Building Bonds: A Journey in Woodworking with My Son

Passing on woodworking knowledge to the next generation is very rewarding.

I have just spent the last few months teaching my eldest son how to build a jewellery box for his girlfriend using only hand tools. Both he and I found the experience very rewarding. He was astonished at what he had achieved and proud of himself (as was I of him)

What surprised me was his need for hand-tool skills. The school our sons all attended has an outstanding Design and Technology Center and curriculum with a first-class wood and metal workshop. All my sons did wood and metal work as part of their schooling for 5 years and made some excellent projects, yet none of them have developed basic hand tool techniques.

So, although my son had woodworking experience, he was a beginner in every way with this project.

His design was made from 12mm Jarrah hand-dimensioned from recycled stock. He chose to build with mitred corners with splines for reinforcement and esthetics with a rebated base and top. He used Tasmanian Oak for the top, splines, interior boxes, and dividers. After much deliberation and a few purchases he was not happy with, he settled on 25mm Butt hinges with a 90-degree stop. The box was lined with green felt, and a section of ring dividers was constructed using small dowel rods wrapped in three layers of foam and finished with the same felt. The box was finished with a boiled linseed oil paste wax combination, and he used liquid beeswax for the interior components.

He shared with me that his experience working with wood using hand tools completely differed from his previous building experience. He enjoyed the way he had to read and understand each piece of wood and the focused meditative experience of working in silence. His attention to detail and focus on the project was a pleasure to see.

I had the privilege as a farmer to work with my hands every day and attend a high school where I could learn to build with wood and metal every week, plus two grandfathers who encouraged me and bought me hand tools for birthdays and Christmas. I want to pass on these skills and opportunities to my sons and, hopefully, grandchildren in the future. The more I can share and teach, the more I understand the value and the necessity of the Slöyd teaching method. I believe working with your hands is an essential life skill and complements our academic learning. My sons are lucky to have learned how to work with their hands, as many of their peers missed out on this opportunity.

As you can see, Harry did a fantastic job, and the box turned out beautifully.

Cheers

David