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tbockman
Posted: Thursday, September 12, 2019 9:45:02 PM
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Joined: 11/17/2006
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A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Another challenging project


Actual size


I'm always challenging the students to pick quality projects and to try something new. Pick something difficult when you are ready. Forget the path of least resistance! Work towards something of quality that is so cool that you can't wait to get into the wood shop each day. This small racer has created a huge wave of much needed inspiration in our class this year.

Here was my inspiration...


Maybe in the future I will add actual steering.
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***UPDATE*** 12-6-23

We have had many students try this challenge since it's inception. Eventually I had to make a set of templates as the popularity continued to grow. Pandora decided as a beginning woodshop student that she really wanted to do this during 1st semester of 23-24 school year. I knew she had the talent from her meticulous work so far, so I showed her the templates.

Now I had her father in my high school class years ago. This will be his 2nd child to be in woodshop. I'm impressed with them both! Pandora is witty and smart and can manipulate the materials put before her. This is her version.


You will noticed that I still haven't gotten around to making some steering linkage for this racer. That might up the difficulty level just a bit, not that it isn't hard enough already. Can you believe this is Pandora's first time in woodshop? She hasn't taken very many of the projects home yet either.

I also thought the front badge was one of the better looking parts of my version. Pandora had her own thoughts. I like it!

I asked mom for a photo after I noticed that Pandora generously gave it away to a friend before anyone in the family could see it. Good thing mom got right on taking that picture before it went to a different home. The girl who has it now wanted to be in woodshop and is extremely sad she didn't get to this year. I could be wrong but I think Pandora knew this and that part of this is due to the unusually small 5th grade we had last year. At least her friend will have two more years to get it in her schedule.


Good job Pandora and thank you for being so sweet and kind. As we end this semester, I hope you come back to woodshop again!

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tbockman
Posted: Friday, September 27, 2019 11:06:24 AM
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With strict instructions.... to wait!

I certainly have spilled the beans many times over the years while talking with parents, so I didn't want to violate Kairi's order to wait to post this. "My mom regularly keeps up with what I'm doing in school and I don't want her to see this yet," she says.

While making this special birthday gift for her mom...


You can see the pride and she liked this so much that she made another one for herself.


I unfortunately (later we changed that to fortunately) cut the board well over 2" short. You see... the piggy cutting board stretches across the entire 16" so students can choose to make one from the same cutting boards we normally produce.

Knowing this, Kairi decided to use a short piece in her board that the template would have easily gone around so it would have been cut away anyway. Silly me... I forgot and shortened the whole board to that length while trimming the irregular ends.

To make things right, I simply traced half the piggy, then slid it over to trace the other half. Still feeling a bit guilty, I also helped cut around the hardest parts so we could quickly see how well it would turn out. Kairi spent a ton of time sanding all those curvy edges to perfection and it came out so cool! This cute and more round piggy has become a new wood shop favorite. I know I like it and hope her mom feels the same way.

Good job Kairi and happy birthday to her mom!
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tbockman
Posted: Thursday, October 3, 2019 9:57:48 AM
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Another first...

8th grader Maggie, is a first time wood shop student and has done a remarkable job. Each project is of the highest caliber and when I accidentally flipped over the top of her slot drum, we had to cover some mistakes where the tablesaw leaves a couple of the earlier cuts.


Maggie shows off the slot drum.

After filling in those grooves, I thought she might like it better if we could somehow camouflage the patches, so I started showing her a few ideas. She decided to take a chance and go with this idea.


Can you find the errors now?

Not only did she choose two differing colors of wood that show off the corner joints... which she I might add... made all by herself (all the students cut their own finger joints), but she also chose this stunning laser cut leaf pattern to cover for my error. It works so well that the slots are even difficult to see in the photo.

Then when she found out that she would only get to make one drum stick because I was running out of donated rubber balls, she also brought in a bag of rubber balls and was able to have two drum sticks while still leaving us with more than a dozen extras.

Nicely done Maggie!
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tbockman
Posted: Tuesday, October 8, 2019 11:31:51 AM
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The "Whistle-Blower"

Sorry... This is not about national politics. It's fall break right now. Let's get down to something real that we recently did in our shop. The band teacher came to me with this video and ask if I thought we could make a train whistle for the Polar Express program he is doing in December.


