You can buy the tools you don’t already have as you get them in the book or you can go ahead and buy them all at once. In the following article, I give suggestions on sizes and styles that can help children get the most out of their use. The advantage of having all your tools in advance is that it will save you from running around trying to find what you’ll need the day before you start a new project only to find out it’s out of stock. Another advantage is that you can often find all the tools you need online in one place. This can save you time and money.
Here is a list of the tools you will need. Use this to compare what you already have with what you will need to buy. You can buy each child their own set (which would be nice since one of the first projects is a toolbox) or they can share tools. (But getting kids to do that is a whole book in itself.)
A. Tape Measure (12′) They make tape measures that have the fractions labeled on the tape to make it easier to read, especially if your child is just learning about fractions.
B. The wooden rulers (12″) are easier to read than the clear or colored plastic ones.
C. Hammer (7 – 10 oz for younger children, 16 oz for older children with better eye-hand coordination)
D. Screwdrivers: Flathead and Phillips
E. Nail set
F. Handsaw (Western or Japanese style)
G. Jigsaw
Block plan H.
I. Brace Drill (hand drill)
J Rasp
K. Sandpaper (100, 120, 150, 180 grit)
L. Waterproof glue (white or yellow) for outdoor projects
M. Screws and Nails (A box of 1 ¼” and 1 5/8″ drywall screws and a box of 3d, 4d, and 6d finishing nails will get you through most of the projects in this book.)
N. Clamps (see lesson on stool construction for information on clamps).
O. Safety glasses (may require a little extra effort, but find a pair that fits your child well. They will quickly become frustrated if every time they start to swing a hammer they have to push their glasses back on their noses. manufacturers do make child-sized glasses, it might take a bit of time to look around to find them).
P. Combined square
Q. Velocity square
Again, this isn’t a complete list of hand tools needed to build any imaginable project, but it’s a great start. Armed with the above list of hand tools, you can conquer all the projects in our book, “Woodshop 101 for Kids.”
