Community Watch: Build a Bench this Memorial Day Weekend!
Are you in the Houston area? Ever wanted to get started woodworking? Maybe you just enjoy benches as much as I do? Join me for the Wood Workshop at TX/RX Labs on Sat. & Sun. May 25th & 26th...
View ArticleCommunity Watch: Build a Bench Is Complete!
Of the three or so classes I’ve taught at TX/RX Labs and the twenty to thirty projects I’ve taught at work, the simple bench project remains my favorite. It is an intermediate level project which can...
View ArticleThis Week in the Shop: A Simple Pin Marking Gauge
To end the year, my students have been making simple marking gauges. My students learned to create a mortise and use hand planes to fit a tenon in this particular project. Here’s how we did it. 1....
View ArticleMaking a Makerspace: Planning the Steamworks
This fall, I move into a brand-spanking new classroom. As part of this move, I’ve been heavily involved in the planning, organizing and logistics of moving my school’s Math & Science program into...
View ArticleThis Week in the Classroom: Build Your Own CO2 Rocket Cars & Launching System
When I look at the popularity of CO2 rocket cars in STEM programs, its ubiquity and age hide a lot of potential for makers and project-based learning opportunities. The biggest drawback, as I see it,...
View ArticleThis Week in The Classroom: The Simple Coffee Table in Spalted Red Oak
Earlier in the year, the great folks at Canyon Mesquite donated a number of spalted red oak boards to make furniture out of. It took a while, but we finally made some great use of them. Finished with...
View ArticleThis Week in the Classroom: 3D Printed Pinhole Camera
Last spring, I had the opportunity to teach one of my dream units: Light and Waves. We completed three projects during this time: camera obsuras, cajon drums and a pinhole camera. This 3D-printed...
View ArticleHome #Makerspace: Making Geometric Nets with Vinyl Cutter
In this project, young makers use a vinyl cutter to cut and score geometric nets, connecting 2D shapes to 3D prisms, polyhedrons, etc. They learn to recognize the difference between two and...
View ArticleHome #Makerspace: Two Easy #KidArt Mobiles
This week, we took to the skies with a two simple mobiles. Mobiles are kinetic sculptures which rely on and play with the scientific concept of equilibrium and center of gravity. The pieces often spin...
View ArticleThis Week in the Shop: The Library Book Nook
This Week in the Shop, I build a library book nook for my school. My school librarian came to me with her coffee bar theme for a renovated library and she wanted a circular book nook to take advantage...
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