Photo of the second train whistle.

I had to admit, it's a good train whistle. Much better than the simple one I already had. But can we build this from a video? He neglected to mention at the time that he also bought the plans. Good thing because it would be hard to imagine how the inside is constructed being shielded from view by the bellows.

The plan gives every detain about the build. Now everyone knows that I love a challenge and this sounds like a lot of fun to me. With mostly Home Depot materials he brought to the shop, I was able to produce two.


Picture inside the first train whistle.

This is a photo from the first build. The pipes are intentionally left long so they can be tuned. The band teacher later tuned them to fit with their musical score. It sounds terrific.

The plan calls for the bellows fabric to act as the hinge. I figured that it wouldn't hold up in a elementary/middle school over the long haul. One of my first changes to the plan was to add hinges to the back so it would last a lot longer.

The next change I made was to take out two of the springs and to shorten (about 1/2") the remaining two springs. The plan calls for four springs, but clearly they were not necessary. In fact, it might have been harder for the younger children.

The plan also calls for the springs to be placed on nibs. Nibs are a much harder way to mount the springs, so on the second whistle, I simply drilled 5/8" holes 3/8" deep using a forstner bit, so the springs have a secure place to mount and they also wouldn't have to be shortened.

So the bellows get enough quick air, 10 - 3/8" holes on the bottom allow for plenty of air intake. The same Naugahyde for the bellows is used as a flexible valve to let air pass in, but not back out. For better air movement, the outer edges of the holes have been slightly chamfered with the countersink bit, to give better air passage.

Lastly, I didn't feel right about gluing the Naugahyde around the top and bottom pieces. What will someone do if there is ever a need to get back in to make repairs in the future? It doesn't need to be glued and I did have to go back in when I wanted to use screws to attach the press pad on the first whistle.

On the second build, I also didn't add the extra reinforcement on the back bellows trim which on the first whistle, created a sort of squeak as the Naugahyde was squeezed tightly together as the bellows opened and closed.

Now the kids can't leave it alone so I'm going to have to get rid of this second one by giving it to the Sunnyslope school or maybe I should place it on one of the upper most shelves to keep busy hands from getting to it. Don't get me wrong.... I like the sound it makes. It's a good solid train whistle. But to hear Woo Woo... multiple times over and over again all day long. You get the idea.

***UPDATE*** 10-26-19 This turned out to be so popular that our shop now has to complete four more of these and will be made by our eighth graders. One for the Bradshaw Mountain High School drama department, one for our choir teacher(personally), another one for the band teacher (personally)... and another that I can't remember what it's for... maybe me(?). This should be fun!


This 8th grader has taken on the responsibility of helping to produce the extra train whistles through the entire complicated process.


Here she is covering the air intake so air will only go one way through the bellows.


Usually working with a big wide grin, Mikayla happily helps with almost every aspect of train whistle construction. Mr. Rutt stepped in to give us the tuning lengths for the remaining pipes once classes were over for the Thanksgiving break. On Monday we got right on them and finished them up, cutting each pipe to length. I can't wait to find out how the high school likes them.
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tbockman
Posted: Friday, October 18, 2019 9:20:04 AM
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A project idea from inception to fruition

I'm at the thrift store rummaging through shop stuff and come across a Hello fresh box. This hello is a different font from our other hello, so I ask for the empty box and they were glad to give it to me. I proceed to cut along the lines as best I could. This is the result.


The school has some old aluminum trays which I sometimes use for templates when it looks as if they can easily break when made from 1/4" plywood. I traced around the cardboard and came up with this.


Of course I have to also be able to make it from wood to gauge the difficulty and to also have a display for the shop. I cut it from MDF. The art teacher was kind enough to paint it for me.


The kids really like it and some of them tell me they would like to make it from aluminum. No.... that's just too hard! Although it wasn't too bad cutting it from the MDF, it will still be hard enough for most of them.
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tbockman
Posted: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 9:14:09 AM
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7th grade creativity

Usually reserved for 8th graders, some 7th grade students want to use their new woodworking skills to do something out of the ordinary. This would be one of those times and this student really hit it out of the park. In fact, she hit it so far out that the project had to be completed after the quarter ended.

