Kids WIP: Solitaire Board
There have been a few questions about making stuff with kids, so here's a quick project my brother and I did at the weekend with our 5 kids (my 6, 4 and 2 year olds and his 6 and 3 year olds).
I prepared the base boards in advance. I used 400 x 400 19mm ply left overs, but around 300mm would have been ideal. I quickly bevelled each edge of the ply with a #4 hand plane to create the gutter for the marbles, and gave each board a light sanding.
The kids marked out the pattern of holes with a hammer and nail, and then started drilling with an egg beater drill and countersink bit. Unfortunately the bit wasn't sharp enough, so we swapped to drilling out with an 8mm twist bit, and then widening with the countersink, both in the electric drill driver.
The kids helped mark the edge strips directly from each edge of the board, scratching crosses on each edge and its corresponding edge strip so they could match them up later. Then they cut the mitres on the mitre box - everyone's favourite task! The edge strips were given a quick sanding, and then glued and pinned on.
Even before the glue was set, the two 6 year olds were addicted to the game, while the others just wanted to throw marbles.
I'll polish the holes a little with the dremel and give it a coat of whatever's left over in the cupboard - maybe some walnut stain and varnish - but I'll have to do it after dark, as even my wife is addicted now!
I'd say the kids did less than 20% of the work, but they feel they made them and they all got to practice a few skills and use some new tools so they're all happy.
