Wood projects suggestions for cub scout kids?


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Old 12-04-03, 04:18 PM
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Wood projects suggestions for cub scout kids?

Hi all,
I'm helping out driving one of the themes of building something with wood for our son's upcoming cub scout den meetings. This would be different than doing something such as the pinewood derby.

Problem is most of us older folks have a hard time coming up with ideas for a simple project that a wild bunch of 7yr old boys can tackle. My role would be getting stock, precutting, predrilling parts, etc. The kids would just assemble and finish the rest with simple tools within 30-45 minutes. I assume using screws or small nails would be sufficient for fasteners...not sure if I want to get them too involved with anything messy like glue or paint just yet.

I've suggested something like a CD holder box or book-end but neither raised any eyebrows. A birdhouse kit like those $10 kits sold at Sears seems impractical (since we have so many birds pooping all over the place as is) and rather expensive.

Have any of you folks done something that works well?

thanks in advance!
 
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Old 12-04-03, 06:53 PM
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alung ,
Besides the Derby cars the bird houses did come to mind.
Forget the $10 kits - you can cut out alot of bird houses from a 5' x 5' sheet of baltic birch (no voids). You could ask some local golf courses or Parks if they would allow you to place the houses. Maybe even collect some donations for the troop.

fred
 
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Old 12-04-03, 07:27 PM
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We had a lot of success with blue bird houses. We cut the parts from cedar fencing and the boys assembled them. All the parts nailed together easily and without any jigs. Sold quite a lot of them, too.
 
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Old 12-07-03, 09:28 AM
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alung:

Bats were a very successful topic for several meetings, ending with the construction and placement of bat houses.
If interested in this as a project be sure to consult local bat-ologists as construction methods for houses are a bit different from area to area.

A local school woodworking instructor was happy to pre-cut the pieces for easy sanding, assembly and painting.


Image credit: batco.org
 
 

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