Made from a single 2" X 6" from Home Depot (or maybe dad's job site) this design is usually made from a single block of wood using the bandsaw. To save on materials, we instead chose this method.


We did get the drawers shaped and assembled.


Why the crate look for the drawers? First, I really like the way these came out, and second, it's a great way to make it easy for a 7th grader to accomplish curved drawers. We did try cutting curved drawer sides, but they didn't look nearly as good as this.


It took a while to see the final results, but WOW don't the colors make it POP! This photo was sent by her mom over e-mail. How delightful can you get... both curvy and colorful!


What a great project. Good job Laurynn. I bet you will remember this experience long into the future.

***UPDATE*** 12-8-19 I have to add another 7th grade quarter 2 project that unfortunately doesn't have as many photos since it moved pretty quickly. Nice concept with a little planning and a lot of effort. Good job Harrison!


And when the legs failed, it was in need of a little hip, knee and leg replacement surgery. With a little cosmetic makeover by Harrison, it is ready to go out the door.



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tbockman
Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2019 10:06:22 AM
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8th grade creativity 1

Creativity abounds even as a new quarter is underway. It's hard to tell why that is happening more now than at other times. Some of these projects definitely fall under fine art. It's not like I haven't been encouraging creativity all along, especially with 8th graders, many whom have been in my class multiple times and know their way around the wood shop.

Who could have known that this school year would ring in so many artful ideas... like this soon to be pencil holder. This student has asked for a little help on how to best approach a porcupine shape.

Well... let's first look up some photos on the Internet. Now take a piece of cottonwood and start with a basic oval body shape. This is the cottonwood we seasoned after cutting down some on-campus trees. It is a softer hardwood that is easy to work.

Mount the cottonwood on the lathe to help round out the edges. Next, start making the head leaving a tenon so it can easily be mounted onto the body.


The face plate is left attached so the porcupine is easier to work by clamping it in the vice. After a little hand sanding it is really beginning to look good. I've only seen a couple of these critters live, and knew enough to not get too close, but I can't remember exactly how they were shaped looking down from above. This seems right.

Going back to the lathe, make a string of four leg shapes leaving tenons for mounting them. Sand them and cut them apart. Don't worry too much about being an exact length because it's easy to make them all the same once they are mounted.


After sanding them to length, the pencil holes are drilled while the project is back in the vise.

After returning from the art room, Malakai has painted it. Let's give it a test run by adding pencils. I'd say it looks a little treacherous, doesn't it?


Here's a "TIP"... watch how you take pencils from it when they are point up.


Great job Malakai!
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tbockman
Posted: Wednesday, November 27, 2019 11:40:57 AM
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8th grade creativity 2

Another creative project made by one of our eighth graders. This happens to be from one of my students who has been taking wood shop since the 4th grade.




As eighth graders, I often times encourage them to reach a little higher, and even go off script (no plan/ no drawing) and come up with their own project ideas, like the porcupine.


When I started to see this one come together, I was impressed with how much care he took in details.


After getting to a final point, Clayton goes to the art room to add color.


How cool is that, to show off his skills by making a unique product completely to his own specifications.
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tbockman
Posted: Sunday, December 22, 2019 12:01:19 PM
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Joined: 11/17/2006
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Most images borrowed from the Internet.

I had a chance to watch the WISH MAN movie on Netflix which I accidentally found out about in the Golden Corridor Living magazine I was reading in an office waiting room. I found the movie to be enjoyable especially since I am proud to have actually met the Wishman himself... Frank Shankwitz, the founder of the "Make a Wish" foundation. I didn't know he was the founder of Make a Wish at the time though because he humbly presents himself in western attire. (Frank Shankwitz)


I was still teaching at Prescott High School when this casually dressed cowboy comes in with a request. He had seen our program featured in the local newspaper many times for unusual community projects. "I'm from the class of 1961 he says. Can you make a wishing well for an upcoming Make a Wish event? Something that will help draw people in." I said, "Sure, how big we make this will depend on how large a bucket you bring to me." Now I was expecting one of those small buckets you find in the craft stores, but he brought me one from the local casino. It was large enough (maybe 7") that I worried about how we were going to accomplish the task of this large wishing well. It was suppose to mimic the wishing well by Thomas Kincade and be ready by the event date 2-28-04.



