Wooden Blocks for special needs school

[Sawdust Maker]

Hello fellow woodworkers

I'm posting this here as it relates to toys

Some of you I know, some I don't (but I'm super impressed with your work!)

As some of my friends on the forum know, my youngest son, Caelan, is on the autism spectrum. His school, St Lucy's in Wahroonga, runs at a deficit. Link here

Anyway one of the things they need is/are block sets for the kids to play with (the school caters for the education of the full range of special needs kids, autism, downs etc)

Last week I was at the parent teacher evening. The school displayed a slide (ok powerpoint) of a block set they liked, or would like for the kids.

That got me thinking. I can make that! In fact have done so (see example below). Then I thought I know a lot of woodies whom have spare wood (just ask their respective SWMBOs ) and whom might be willing to part with their offcuts in block form.

The photo below shows examples of a largish set of blocks I made for my boys some 14ish years ago from pine (made out of a waterbed frame)

The blocks I made are based on a template of a standard block of 33 x 66 x 66 mm. This seems to be a size generic in the industry.

Now the heart rending request:

I'd like you all to check your offcut bin and decide what you don't really need, think of the kids at St Lucys and send a block or twelve. If you can provide sanded dimensioned blocks that would be great. If you want to send me the offcuts then I'll do the prep work. I don't really care about species as long as it's non toxic. I do mind doing the final sanding (because who really likes sanding). My set is unfinished and that's what I would expect to supply the school.

blocks_4268.jpg

cheers

[MAPLEMAN]

Nick..i would be happy to send some blocks to you...but haven't the time to sand them..work out how many you need and we will go from there....seriously keen to help out...Cheers MM

[crowie]

Would there be a local Frame & Truss company,
if so they could help as a local one up here on the lower mountains supplies offcuts to a mate for community centre woodwork.....
Worth trying, if you don't mind asking..

[Avery]

Why not give one of your local Men's Sheds a call. perhaps Hornsby would be a good start.

I know the blokes at the Hills men's shed would be all over a request like that.

[wheelinround]

Nick send me sizes I need to cull some wood as in Pine, Cedar and some Hardwoods.

Hows 5 sets from me sound.

Edited Nick it maybe enough to do more than quoted above just recalled some timber bed sides I have.

[Sawdust Maker]

Nick..i would be happy to send some blocks to you...but haven't the time to sand them..work out how many you need and we will go from there....seriously keen to help out...Cheers MM

MM

Thanks muchly

I'm not really sure how many blocks are needed? Can you have too many blocks?
I'm sure the school will take as many as they are given. And put them to good use.

I can sand if needed, so longer sets would be better. I can cut down to size if needed

an example of my eldest's creation in the small set I made (not sure he used them all even then.


blocks_0443.jpg

So I think the answer is ... whatever you feel comfortable in providing

Thanks

[Sawdust Maker]

Would there be a local Frame & Truss company,
if so they could help as a local one up here on the lower mountains supplies offcuts to a mate for community centre woodwork.....
Worth trying, if you don't mind asking..

Good idea - I think the closest truss coy is up on the central coast

Why not give one of your local Men's Sheds a call. perhaps Hornsby would be a good start.

I know the blokes at the Hills men's shed would be all over a request like that.

Another good idea - I'll have a yarn to my local one, at Northbridge. Been meaning to wander along in any event.

[crowie]

Would there be a local Frame & Truss company,
if so they could help as a local one up here on the lower mountains supplies offcuts to a mate for community centre woodwork.....
Worth trying, if you don't mind asking..

No. 1 Roofing,Roof Trusses & Wall Frames - Narrabeen, NSW

1 Warraba Rd, Narrabeen NSW 2101, Australia (02) 9970 8359

NBS Frame & Truss,Roof Trusses & Wall Frames - Dural, NSW

238 New Line Rd, Dural NSW 2158, Australia (02) 9651 2200

Multinail Australia Pty Ltd,Roof Trusses & Wall Frames - Castle Hill, NSW

15/ 10 Victoria Ave, Castle Hill NSW 2154, Australia (02) 9865 7011

[Sawdust Maker]

Thanks Crowie

so the central coast is not the closest

I think I'll try the men's shed and see if can get offcuts for them to use
sounds like a plan

[Sawdust Maker]

Someone asked what a basic set might comprise

These are the basic shapes I came up with when I made mine

So I imagine a basic set could comprise:

4 x square
4 x bi oblong
2 x tri oblong
2 x quad oblong
2 x small triangle
2 x bi triangle
2 x wedge

blocks_4280.jpg
As you can see the triangles and wedge are simply cut from the basic square or oblong shape.
I have a feeling that there are a couple of longer ones than the quad


For my sons' set I also obtained some turned stock 66mm and 33 mm respectively and made the columns as below

Now I have a lathe I'll turn some of these myself to go with any sets that forumites supply.

blocks_4284.jpg

I hope this helps.

[wheelinround]

Ok got the idea

[Bushmiller]

Nick..i would be happy to send some blocks to you...but haven't the time to sand them..work out how many you need and we will go from there....seriously keen to help out...Cheers MM

MM

FenceFurniture is attempting to put together an order of your timbers for me to take down to NSW. The thread has been delayed for some reason at the moment, but if it is well received it may be possible for me to take any blocks down with me.

This obviously depends on who in the Sydney area throws their hat into the arena.

Nothing firm at this stage, but do keep it in the back of your mind as an option.

Regards
Paul

[Dengue]

In the basic set above, can you please give us some idea of the dimensions of each?

[wheelinround]

In the basic set above, can you please give us some idea of the dimensions of each?

The blocks I made are based on a template of a standard block of 33 x 66 x 66 mm. This seems to be a size generic in the industry.

Nick have a look at these Fair and Square: Sustainable Building Blocks for Kids | Inhabitots

[Sawdust Maker]

In the basic set above, can you please give us some idea of the dimensions of each?

Mate

thanks for the interest

the standard block unit is 66 mm x 66 mm x 33 mm, everything else is based on that.

so

Square block is 66 x 66 x 33
bi oblong is 132 x 66 x 33
tri oblong is 198 x 66 x 33
quad oblong is 264 x 66 x 33

what I called triangles earlier are really prisms, so:

small prism (triangle) is half a square block cut on the diagonal (so each side is 33 x 66 x 66 x ~93.3)
bi prism (triangle) is a bi oblong cut on the diagonal (each side is thus 33 x 132 x 66 x ~147.6)
wedge is a bi oblong as well but cut diagonally through the thin face (so each side is 66 x 33 x 132 x ~136.1)
of course wedges or prisms can be made from any of the oblong shapes ...

for the prisms and wedges, in practice the diagonal cut is made first then ends trimmed so they stay within the sizing - otherwise if a block is sliced the resultant triangle is smaller sized

hope this makes sense