creativity will be a keepsake your wife will treasure and your boys will be pretty proud of.