As usual I got the art teacher involved by having his students paint the project to match the photo.

Only when Frank Shankwitz came back with NBC in tow, and after watching it on the nightly news... did we find out who he actually was. He presented me with signed artwork by the wish recipient, a very young boy. Frank also gave me photos of the event. An unassuming man not looking for glory, Frank dresses humbly and speaks softly to get things done. The movie captures the Make a Wish story. I highly recommend seeing it.

I'm sorry I can't remember much more details about the recipient/boy except the artwork was framed in a laser engraved frame and it stayed on my wall for almost 8 years before the new Principal unbelievably chose to close the program in 2012. That made little sense as total school enrollment slid even further. The artwork is currently somewhere in storage.

***UPDATE*** Sad to say, Frank Shankwitz Obituary 2021

After that Principal was asked to leave the school the following year, the new Principal tried to get me to come back, but with their still declining enrollment, they had to come up with a way to downsize twelve more staff members. Due to Charter schools, the high school became a shell of what it once was program wise and was reduced to a B school.

I can't say if keeping my program would have kept their numbers up, but other staff members thought so or they wouldn't have asked me to come back.

I know I've said this before, but this might be my last year. More health issues have shown up and I'm not sure I will want to go on after this. It could even be sooner than I think. Sad. I'm hoping to say more to you about this in the near future and like I said, this has been said before and here I still am today.

***UPDATE*** I'm on medical leave right now and have had both good and bad news. The good far outweighs the bad and I may be able to continue for a while longer after all, but not without first taking some more time off to deal with the bad. In another week or so I'll be able to return with a hopefully brighter future.

woodshopteacherprivate@gmailNOSPAM.com
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tbockman
Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 8:17:31 AM
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While combing through old magazines

It has been a rough month or two, but things are looking up. In fact, I'm planning to stay a little bit longer after all.

While I was on medical leave and things seemed bleak, I needed something to stay busy to keep my mind off the topic, so among other things, I managed to find 1940's era Popular Mechanics on-line where there are many fantastic projects and shop ideas. While I have most copies of these in my home shed, it takes time to scan them. At google books, that is done, except many of them came from a collection where the person often wrote in the columns. Mine are clean library discards.


I'm working my way through a decade of wonderful ideas, when materials were scarce and everyone seemed to be pulling together for the common good. Some of these shop ideas are priceless. I've been clipping examples to save in a file where it will be easier to access without remembering which issue it came from.

I might even go forward into the 50's and back into the 30's a few more issues, at least until the ideas seem to not seem as relevant. It's already difficult to find some of the auto parts they used to make some of their small machines. And... the radio, photography, use of asbestos, and white lead stuff almost seems ridicules when you look at them today, but those shop ideas... now there we can still find relevance.


A lot of the ideas I am after center around not only the wood shop, but also metalworking. If you would like a zip folder of what I have clipped, drop me an e-mail.

***UPDATE*** 2-22-20 Here is how the boxer came out, thanks to our art teacher for the painting of the pieces. The boxers were made 1/2 size so they aren't overly large. The template set is gaining a lot of attention as this is quickly becoming a new favorite. To avoid using a lead weight, a single 3/8" nut is incorporated.



***UPDATE*** 3-3-20 Several students decided to take up the boxer challenge project.


He's finding out the hard way that MDF and solid wood are different.


With time running short, the nine weeks are almost over, he may barely get this assemble. You guessed it... this is the only one I have been following in photos and it has been a struggle competing with the clock. Art has closed the doors to outside students coming in as they clean their space for the next quarter classes. Still, it's going to come together at the last minute no doubt.
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tbockman
Posted: Saturday, February 22, 2020 11:45:16 AM
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More safety sign ideas!


Using images from old magazines, and given snappy titles to add a little retro pizazz. They are fun to make and more fun to see the reactions they bring. I added one more. It's the same dummy one except the wording in more like... Which one is the dummy? Then below... It's the one not wearing safety glasses!

Now I am no dummy... because I know better than to do one like that, without first asking my Principal what she thought of using the word dummy. She thought it was hilarious and got right to the point. I'm glad because a student thought that one up... and he also thought up the Go to jail sign with the monopoly man. Good job Chase!
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tbockman
Posted: Saturday, February 22, 2020 12:08:19 PM
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A simple robot that is a big hit!



***UPDATE*** 11-21-20 Five students are distance learning, and many more are in class everyday. I did get notice that one from class now has covid and was still in classes last week. We can only wait and see if anyone else gets it and if school will have to close again. Meanwhile, this project is chosen more often than most others of the in class projects. It has no template and relies completely on the students ability to reproduce it from it's three dimensional state. I'm impressed with what the students can do with it. I haven't kept up with taking in class project photos, but only recently snapped a few just last week which I will be posing soon. Too bad I didn't catch more of these because we have really gone to town on projects this quarter. I just hope another mandated closure isn't on it's way.
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tbockman
Posted: Wednesday, March 4, 2020 8:13:12 AM
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The Radio Flyer

As one of my challenge project which until now has not been posted, I made a little Radio Flyer wagon. This student saw it on the upper most shelf and asked if he could have a closer look. It's been up there a long time with no other student even commenting on it. The one thing I changed after we got it down was the size of my wheels. They just didn't look right.


Anyway, he liked it and we worked together as I made changes to mine. My wheels came out bigger than his and perhaps if I ever get a chance in my day to get it back down, I will provide a photo of it. With the larger wheels, mine actually has taken on more of a cartoonish look.


Using all the spare parts we can muster from my mishmash of hardware, we are both able to get our wheels onto our wagons after we also installed a lift kit to raise the wagon higher up. He also extended the tongue and lengthened the handle which I like better than what I did.


I got a little ahead of him and added wheel covers to mine. Once he saw them, he made some and added them to his.... after I took this last photo that is...


Anthony did such a good job on this challenge.

What can I say.... I love this job! It's the best place I've ever worked. How much better can this get. Now.... if I can just keep my health on track. I actually have a pretty amazing back story about that topic. Let's just say it's complicated.

Compare...



I got one of these wagons on my sixth birthday and spent many hours playing in it. Aaaaa the memories... If only I hadn't later been talked into disassembling it for a go cart. Older brothers.



It's kind of funny that this thread started as a way to share project ideas only to end up being a running log of activity on building a school wood shop at a school that doesn't really have the money to do what we are doing. I hope you are enjoying seeing what we have been working towards, even as I begin to think it's almost time for me to retire again. Physical things as you get older can really bog you down and that's what is happening to me.

If you haven't taken the time to look back at some of the updates I have been making to each post, then you are missing out on some really great stuff. I figured out how to make links within this site, that will go directly to each post. Slow connections or Internet speeds might require a little patience to load, but using the back browser arrow brings you directly back to where you left off reading. For example.... here is a direct link to the crankyman automata post and the back arrow brings you back here.

These links help clarify or point out ideas without a lot of fumbling around on your part. Now this makes me wish I would have made the posts smaller, concentrating on a single concept/issue/project, but doing that creates more pages. However, I could further direct teachers to these concepts in greater detail... so maybe some day I will be able to break it up into smaller sections. Doing this as an after thought would not keep them in chronological order. That order is part of what I think makes it more fascinating.... to watch a budding program thrive from day to day, week to week, etc... and work within the constraints of the times.

It's also too bad that DivShare has messed up their site. If any of you have been trying to get material on the broken links, let me know. I found my stash of material on one of my external hard drives, so I should be able to send them over e-mail. As I have time in the future, I would have uploaded this material to photobucket and remake the links, however, photobucket changed the free user agreement and I'm unsure as to what will work and what won't. Contact me so I can send material directly over e-mail.

Here are some general page short cuts for you...

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A message to new wood shop teachers who may have stumbled onto this site!

Because of spam... this site has been closed for quite some time now, but if you would like to join, we could use some new blood. The older guys have been retiring and thinning out the ranks. I didn't ask permission to post this, but I found out from a new member that he did this to gain access.... Send an e-mail to tech@woodcraft.com I have noticed that this is helping new members get into the site while keeping the spammers out.


I've seen at least thirteen new members have signed up since making this notice.
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tbockman
Posted: Tuesday, July 28, 2020 3:09:31 PM
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A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Oneida may want to host this thread on their website if Woodcraft bails out!

When we were in the middle of our first distance learning lockout, Woodcraft had the woodworkingteachers.com server get hacked. That is why this disappeared. I only found this out because I was trying so hard to make contact with their tech department. I badly wanted to download this thread since it has so much good information that I still use every school year.

Eventually I heard from September Fleming telling me they lost all the data and were no longer going to host us. A few days later she contacted me to let me know they were able to restore it long enough for me to retrieve what I wanted, so I worked all weekend to get everything I could. I have suggested that we should advertise Woodcraft so we can stay running.

Then this week I had the opportunity to talk with Oneida and they may want to host us. It may be wishful thinking on my part because they might only want the story I have of installing their system. I'll know more later.

Speaking of the Oneida dust control system, I've made a few more custom adjustments. The dust around certain operations is still enough of a problem that I wanted to try to reduce it anywhere I could.

The scroll saws are a good example of this. My earlier attempt at a scrollnado type experiment ended when student decided they didn't like having it in their way, so I had to come up with something easier to adjust and use.

To add a better dust pick up on this machine, I started with a piece of angle iron. After making a 1/4" pilot hole, I borrowed a step bit and enlarged the hole to fit the flex tubing.



Then after shaping it the way I wanted it to look, I drilled a 1/4" mounting hole. Waiting to shape it made clamping easier for both operations.



Using 1" garbage disposal hose (the least expensive way by obtaining it from Home Depot), I attached the flex tubing to the saw.



This is tapped into the system below the saw.



The larger hose and the flex adjustments work so well, I wish I would have thought of this sooner, but at that time I had run out of money. I would like to have made the flex tube longer, but the way we did this cost only $20 per machine. Once the students are back to school, I will know if we will have to make them longer, but right now, they really really really work. I'm totally serious. What a difference. Once I have video evidence, I will try to find a way to post it.

I also plan on giving out information on everything I am doing to teach classes remotely. I occasionally come across other teachers items and know many of you would appreciate the help.

Even if woodworkingteachers does shut down, hang in there. Contact me anytime by removing the red... woodshopteacherprivate@(NO-SPAM)gmail.com

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tbockman
Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2020 8:58:16 AM
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Joined: 11/17/2006
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A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


An Important Announcement

This site is scheduled to come down!

Before that happens, I want you to know...
how much it has meant to me to share what I do!

If you haven't already done so, contact me and I will share my google drive! Actually, it takes up two drives because of the additional construction curriculum I also have.

This is an opportunity to show how well my curriculum can be used for distance learning!

I will also share anything I can about which assignments I am using and when I am using them.

There are dozens of changeable PowerPoint's on every conceivable woodworking & (green) construction topic!

There are hundreds of documents for handouts!

There are hundreds of videos and I will be adding even more!

I am finding it is easy to fit them into Google Classroom, the format choice of our school.

I have been making self-grading quizzes using these materials and with a little help from youtube.

What at first appeared to be difficult has turned out to be very easy using this curriculum and it has made distance learning something that might actually turn out to be fun. I may only have a few years left before I retire (for good that is). At this late point in my career, I want to pass this experience on to the next generation of wood shop teachers.

Hang in there. Contact me anytime by removing the red... woodshopteacher@(NO-SPAM)cableone.net

I have to thank WOODCRAFT for setting this site up so we could all get to know each other. My hope is to convince them to keep this going as an easier way for us to stay in touch.


***UPDATE*** 7-30-2020 It seems in my latest e-mail from Woodcraft... they may be reconsidering. I hope they let it stay in place so we can work together to get through this time of uncertainty.

Here are some general page short cuts for you...

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tbockman
Posted: Wednesday, August 5, 2020 2:34:41 PM
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Joined: 11/17/2006
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A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Distance Learning

This is a you tube video that shows how to get started using Google classroom.

This is a link to my intro video.

I've already had a few teachers request entry into my google drive. My biggest concern is that if they want to make changes, that they download their own copy and make their own changes so nothing on the drive gets altered. The amount of items I already have on the drive are really going to help me with distance learning over Google classroom.

Even though I am new to this medium, I'm posting my first two weeks of Google classroom assignments. Once I've posted, it changes the way you view it so I made this first image from the posted assignment... week 1.


This assignment went out to students over Google classroom Monday morning. There is an intro video, cover letter, permission slip, student behavior agreement, and safety rules that parents and students go over and discuss together so parents can sign off. I'm hoping this has students ready to begin once they return.

This next one is not yet posted, so it looks different as I keep changing and adjusting what is there... week 2.


Week 2 is almost ready to go. I'm waiting on a few videos being made by an outside source. There is also my first self-correcting quiz. I also had to figure out how to make the quiz so students can go back and retake the test as many times as they might need. It turns out it is a simple click on the gear in the upper right corner. Change it so students can edit after they have submitted.

This view is of the building of the assignment before you press the assign button also in the upper right corner.

***UPDATE*** 8-9-2020 The above image does not show these new additions because I wasn't sure these would be completed in time as it was a rush project. The guy who helped make these didn't really want to put them out so quick. They are still in progress and he is doing them for free. I told him they can still be polished up so they will be ready for Quarter 2 and he can feel better about the final product. Even though these aren't up to his standards right now, and were made in a rush, they still reflect the demonstrations I normally give during the 1st couple of weeks of school and will work for that purpose.

***UPDATE*** 8-10-2020 I didn't realize I had to mark the files as share so these links would work. If you tried to view and failed before, please try again.

Hot wire wood burner

Scroll saw

Drill press

Belt-disc sander

Band Saw

Oscillating Spindle Sander

Wood lathe Making a miniature baseball bat

Wood lathe Turning a goblet


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tbockman
Posted: Wednesday, August 5, 2020 3:06:07 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 11/17/2006
Posts: 0

A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Building a quiz for the 3rd week assignment.

Building my first and second self-correcting quizzes has been fun. These links go to youtube videos which are a lifesaver. This example of a self-correcting quiz is in progress so changes are still being made. The first problem was fitting the image onto the page. It kept wanting to cut off the edges. As you can see, I finally figured it out. I was trying to place the image at the top in the header and it didn't want to give enough space for it.

Another problem with the small space is figuring out ways to ask multiple choice questions without giving away answers, especially on a topic like this. I'm sure I will eventually figure it out, but this is what I have so far.


I eventually added a statement about placing a check mark in the correct box. Here is the answer key...


Another way that might work better would be to make separate images asking with multiple choice responses. It would take up more space and I have yet to try it. Feel free to respond. What is the best way to make this quiz without giving away the answers?

***UPDATE*** I found this youtube video that talks about how to use Google slides to turn a pdf or jpeg image into an fill-in-the-blank document if you want to have a more traditional comprehensive assignment with fewer answer clues.

This was made by adding the image to the background of a Google slide. The blanks I added for answers are showing in this screen shot. However, it is not a self-correcting quiz, but it can be completed from home and submitted through Google classroom.


A view of what the final slide looks like and it doesn't show the text boxes.


You can see this is a much harder test that will really show student measuring competency. The first blank is a clue of how to add the correct answers to a text box and this would also be stated as part of the instructions.

I've gone back in and put answers so all text boxes will fit the correct response. I also adjusted the instructions.


This of course is week 3 lesson about measuring. It has a PowerPoint, two videos, an image and a 6th grade quiz and a 7th/8th grade quiz.



***UPDATE*** 8-17-2020 After sending this assignment out, there were issues with the quiz holding on to answers from the first student to try it so every student opening it after that had it already completed. After finding this out and with some good troubleshooting from a colleague, we managed to figure out that the quiz has to be listed first in order, or the choice of student receives a copy doesn't appear. For whatever reason it won't work in a different order. How weird is that glitch? After starting over, and abandoning the 6th grade quiz altogether, the assignment was relaunched late into the day. All those early-birds will have to try the test again (except for one student who I could actually witness putting their answers in the quiz just before we figured out what to change).


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tbockman
Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2020 3:00:18 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 11/17/2006
Posts: 0

A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.

Week 4 Mechanical Fasteners

Our board decided to postpone school until September 7th. I've decided I had better get a few lessons ahead, so in no particular order, Mechanical Fasteners. I recently upgraded the image by cutting away non-essential white background so it is close up and easier to see.



We have handouts, videos and a 10 question quiz. The great part about having my google drive already loaded with materials is that building a distance lesson is easy, although I found the google PowerPoint viewer does have a few issues that require a run through for adjustments. That's still easier than making up something new on the fly. I can convert an existing quiz or since this is junior high, I usually end up making up an easier quiz.


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tbockman
Posted: Friday, August 21, 2020 5:08:56 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 11/17/2006
Posts: 0

A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Scheduling classes

Knowing we may be back in classes, I've have chosen what I think is not only interesting, but will also help the students when they return. Part of this is of course the entertainment value to keep student interest, and also to learn new skills.

The image shows one of the quirks of Google Classroom. The order always seems out of order. I'm sure that is mostly my inexperience and maybe I will learn how to keep it a bit more tidy in the future.


Hands on classes like these have a greater chance of reaching the hard to reach student because of the entertainment value of what we teach. I do try to take it a bit further by adding to the interesting material with references to academic classes like history, math, and science.

I'm sure glad that Woodcraft hasn't shut this site down yet. I'm hoping it stays open.


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tbockman
Posted: Friday, August 21, 2020 5:36:38 PM
Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member

Joined: 11/17/2006
Posts: 0

A big thank you goes out to Woodcraft for hosting this site.


Trying to stay ahead and
trying not to stray off topic


Although building these lessons using my collection of multimedia material has been a pleasant enough task, I have to say... bring back the hands-on live person classes. I'm not buying the whole reasoning or timing behind the shut down.

Keeping students engaged is hard to do when you can't have them in class. Watching their expressions, answering their questions, seeing their progress makes it easier to gauge how well they are learning the concepts.

When we do finally start back, some students will choose to continue distance learning. That means I will have to keep providing at least one lesson per week with at least a five question quiz. I have more than enough material to last the school year.

Making quizzes on google slides allows the teacher to be more flexible with questions, like I did when making the measurement fill in the blank sheet. The only issue being they can't easily be self-correcting, or maybe they can't possibly be self-correcting. I'm still learning about google classroom so I can't tell for sure at this time.

But as I found out through experience while on the measurement lesson, it makes a huge difference on what order you place your items into the lesson. In the case of students automatically getting their own copy of the fill-in-the-blank quiz, it must be posted first.

OK... in other words, the quiz has to be the first post on the lesson, even before the PowerPoint. I'm sorry, but that messes with my OCD. Hahaha! If not posted first, the options for giving each student their own copy doesn't even show up in the menu.

Really? It was that temperamental. Even our resident google classroom expert had trouble with this one. I went to her for help. She showed me how to do this in a make believe lesson. She did not know about the order being an issue. She put in the quiz and it worked... but not for me on my highly involved lesson!

Once we realized through test after test, that the quiz had to be first in the lesson's order, it now seemed easy. But why does it have to be so difficult? It's just more maneuvering through the complicated google classroom maze.

I like posting problems like these here because it also becomes a reminder to me when I get stuck. I frequently find myself referring back to these posts. For example, I can look up where I bought scroll saw blades and which ones I bought, or the same when getting new abrasive sleeves for the oscillating spindle sander. I can see where they came from and what they cost, that sort of detail... which is always somewhere in the now thirteen pages of this thread.

You youthful guys will see what I mean some day. You will find as you age that you have to come up with ways around those cloudy senior moments. However, it doesn't have to be a huge thread of posts like this. It might be easier to put them in a notebook where you can find them as a hard copy when you need them.

I have found a whole new flexibility since being at this school which is one of the reasons why a notebook doesn't work so well for me since this school, for all it's good points, doesn't have enough room to give me some office space. I'm working most of the time out of a file box or keeping it on the computer knowing that computers can fail. Sorry, I'm straying off topic.

The Abrasives Lesson

This Abrasives PowerPoint presentation should really be directed more toward high school age, but this one is what I had readily available and it should work to get the point across with a younger audience.

This PowerPoint is one of the things I found missing from the drive, because google doesn't tell you if it doesn't have the room, it will simply transfer most of it, but not all of it and that leaves you guessing what is missing once you notice. Usually then you don't find what missing until you need it. (Sorry about that to anyone who is currently sharing my drive. Keep in mind that requesting a flash drive of this material assures everything is in it's place and all the links to other media is also intact unlike when it is opened with google slides.)



Don't you wish the image would allow you to click on these items to take a closer look. The quiz is basically a summary of the PowerPoint, especially as how this information pertains to our hands-on wood shop class or even home use of adhesives.


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